We are excited to reveal the programme for VMG Congress 2027. Inspired by the topics raised during ShareSPACE in 2026, these are the sessions which matter to you.
Programme
Thursday 22nd April
Ballroom
9.00 – 9.30
Welcome to Congress
9.30 – 10.15
Think Like an F1 Driver
Claire Johnson
Shrine London
F1 is the most demanding performance environment on earth. Decisions happen in fractions of a second. The margin between first and eliminated is measured in hundredths. The mental architecture required to perform at that level, consistently, under pressure, across an entire season, is not accidental. It is built, practised and refined through specific disciplines.
Claire Johnson is the only British motorsport performance coach currently holding an active racing licence. She has raced at circuit level and coached world champions. Think Like an F1 Driver is the translation of those disciplines into the decisions, communication and performance culture of leadership teams.
Taking the principles of precision and performance, this talk is about the mental frameworks that allow elite performers to make better decisions faster, recover from mistakes without losing momentum, and operate at the highest level when the conditions are most difficult. Every principle has a direct leadership application, and Claire use real lived experiences from the world of F1 to bring them to life, showcasing how to implement into your Corporate environment.
Audiences leave with tools. And they tend to use them.
Learn
Harewood Room
11.00 – 12.00
Rethinking Performance: Beyond Burnout and Short-Term Gains
with Hailey Roberts
Cygnet Health Care
This session explores how principles from Occupational Therapy can provide a unique perspective on leadership, well being and sustainable performance within organisations.
Moving beyond the traditional focus on individual resilience, the session will consider how leaders can create environments that enable people to perform at their best over the long term. It will explore themes including occupational balance, meaningful work, psychological safety, workplace culture, healthy habits and routines, and the role leaders play in supporting engagement, well being and retention.
Drawing on experience from complex mental health services, the session will consider how effective leadership, communication and compassionate accountability can support teams through challenge and change. It will explore practical approaches to developing stronger working relationships, creating cultures where people feel able to contribute and challenge, and leading positive change through intentional management practices.
Share
Ballroom
11.00 – 12.00
ShareSPACE Agenda Planning/Market place
.
.
In this session………
Grow
Charlecote
11.00 – 12.00
Leading for Joy: Creating Cultures People Want to Stay In
with Emma Townson
Vet Times
12.00 – 12.45
Lunch in the Exhibition Hall and Atrium
Learn
Harewood Room
12.45 – 13.30
Mission: Financial Possible! Cracking the Code to Financial Confidence
with Ruth Downs
Truth Financial
Think getting on top of your finances feels like mission impossible? Think again.
Join Ruth Downs, award-winning Independent Financial Adviser, for a fun, practical and highly interactive workshop designed to help you crack the code to greater financial confidence.
Through games, challenges, real-life scenarios and plenty of prizes, you’ll complete a series of simple missions that make money feel far less overwhelming.
You’ll:
• Uncover the habits and beliefs influencing your financial decisions
• Unmask the financial mistakes everyone makes (and why it’s not your fault)
• Take part in practical budgeting and planning challenges
• Discover how to increase your pension & investment performance
• Explore saving and investing through simple, memorable games
• Create your own action plan to start moving forward
You’ll leave with practical tools, renewed confidence and proof that taking control of your financial future really is possible AND FUN!
No judgement. No jargon. Mission accepted?
13.45 – 15.15
Rapid Response: Enabling Critical Decision-Making in High-Pressure
Environments
with Tom Roffe-Silvester
Veterinary Task Force
Veterinary leaders are no strangers to uncertainty. Clinical emergencies, operational disruption, staffing challenges, client conflict and rapidly evolving situations can all demand decisive action when information is incomplete, resources are constrained and time is limited.
But what can we learn from environments where uncertainty is the norm rather than the exception?
Drawing on the principles of Expedition Veterinary Medicine (EVM), this highly interactive session explores how the skills required to operate in remote, austere and high-consequence environments can strengthen leadership, decision-making and team performance within veterinary practice.
Through a series of evolving scenarios, practical exercises and facilitated discussion, delegates will experience the challenges of balancing risk, competing priorities and imperfect information while under pressure. Along the way, participants will explore the impact of cognitive bias, stress, communication and organisational culture on decision-making, and discover practical tools to improve situational awareness, prioritisation, delegation and adaptability.
The session will also introduce the wider skillset that underpins Expedition Veterinary Medicine, including clinical decision-making in resource-limited settings, risk and incident management, navigation and route planning, personal security, environmental awareness and team resilience. While developed for expedition, field and operational environments, these capabilities have surprising relevance to modern veterinary leadership, where the ability to anticipate problems, manage uncertainty and lead confidently through complexity is becoming increasingly important.
More than a session on crisis management, this is an exploration of how capable individuals, resilient teams and effective leaders are developed before the crisis arrives.
15.15 – 15.45
Coffee break in the Exhibition Hall and Atrium
15.45 – 16.45
Grow Your Team, Keep Your Team: Building A Team That Chooses To Stay
with Rita Dingwall and John Sheppard
Vets Now
In today’s veterinary landscape, attracting talent is only half the challenge, retaining and growing it is where practice leaders can make the greatest impact. This session explores how a strong focus on development not only builds individual capability but also drives engagement, loyalty, and long-term team stability.
Designed specifically for practice leaders, this session will provide practical strategies to create a culture where people feel supported, stretched, and valued. We’ll explore how everyday leadership moments, from feedback conversations to career development discussions, can transform performance and motivation.
Attendees will leave with actionable tools to:
- Support team members to reach their full potential
- Embed development into the day-to-day running of the practice
- Strengthen retention by creating clear growth pathways
- Build a positive, high-performing team culture
By investing in people development, you don’t just improve skills, you create a practice where individuals choose to stay, contribute, and thrive.
Share
Ballroom
12.45 – 15.15
ShareSPACE Live
Everyone welcome
.
In this session………
15.15 – 15.45
Coffee break in the Exhibition Hall and Atrium
15.45 – 16.45
TBC
..
In this session………
Share
Packwood
12.45 – 15.15
ShareSPACE Live
Everyone welcome
.
In this session………
15.15 – 15.45
Coffee break in the Exhibition Hall and Atrium
15.45 – 16.45
Good for the planet, good for the pocket! 5 green tips to save money for the practice
with Anthony Chadwick
The Webinar Vet
In this session………
Grow
Charlecote
12.45 – 13.30
Caring for those
who care
with Debbie Summers
Elham Valley Referrals
As a manager, navigating mental health support for our teams can be challenging, especially when we consider both the emotional and physical manifestations of mental ill health. Veterinary practice is experiencing a high level of stress given the concurrent legal and regulatory changes, the CMA outcomes, and client expectations in addition to our day-to -day patient issues, and all these factors combine to challenge even the most resilient of our staff.
So where should we start as managers? What is important to put in place first, before any of our team are struggling? What ‘red flags’ should we be looking for? How much support and practical assistance should we offer & when? And just as importantly, where are the boundaries we need to protect our own & our line management teams mental health? How do we support our teams through challenges and avoid the risks to the business from potential negative cultural shifts? How can we build resilience in our teams?
Mental health challenges can have wide ranging effects on the team as well as the individual, and lead to consequences such as increasing absence levels, team de-motivation and burnout, and a loss of trust and team cohesion.
13.45 – 15.15
It’s Safe to Say This Here: Building Respectful, Learning Focused Cultures
with Aislin O’Raw
Vet Partners
Creating a psychologically safe workplace is not just a bonus, it is essential for learning, teamwork, innovation, and delivering safe, effective care. However, many workplaces still face challenges where people feel unable to speak up due to fear, hierarchy, or concerns about making mistakes.
This practical and engaging session explores how to create a culture where people feel confident to share their thoughts, concerns, and ideas, knowing they will be
listened to and treated with respect. We will look at how psychological safety can be experienced differently by different people, why respect is at the heart of a positive workplace culture, and how everyday interactions can encourage open communication or unintentionally shut it down.
Together, we will explore:
– How to build respect and trust across teams and roles, helping to remove barriers to honest conversations.
– How to respond effectively when concerns or complaints are raised, building trust rather than fear.
– The key behaviours and attitudes that support psychological safety, including curiosity, accountability, and compassion.
– How to approach mistakes and errors as opportunities for learning and improvement rather than blame.
Participants will leave with practical tools and ideas to help create workplaces where speaking up is encouraged, feedback is welcomed, and challenges become
opportunities for growth.
Whether you are a leader, manager, or team member, this session will help you reflect on your own impact and identify simple actions that can make a lasting difference to workplace culture.
15.15 – 15.45
Coffee break in the Exhibition Hall and Atrium
15.45 – 16.45
Care that pays: Communication, Culture and Commercial Success
with Chloe Round
Farr & Pursey Equine Veterinary Services
One of the biggest hurdles in modern veterinary practice is balancing compassionate care with financial sustainability. Veterinary professionals deserve to be paid properly their expertise, time and care they provide and yet conversations about cost can still feel uncomfortable for many teams.
This session explores how open communication, supportive workplace culture and client experience influence both clinical care and commercial success. We’ll discuss how veterinary teams can confidently talk about value, fees and treatment options without compromising empathy or losing clients trust, and why supporting staff to navigate these conversations is essential for wellbeing as well as profitability. Reducing the discomfort, stress and pressure for practice staff often created when navigating discussions around costs.
Drawing on practical examples and real-world scenarios, the session will examine how compassionate communication can strengthen client relationships, reduce conflict and complaints, improve team confidence and ultimately support healthier, more sustainable practices. We’ll also explore the role of leadership and workplace culture in helping teams feel supported when managing emotionally and financially challenging conversations. Aligning teams on the value of your fees is the first step to building client trust.
Attendees will leave with practical strategies to help teams communicate with clarity, compassion and confidence, creating an environment where excellent care and commercial success can work hand in hand, whilst improving profitability and staff morale in minimising cost-related client complaints.
16.45 – 17.45
Exhibitor Happy Hour in the Exhibition Hall and Atrium
18.45 – 19.15
Drinks Reception in the Anteroom
19.15 – 19.30
VMG Student Awards
19.30 – 00.00
President’s Party in the Ballroom
Join in the fun with the theme for this year – Country and Western
A Distinctive Congress Experience
Join us at Congress 2027 for a Distinctive Congress Experience with flexible ticketing options to suit every individual. From single day CPD passes to the Complete Congress Experience.
Programme
Friday 23rd April
8.00 – 8.45
Walk and talk along the River Avon
Ballroom
9.00 – 10.00
Nourishing the Leader: Practical Strategies for Energy, Focus and Sustainable Success
with Charlotte Rutter
Veterinary leaders dedicate so much of themselves to supporting others that their own wellbeing often becomes the last priority. Yet sustainable leadership requires building, protecting and strengthening personal capacity to lead effectively, even under pressure.
This session explores the science behind resilience, examining how chronic stress, sleep, nutrition, movement, and recovery directly influence decision-making, performance, and leadership effectiveness. Delegates will identify the common barriers that prevent veterinary professionals from prioritising their own wellbeing and leave with practical, evidence-based strategies to restore capacity without adding another task to an already demanding workload.
Through reflection and actionable takeaways, participants will also consider how their own leadership behaviours shape team culture, influence psychological safety, and contribute to the long-term sustainability of the veterinary profession.
10.00 – 10.15
Coffee Break in the Exhibition Hall and Atrium
Learn
Harewood Room
10.15 – 11.30
The Reality of Multi-Site Leadership in Veterinary Practice: Balancing Presence, Performance, and Priorities
with Nikki Singleton
In this session………
11.45 – 12.30
Recognise, Respond, Support:
Leading Suicide Prevention and Wellbeing in Veterinary Teams
with Vets in Mind
In this session………
12.30 – 13.15
Lunch in the Exhibition Hall and Atrium
13.15 – 14.45
From Vision to Viability: Launching a Successful Veterinary Clinic in a Competitive Market
Rebecca Robinson, Claire Smith, Lucy Evans, Liz Somerville
In this session………
15.00 – 16.00
The Difficult Conversation Hangover
(and How to Cure It)
with Helen Mason and Sara Jackson
In this session………
Share
Ballroom
10.15 – 12.30
ShareSPACE Live
Everyone welcome
.
In this session………
12.30 – 13.15
Lunch in the Exhibition Hall and Atrium
13.15 – 14.00
ShareSPACE Live
Reflections
….
In this session………
14.00 – 14.15
Coffee break in the Exhibition Hall and Atrium
14.15 – 14.45
ShareSPACE
Reflections
In this session………
Share
Packwood
10.15 – 11.30
Breaking the Yes Habit:
Boundaries That Build Better Veterinary Teams
with Laurie Adams
Veterinary Specialists Scotland
Many veterinary professionals are conditioned to say “yes” to everything. While well intentioned, this can lead to burnout, reactive decision-making and missed opportunities to empower others.
In this session, Laurie will share how developing emotional intelligence helped her understand herself better, pause before reacting and establish healthier boundaries. By breaking the “yes” habit, she has built greater trust and respect within her team, created opportunities for others to grow and developed a more sustainable leadership style.
Through personal experiences and practical tools, delegates will learn how self-awareness and healthy boundaries can improve leadership, strengthen teams and create a positive impact on both people and practice.
11.45 – 12.30
Coaching for Success:
Developing the Next Generation of Veterinary Professionals
with Rachel Cooke
RVN, Coach and Mentor
This session will focus on how coaching of those in leadership/ line manager roles such as clinical supervisors and educators, can be better supported utilising the format of coaching and where applicable mentoring.
When people feel better supported, feel listened to and take accountability for their own areas of focus and growth the better they can perform their key role.
Such members of the veterinary practice team or college for example are critical in being part of developing the next generation of veterinary professionals.
12.30 – 13.15
Lunch in the Exhibition Hall and Atrium
13.15 – 14.00
The Leadership Effect:
How Trust Creates
High-Performing Teams
with Tracy Volante
In this session………
14.00 – 14.15
Coffee break in the Exhibition Hall and Atrium
14.15 – 14.45
TBC
…
In this session………
Grow
Charlecote
10.15 – 11.30
RVN’s in Focus:
Building Careers, Expanding Skills and Thriving in Leadership
with Sarah Holliday
BVNA
In this session………
11.45 – 12.30
Finding your financial efficiencies:
Practical maths of strategic
management
with Gemma Barmby
VMG
In this session………
12.30 – 13.15
Lunch in the Exhibition Hall and Atrium
13.15 – 14.00
Operational Excellence in Absence Management: Embedding Early Intervention and Consistent Return-to-Work Frameworks in Veterinary Services
with Citation
In this session………
14.00 – 14.15
Coffee break in the Exhibition Hall and Atrium
14.15 – 14.45
Clicks to Care: Unlocking Operational Performance with PACS & PMA Integration
with Vet Solutions
In this session………
15.00 – 16.00
The Future of veterinary practice: AI
with Dr Adele Williams-Xavier
In this session………
16.00
Time to head home and reflect,
we look forward to seeing you in 2028
A Distinctive Congress Experience
Join us at Congress 2027 for a Distinctive Congress Experience with flexible ticketing options to suit every individual. From single day CPD passes to the Complete Congress Experience.