why training in pet loss support is a must do and not just a nice to have

1. www.compassionunderstood.com
Pet Loss Support Training Programme:
Training and Tools for Veterinary
Professionals and Practices

2. Why we need to care
about end-of-life

3. Virbac Animal Health, 2010
Almost 47% of vets have end-of-life care
discussions with pet owners more than
11 times per month

4. Compassion Understood Pet Owner Research, 2015
Be genuine. If you can't, don't fake
it, but please exercise some kind of
compassion. I know vets probably
have to do this a lot and get de-
sensitised, but pet owners typically
don't go through it regularly.
Bedside manners are pretty key.
It’s not an everyday occurrence for pet owners
“
”

5. They get to say goodbye
only once…

6. 20 to 25
%
Client attrition following
bereavement is high.
Data on file.
Onswitch 2014, Compassion Understood 2015

7. Potential lost revenue
• Let’s look at this financial impact. Caroline Hewson, also known as
The Pet Loss Vet, has estimated that the financial losses suffered
through the client attrition we just looked at and increased staff
turnover due to staff unhappiness and compassion fatigue amount to
more than £10,000 each year … a silent loss that’s commonly
overlooked. (see next slide) - diagram
• An estimated value on this “lack of attention” of the practice to the
end of life over a 3-year period is more than £33,000. It makes total
sense that retention of a client after pet loss is the most effective and
cost-beneficial method of preventing these revenue-reducing losses:
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8. £0
£10,000
£20,000
£30,000
£40,000
LOSSES SECONDARY TO THIS YEAR'S
EUTHANASIAS
LOSSES ARISING FROM PREVIOUS YEARS' POST-
PTS ATTRITION
CUMULATIVE LOSSES YEAR-ON-YEAR
£11,800
£0
£11,800£11,800
£10,800
£22,600
£11,800
£21,600
£33,400
2014 2015 2016
www.thepetlossvet.com
Conservative estimate of ex-VAT turnover lost per full-time small
animal vet when the practice does not have a comprehensive
approach to client bereavement.

9. Differentiate yourself from competitors
trough our accreditation Tool
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From veterinary team
Only 35% of veterinary professionals felt they were well-
equipped with answering questions about ‘the right
time’
70% felt that further training in pet loss support would
be beneficial
Only 3% not interested in training
Most vets in our focus groups had had no formal training
on euthanasia, was “on the job”
53% wanted a Qualify of Life assessment tool to help
them with decision making

13. 13
From clients
Only 60% of owners felt their vet clinic handled their pet’s euthanasia
very well (leaving 40% who thought wasn’t handled very well)
18% did not go back to same practice (but with 60% of clients saying
they got a new pet within 3 years – where did they go?)
14% accessed ongoing support/grief counselling
52% say would have welcomed info on normal feelings and stages of
grief.
41% owners not given any info on euthanasia or end-of-life care
31% felt not very well-prepared for pet’s euthanasia apt
20% of pets died under the age of 7 years (so highlights this is a
consideration not just for elderly pets)

14. Compassion Understood Research: Veterinary Team, 2015
70% of vet professionals
would like more training in
pet loss and dealing with
bereaved clients.
80% would like that training to
include learning about
compassion fatigue

15. The Compassion Understood Pet Loss
Support Training Programme
So that care is
consistent and
compassionate

16. The Compassion Understood Pet Loss
Support Training Programme
A comprehensive
online training
programme for the
whole practice
team

17. The Compassion Understood Pet Loss
Support Training Programme
Three components, each providing
2.5 hrs. of training
1. Preparing for & nearing
end-of-life
2. The pet’s passing
3. The client journey

18. The Compassion Understood Pet Loss
Support Training Programme
5 modules:
1. Understanding the pet owner
2. Introducing the 4th life stage; Quality of Life assessment
and tools
3. Decision-making and end-of-life discussions
4. Introduction to palliative & hospice care
5. Compassionate communication
Component 1: Preparing for & nearing end-of-life

19. The Compassion Understood Pet Loss
Support Training Programme
Component 2: The pet’s passing
5 modules:
1. Euthanasia: mind-sets and challenges
2. Bond-centred euthanasia: the vet professional’s guide
3. Home euthanasia & common scenarios
4. Moving towards a bond-centred end-of-life care: building
protocols for your clinic
5. Reflective practice: evaluation and team care

20. The Compassion Understood Pet Loss
Support Training Programme
Component 3: The client journey
5 modules
1. Moving towards a bond-centred approach
2. The client journey Part 1: before the last appointment
3. The client journey Part 2: immediately after the appointment
4. Supporting the client after their pet’s passing
5. Bringing everything together

21. The Compassion Understood Pet Loss
Support Training Programme
Delivered through videos, audios and articles
• With reflective learning exercises and multiple
choice examinations
• Developed by experts in end-of-life,
communication and education
• On passing, participants receive a certificate and
accreditation points
• Accredited practices listed in publically-available
database so they can find compassion-trained
clinics

22. Differentiate your practice through accreditation
“The session really highlighted to me how we could be more
helpful and informative to clients over the subjects of end-of-life
care, euthanasia and bereavement. Any changes would need to
involve the whole staff.”
Compassion Understood Research: Veterinary Team, 2015

23. Testimonials
• “I have taken the Compassion Understood pet loss support course and
found it very helpful. End-of-life care is something we don’t think we
need to learn about but we really do. As vets and veterinary nurses, we
often only think about the pet but this course puts you in the mind-set
of the client and their emotions.”
• Suzanne Smith RVN Park Vets Sidcup London
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24. Testimonials
• “(This is) CPD the whole practice team can learn from, even
experienced vets. I thought I was quite good at end of life situations
until I realised I could try other options to enhance the experience for
the owner and animal. (The training) makes you reconsider your
practice and could make you more empathetic and compassionate
than you already are in difficult situations. It addresses so many
practical solutions to all the scenarios we will have encountered in
practice.'
• Kathleen Robertson MRCVS Vets North
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25. Testimonials
• “I am not a technical person by any stretch of the imagination and I
managed to find my way around the training website easily. End-of-life
care is something we should be able to talk about and break down
barriers. We know clients are thinking about it, they know we know
they are thinking about it but no-one speaks out. The Compassion
Understood training will help veterinary practices start to talk about it.
This course is marvellous. I feel that every module is pertinent to every
member of staff involved in the bond centred vet approach…..all
members of the team need to be involved in it if changes in the
approach to euthanasia are to be considered."
• Rebecca Delli-Bovi RVN Clent Hills Veterinary Group
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26. Testimonials
• I enjoyed all of the modules in the Compassion Understood course and
what I learnt from them would be of great use in practice and already
has me thinking of a new approach to euthanasia in our practice.”
• Carly Lyons RVN Downland Veterinary Group
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27. Compassion Understood Pet Owner Website
Feedback
• “I was impressed with the content of the website - it seems to provide
good advice and information in a sympathetic and yet practical
manner and appears to address a difficult subject sensibly and
sensitively.”
• Stephanie Writer-Davies, BVSc, MRCVS, owner of an independent
small animal practice
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28. Take 10: The Business Case for End-of-Life
Practice Training & Support
• Getting end-of-life care right isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s essential. Our
overwhelming evidence from both practice staff themselves and from
owners is that this is an important part of the pet’s life-stage and extra
support is needed. The benefits are clear:
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29. Take 10: The Business Case for End-of-Life
Practice Training & Support
• Client retention: There is a 25% loss of client base every year, for various reasons.
In our study between 16 and 19% of clients that lost a pet did not go back to the
same practice with their next pet. Need to re-evaluate the end of life approach
and establish best practice.
• New clients: a satisfied client is the best form of marketing there is; word-of-
mouth rules. Pet loss is one of the most emotive parts of the pet-owning journey.
Get it right and you will drive new business
• Differentiation from competitors: Client want to know you care- having a specific
end-of-life training programme and client support in place shows you care: utilise
accreditation and listing as evidence
• Staff satisfaction (Compassion satisfaction vs Compassion fatigue!) leads to staff
retention.
• Staff communication skills improve – helps other areas of client interaction in
practice. Cross-pollinates your other services
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30. Take 10: The Business Case for End-of-Life
Practice Training & Support
• Encourages team harmony and cohesiveness: one of the few areas where there is a role
for every member of the pet team, and a very clear journey/transition from one to the
next. Encourages close team working and cooperation. Drives compliance
• RCVS complaints decrease: euthanasia complaints are the number 1 complaint issue from
owners
• Practice Standards Awards: clear new category on end of life support and additional
awards for training/evidence of providing support
• CPD that sticks: direct relevance to everyday situations in practice. The nature of the
Compassion Understood learning is set-up to encourage individualised reflection with
instructions and exercises to help incorporate learning into daily practice, and make self-
assessment for improvement.
• Knowledge increases opportunities: training on emerging trends – including at home
services, palliative and hospice care services. Potential for other revenue/roles that
practice can offer.
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31. www.compassionunderstood.com