Veterinary Patient Safety and Human Factors A Practical Guide

Professor Liz Mossop BVM&S MMedSci(Clin Ed), PhD, MAcadMEd, FRCVS

Liz worked as a general practice vet for several years before developing an interest in veterinary education. She joined the newly formed Vet School at the University of Nottingham in 2006 as a University Teacher, focusing on developing the professional skills curriculum, eventually becoming Professor of Veterinary Education in 2017. She holds a PhD in Clinical Education and was awarded her Fellowship of the RCVS in 2018. Her academic career has focussed on veterinary and medical education, alongside the growing field of veterinary patient safety with a specific focus on non-technical skill development. She is currently the Vice-Chancellor at Sheffield Hallam University and continues to lead a small research group in veterinary patient safety and Human Factors.

Professor Al Ross C.Erg.HF, C.Psychol, SFHEA, AFBPsS

Al is Professor of Health Systems at the University of Staffordshire and course lead for the part-time distance learning MSc in Human Factors for Patient Safety. Al is an Ergonomist and has worked in safety roles in health, rail, nuclear and military settings. Al leads the Research Centre for Health Innovation (R-CHI) at Staffordshire, which is an interdisciplinary centre conducting local, national and international research on health service delivery and research for patient benefit, arranged around four interlinked thematic areas: workforce, Human Factors/Ergonomics, clinical/operational research and simulation.

Helen Silver-MacMahon MSc PSCHF, Cert VNECC, DipAVN (surg), Cert SAN, RVN

Helen is Co-Founder and Director of Being Human Consulting Ltd and works in veterinary education, coaching, and culture development. She recently joined Granta Veterinary Specialists as Hospital Operations and Culture Lead, where she supports positive workplace culture, team development, and operational excellence.

Helen completed an MSc in Patient Safety and Clinical Human Factors with the University of Edinburgh in 2021 and is currently undertaking a PhD exploring the non-technical skills required for safe anaesthesia. She also collaborates with the University of Aberdeen on research into veterinary incivility.

Helen has been a Veterinary Nurse for more than 20 years, with experience in both first opinion and referral practice. Her clinical qualifications include the Advanced Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Surgical), the ECC certificate, and the Small Animal Nutrition certificate. She continues to enjoy coaching, lecturing, mentoring, and contributing to published work on both clinical and non-clinical topics.

Her professional focus is on Human Factors, workplace wellbeing, leadership, and supporting veterinary teams to deliver safe, effective, and compassionate care.

Professor Kate White MA VetMB PhD DVA Dipl ECVAA FRCVS

Kate is a Clinical Professor Anaesthesia and Analgesia at the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science at the University of Nottingham, where she also serves as Deputy Head of School, Clinical Director, and Head of the Division of Veterinary Clinical Sciences. A Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and Diplomate (awarded for meritorious contribution to clinical practice) holding RCVS and European College of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia diplomas, she is internationally recognised for her contributions to veterinary anaesthesia, analgesia, patient safety and sustainability.

With a career spanning clinical practice, academia, biomedical research, and consultancy, Kate has worked across species and sectors, from companion animals and equine practice to zoo and laboratory animal medicine. Her research portfolio includes over 70 peer-reviewed publications numerous textbook chapters and focuses on anaesthetic safety, pain mechanisms, adverse events, and the application of human factors and quality improvement to veterinary care.