Dispensing antimicrobials to farmers in Wales: The roles and experiences of veterinary practice staff

Background
Veterinary practice staff are directly involved in the dispensing of prescription veterinary medicines (POM-Vs) to farmers as prescribed by registered veterinary surgeons to animals ‘under their care’. The role of veterinary practice staff has, to date, been underresearched. The objective of this study was to investigate the roles played by veterinary practice staff, exploring their expectations and perceptions of the front-of-house (FoH) role, their interactions with clients in day-to-day veterinary practice and their experiences relating to the dispensing of POM-Vs.

Methods
Thematic analysis was used to analyse data from 20 semi-structured interviews of veterinary practice staff. Participants were recruited from 80% of the large animal or mixed species veterinary practices across Wales.

Results
Four key themes—‘piggy in the middle’, learning on the job, practice organisation and facilitating change—were identified, illustrating the multifaceted and diverse nature of this type of employment.

Limitations
This study is not intended to be representative of the perceptions of FoH staff on the dispensing of antimicrobials. Larger-scale studies are required to substantiate these findings.

Conclusion
Understanding the roles of non-clinical veterinary staff allows practice managers and veterinary surgeons to better identify and meet training and staffing needs and improves recognition of this key area of practice work.