Make support operational
A new graduate can be surrounded by friendly colleagues and still be unsure who is available when a consultation becomes difficult. Put the support arrangement into the day’s operating plan. Name the colleague to contact, explain how to reach them and clarify what happens when that person is occupied.
The UK RCVS VetGDP includes responsibilities for employers and advisers, including protected participation time. The suggestions below concern the working environment around that programme; practices should check the current eligibility and programme requirements directly with the RCVS.
Plan the workload together
Discuss appointment patterns, administrative tasks and the graduate’s current learning needs before building the rota. A template suitable for an experienced colleague may leave a new starter without time to review a record or ask a question. Make room for the real work involved, rather than assuming support can happen invisibly between cases.
Review the plan regularly with the graduate. Their needs will evolve, and the right response may be a different type of case discussion or greater responsibility in a specific area. Avoid using confidence in conversation as the sole measure of readiness.
Make feedback usable
Give feedback on a concrete situation and agree the next learning step. Praise and reassurance can help, but a graduate also needs to know what to keep doing and what to change. Provide the conversation in a private setting where questions can be asked without an audience.
Invite feedback about the practice as well. A new colleague may notice unclear systems that experienced staff navigate from memory. When the team resolves those gaps, it supports the graduate and improves the environment for future locums, students and new starters.
Protect the support relationship
Recognise the adviser’s workload and provide cover when they are away. A mentoring commitment loses credibility if every development meeting is displaced by service pressure. Managers should help preserve the arrangement and explain how urgent operational needs will be handled.
Keep development discussion distinct from assumptions about commercial productivity. Review progress through relevant professional learning and appropriate feedback. A graduate should understand both the responsibilities of the role and the support available to meet them, without having to prove independence by avoiding help.
Sources and publication note
Published by Pets & Vet. AI-assisted operational analysis; linked source checked on 23 October 2026. This article is not a clinical protocol or a substitute for professional judgement.
