NAVP is continuously evolving as we strive to improve the Association. 

NAVP members now have access to a dedicated team (NAVP Connect), no matter your level of experience. This gives NAVP members access to experienced Executive Team members, headed up by Emily Workman-Gyde.

For students we offer peer support from student reps Keeley McDonald (Writtle Uni) and Eleanor Vinnicombe (Harper Adams Uni). Our aim is to help students and graduates attain the high level of standards expected from an NAVP member, as well as giving them support as they transition into the world of Veterinary Physiotherapy.

Keeley and Eleanor are keen to meet other student members. We will be holding a series of informal get-togethers where you can meet and support each other. Networking is an important part of becoming a successful Veterinary Physiotherapist - start by joining NAVP at a super discounted rate and have access to CPD, a members only area on the website, and much more: ​https://www.navp.co.uk/membership

We want to showcase our members’ diversity, qualifications and expertise, so each month we will be profiling one of our Veterinary Physiotherapists. 

​Next up is our Executive Committee member, Emily Workman-Gyde, who is heading up the NAVP Connect project which supports students and graduates as they navigate their way to successful careers in Veterinary Physiotherapy.

Name
Emily Workman-Gyde

Qualifications
BSc (Hons) Vet. Phys., MNAVP

Time With NAVP
Five Years

Place of work
EWG Veterinary Physiotherapy, covering Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire

Where did your love of working with animals come from?
EWG: I’ve always been a huge lover of horses and dogs. Pony was one of my first words!! My family aren’t particularly horsey at all, so they’re not quite sure where that passion comes from, but it’s something that has stuck with me.

What has your career path been?
EWG: I went to college to do an equine management course alongside my A-levels and kind of fell into the rehab and therapy role that way. I went to Harper Adams to study the BSc Honours in Veterinary Physiotherapy and since then have had a lot of experience working in polo yards and for veterinary equine and small animal veterinary practices. I’m now a self-employed veterinary physiotherapist, combining my role with volunteering with NAVP.

What is your role within the NAVP Exec Team?
EWG: My role is to encourage the next generation of Veterinary Physiotherapists who are coming through in that sort of transitional process between being students, being qualified and then those next few years after graduation. NAVP CONNECT is a new project focusing on supporting our Category 2 members. It can be quite daunting coming out of studying and into the real world, so having that support from like-minded professionals is really important. 

Our ultimate aim is to drive the association forward. To do that, we need to ensure the next generation of Veterinary Physiotherapists coming through the ranks are highly qualified, using robust techniques and delivering to the standard NAVP and the wider industry expects. Whether that be for small animals, equine, larger animals or exotic.

What does a Student Membership offer?
We offer a heavily discounted rate for student members, which gives them all the same benefits as being a full member. They also receive heavily discounted CPD, with some CPD sessions free of charge. 

We have a Mentorship Monday programme where students can chat and get advice from senior members of our Executive Team and other vets - we discuss all things Veterinary Physiotherapy, including business, mental health and welfare,  or anything else that is relevant.

We also have a placement scheme where we link our students with suitable placement providers to help further their experience. 

What does the NAVP mean to you, both as a member and a member of the Exec Team? 
Well, I've been with the NAVP for about five years, and I find it a really supportive community of like-minded Veterinary Physiotherapists, who are there when you need help. If you're struggling with a case, have questions about branding, if you're a bit worried about client retention or how to win business, there's always someone on the exec team and other members who you can turn to for advice. 

The NAVP Executive Team are here to support and champion our members. 
We want to provide clear communication to our membership about the direction of travel of the organisation and to answer questions or queries that anyone may have. 
In order to achieve this, we are looking to further professionalise NAVP and add new skillsets and expertise to ensure the organisation can run smoothly and give full value to our members. 

The newest recruit to our Executive Team is Katie Haselhurst…so who is Katie and what is her role?

​Paul Freeman has had a varied career spanning more than 30 years, beginning his working life as a mixed general practice vet. He developed a role as a referral orthopaedic surgeon, before in 2008 he began an alternative track residency in neurology based at Cambridge University. This led eventually to the European Diploma in Veterinary Neurology in 2014, as well as RCVS and European Specialist status. Paul became Principal Clinical Neurologist at the Queen’s Veterinary School Hospital, University of Cambridge in 2016, and since that time the neurology service in Cambridge has grown rapidly. Paul now works with four senior specialist colleagues, as well as supervising four residents, and two PhD students. His main research interests are spinal cord injury, in particular canine intervertebral disc herniation and fenestration. Paul has published a large number of studies and reviews since beginning his career as a neurologist, and has lectured widely both in the UK and overseas. In 2020 he co-authored a new textbook of neurology aimed at general practitioners which was very well received.

Name
Ariel Ward
Qualifications
BSc (Hons) MSC Veterinary Physiotherapy
Affiliated Groups
Full NAVP member
What is your current role?
AW: At the moment I run my own business called Animal Alliance Veterinary Physiotherapy, which is a mobile veterinary physiotherapy service based in London. I build relationships with vet practices and then go in for around one day a week, to carry out any veterinary physiotherapy that’s required.
 
I've also just taken over as the referral expert for Veterinary Physiotherapy for the neighbourhood vet practices. There are three in Southeast London and I’m really looking forward to getting involved.​

Have you always loved working with animals?
AW: I always find this quite a difficult question to answer, because I can't pinpoint when or why. I’ve just always loved animals, being around them and learning about anything that involves them.
 
I would say my parents aren’t the most animal centred people, but I was lucky in that they always allowed me to have pets. They were even tolerant when I rescued a half dead pigeon as an eight-year-old!
 
I find working with animals a really rewarding and a peaceful sort of job. It teaches you a good level of patience. It also teaches you to communicate in quite unconventional ways because obviously an animal can’t tell you exactly what hurts and how they did the injury.
 
The other really rewarding part is the human interaction. Generally, when you go into people's homes to administer care to pets, you can see that unconditional love and companionship that exists and it's a really nice thing to be a part of.
 
I also find that when you give advice to pet owners, they listen and take it on board, because ultimately they want to do the best thing for their animals.

Also, when you work alone, it’s great to have a wide net of specialist knowledge to be able to tap into if you have a question about a particular case. The NAVP Facebook Group is a really safe space to do that.
 
Another big benefit of NAVP is how it keeps people accountable due to the compulsory ongoing CPD. If you’re doing that alone it can be expensive and time consuming and has the potential to slip off the radar. When you're part of an association it’s compulsory, so it means that you always have a push to make sure you're continuously learning.​

Meet A Member | Sarah Keith
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NAVP prides itself on the quality and professionalism of its members. All of our veterinary physiotherapists are passionate about working with animals, but they are also academically robust. They must have a minimum of an undergraduate Honours degree in Veterinary Physiotherapy and commit to extensive CPD.

We want to showcase our members’ diversity, qualifications and expertise, so each month we will be profiling one of our Veterinary Physiotherapists.







Meet our co-chair, Sarah Keith.

​Name
Sarah Keith

Qualifications
Post-Graduate level Veterinary Physiotherapy, BSc (Hons) in Animal Behaviour and Welfare.

Affiliated Groups
NAVP member and Co-chair, Animal Health Professions’ Register (under the Veterinary Physiotherapy sub-group)

Place of work
Owner of White Rose Veterinary Physiotherapy

Where did your love of working with animals come from?
SK: When I was little, our house was nicknamed “Noah’s Ark” because we were known for taking in and caring for any stray animals in our neighbourhood. We had a house full of pets and I’ve always preferred animals to people, so it was only natural that I went into this line of work. My mum was always animal orientated - although she told me to get a proper job rather than working in this field. I’m glad I ignored that advice completely!

What has your career path been?
SK: After getting my undergraduate degree in animal behaviour and welfare I worked for the RSPCA as an inspector and specialist equine officer for about seven years. I then went on to teach animal science, vet science and equine therapy and rehab. While I was teaching, I did my master’s degree in Veterinary Physiotherapy, and I’ve been running my own practice ever since.

Why did you want to take the role of Co-Chair of NAVP?
SK: As well as my experience of working with animals, I’ve also held management roles including one for a blue-chip company. It made sense to utilise that mix of experience to benefit NAVP as an organisation.

Having been part of the Executive for a year and also sitting on a couple of committees for other charity organisations, it felt like a natural step to take on the role of Co-Chair.

Why should a vet or animal owner choose an NAVP Veterinary Physiotherapist?
SK: Vets and animal owners come to us because they know our members maintain the highest standards of professionalism. When our members qualify, they are day one competent, but we ensure they maintain those standards throughout their career in Veterinary Physiotherapy.

We thoroughly assess all the applications that come into us and constantly check that our members are reaching the required standards through our category memberships.

It doesn’t matter whether our members are working in the industry full-time in a practice or are sole traders – our category membership means they have that constant check in with us to bounce ideas, discuss cases and continue to operate to the highest level.

What is your vision for NAVP going forward?
SK: I want us to be nationally and internationally recognised as an organisation that really serves its members and professionally represents our industry. I want us to be known for being robust and rigorous in terms of membership criteria and for supporting our members with high quality CPD.

We want our support to be all encompassing, not just on the clinical side, which is why we’ve launched a mentorship scheme to develop our members in all areas - such as business management for example.
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I want NAVP to have a reputation for listening to feedback and being communicative and supportive.

​NAVP prides itself on the quality and professionalism of its members. All of our veterinary physiotherapists are passionate about working with animals, but they are also academically robust.
They must have a minimum of an undergraduate Honours degree in veterinary physiotherapy and commit to extensive CPD.

We want to showcase our members’ diversity, qualifications and expertise, so each month we will be profiling one of our Veterinary Physiotherapists.

Name
Emma Box

Qualifications
BSc (Hons) Animal Science, PgDip Veterinary Physiotherapy, Level Three Diploma Human Sports Massage Therapy, Level Three Certificate Small Animal Hydrotherapy

Affiliated Groups
NAVP member

What is current role?
EB: I am the Head of Veterinary Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation at Willows, which is a veterinary centre and referral service based in Solihull.

We provide everything you would expect from a human hospital, including an A&E and intensive care unit as well as 14 referral services. We’re open 24 hours a day, 365 days a week, so it's a pretty busy operation!

I spend about 80% of my time with patients, while my role also involves working on the clinical leadership side of the hospital.  
 
Have you always loved working with animals?
EB: I’ve always been obsessed with animals and I can't really remember a time that wasn’t the case - It just feels like it's been part of me and part of who I am.

My mum was actually allergic to animals, so as a kid I didn’t have pets. I remember writing my mum a card saying I love you nearly as much as I love animals!

I think the career path I’ve chosen runs a bit deeper and has more dimensions than just a love of animals though.

I’ve always been fascinated by anatomy and how things move, while injuries and rehabilitation have always been quite familiar to me due to my sporting background - I was a competitive runner and gymnast as a youngster.

So, all of those things combined have led me in the direction of Veterinary Physiotherapy.
 
Do you have pets and what are they like?
EB: I've got a little cat called Rocket and I’m getting a three-month-old kitten very soon which I’ve named Toast!
I just love the way cats have their own cool personalities and nuances. I would say dogs are my professional passion, but cats definitely have my soul.
 
What has your career path been?
EB: I remember watching an episode of Bionic Vet (which is now Supervet) back in 2010 and I was just blown away by the level of work that they did at Fitzpatrick referrals – that element of ground-breaking surgery in a hospital setting.

After that, I shadowed a human physiotherapist who explained how to get into the profession – from then on I was hooked!

The next decision was to decide whether to train as a human physiotherapist and have post graduate training or do an animal related degree followed by postgraduate training. I took the latter option, which enabled me to become an NAVP member, as animals were always my priority and I wanted to study them from the very start of my career.

I graduated in 2016 but realised that my ideal job of working in a referral centre didn’t really exist so I set up my own mobile Veterinary Physiotherapy service, building up experience with clinics that needed to outsource that service.
 
Covid wiped out my business almost overnight, but thankfully I’d already managed to get my foot in the door at Willows. I was able to continue to offer them emergency Veterinary Physiotherapy services and Willows supported me through the pandemic which I’ll always be grateful for.
 
Eventually, after being a contractor with them for a couple of years, they offered me a full-time job and I’ve been there ever since.  
 
What are your interests outside of work?
EB: I am embarrassed to say that I am a Crossfitter! I think the links of being physically strong and mentally strong are hard to ignore, and as you get physically stronger, I think your mental resilience improves.
 
Plus it's an amazing feeling chucking a weight around!
 
I practice yoga a lot – the job can be stressful and yoga is one of the things that really helps with my well-being.
 
I think also, being a little bit spiritual can be really helpful when you’re spending a lot of time in a science and corporate environment.
 
I also like eating out and going to wine bars in Leamington where I live - to be honest, eating out is probably my main interest!
 
What do you like about being a member of NAVP?
EB: I think being human, we naturally desire connection and community and NAVP really offers that.
Being a Veterinary Physiotherapist can be quite lonely sometimes, particularly if you're self-employed or you work alone. So it’s really important to be able to access likeminded individuals or people who are all trying to achieve the same goal together.

On top of that, I really align to NAVP as they promote professional standards, and having high professional standards really resonates with who I am and how I practice as a Veterinary Physiotherapist. 

If you would like to join the NAVP community, click button:

A huge thank you to all who attended the NAVP AGM, your support was much appreciated. We have had some amazing feedback which helps to spur us on to deliver a better association over the coming months.

It was the first time most of the exec have met face to face. Unfortunately, Matthew Scott, Daisy Huxtable and Sarah Powdrill-Wells were unable to attend but they are equally invested in their roles in the NAVP team.

The @National Horse Racing Museum in Newmarket was the perfect venue for the AGM. Live streaming was stress free with our audio-visual team taking care of the techy stuff!

We have worked closely over the past few months so it was a great opportunity to finally meet face to face. This allowed us to reflect and exchange ideas for the development of the association. 
We would like to thank everyone who attended and contributed to the AGM. We appreciate the time you committed to take part. Your votes were important in making the necessary changes that will allow NAVP to evolve and expand. We are hoping to share a recording for those who could not attend. 

Highest Quality of Care for Your Pet 
NAVP members provide the highest quality of care thanks to their rigorous training, enabling them to deliver evidence-based techniques. The techniques delivered, equipment used and the clinical reasoning behind them is second to none. 

NAVP members must meet our strict criteria to qualify for NAVP membership. All our members must have a minimum of an undergraduate (BSc) Honours degree in Veterinary Physiotherapy, to ensure they are academically robust. 
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Additionally, members must engage in Continuous Professional Development (CPD), always improving their knowledge and skillsets. It is imperative that our members continue to commit to their profession by never-ending self-development, so they can always deliver first-class care to their patients. 

Regulating New Members 
It is important that NAVP members deliver the highest standard of care from the outset. To ensure this, we have introduced category one and two memberships, which is incredibly effective in regulating our own members.  

This regulation means that, whether your Veterinary Physiotherapist is newly qualified or vastly experienced, they will be practicing to the standards that we expect and have been trained to deliver. 
A newly qualified member can join NAVP at Category Two status and then wait a year before they can apply to advance to Category One. To achieve this, they must produce a letter of recommendation from a vet they work with and two case studies for the Association to assess. This must include case histories, assessment details, physiotherapy care plans and a reflection on the outcome of the cases. 

Our process ensures new NAVP Veterinary Physiotherapists - some of whom may be working independently - have their skill levels reinforced as much as someone who is working alongside experienced Veterinary Physiotherapists and/or Veterinarians in a clinic set-up.  

In addition, we offer an ongoing professional support network where members can confidentially discuss their assessment process and clinical reasoning, ensuring that standards are optimised across our membership. 
 
Regulation and Discipline 
NAVP members have the equivalent level of qualification as an ACPAT (Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Therapy) member, or indeed anybody in an equivalent human healthcare setting. No Charter exists for Veterinary Physiotherapy, so NAVP maintains a strict level of membership requirements to ensure animal welfare and professionalism in Veterinary Physiotherapy.  

The Veterinary Physiotherapy title is not protected by law at present. This makes NAVP membership status even more important to ensure standards are being met. You can have peace of mind that NAVP members have met the minimum requirements in recognised qualifications, comprehensive relevant insurance cover, CPD hours and are bound by our Code of Conduct. 

Like all the animal therapy associations we encourage our members to choose to be voluntarily regulated with one of the registers – RAMP (Register of Animal Musculoskeletal Practitioners) or AHPR (Animal Health Professions Register).  
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This level of regulation allied to robust educational requirements and the commitment to CPD, means our members are in the best place possible to serve vets and owners. ​