Understanding and Influencing Practice Culture

27th Jan 2026

45 minutes

Culture is a term often referenced when veterinary teams face challenges - whether in recruitment and retention, wellbeing, patient safety, efficiency, or profitability. Yet the first and most important question often goes unanswered: what do we actually mean by ‘culture’ in a veterinary setting?In this 30-minute session, we will demystify the concept of practice culture by exploring how it is shaped by human behaviour, the everyday norms that form a team’s lived experience. We will identify the areas that require intentional focus if you want to build and sustain a culture that truly reflects your practice values.Drawing on experiences from outside the veterinary profession, Dan will highlight key lessons from high-performance sport and safety-critical aviation environments. The session will conclude by translating these principles into practical, actionable guidance - offering a clear and tangible approach for positively influencing culture within veterinary practice. Agenda

• • Understand the role of social norms and group behaviours on systems
  • Define the concept of practice culture
  • Identify and explore the components that impact culture
  • Discover a roadmap for supporting a culture in alignment with your practice values