Optimising staff utilisation in companion animal veterinary practice in Aotearoa/New Zealand

Utilisation of all staff in companion animal veterinary practice has long been reported as sub-optimal in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Evidence shows that skill utilisation is poor, and this is likely impacted by the very low ratios of non-veterinarian staff to each veterinarian in a veterinary practice. This participative action research utilised co-design with a range of staff practising in companion animal clinical practice in Aotearoa/New Zealand, who self-selected as having experience with excellent utilisation. Participants were asked to imagine what a future with excellent utilisation in Aotearoa/New Zealand would look like. This research clarifies role definitions of a veterinarian, companion animal registered veterinary nurse and companion animal healthcare assistant, documents examples of task allocation in an interprofessional team, and develops models to show how ratios of 11:2–14:2 of non-veterinarian staff to veterinarians could be operationalised. The outcomes of achieving this model are likely be beneficial to staff, animals, clients and the business profitability. However, a significant number of barriers are present which may prevent implementation of this model. These include lack of trust, poor team culture, perceived or real skill gaps in veterinary nurses, current legal risks associated with task delegation by veterinarians, and insufficient time available to implement change. Whilst overcoming some of these barriers requires industry-led solutions, many can be resolved immediately within individual teams. Therefore, there is no need to wait for industry change to begin creating veterinary teams with excellent utilisation within individual veterinary practices.