Being resilient: Business continuity principles for veterinary practice

This short article will summarise the key principles of business continuity (BC) and demonstrate how a lean and practical version of these can help enhance any veterinary practice to be prepared for and resilient to disruption. The causes of disruption (and the kinds of additional or alternative resource and specialist support needed) are many and unpredictable – so agility, adaptation and simple scenario exercises as part of the normal business planning of a practice are needed. No matter what the cause – fire, flood, reputational issue, animal pandemic disease, staff shortage – the business needs to thrive despite turbulence. By thinking ahead, working through consequences and embedding flexibility in the business – interruptions can be minimised, brands protected, liabilities limited and continuity assured.