RCVS NEWS · j o ngC u c l, wh b eat rdv s ... the Veterinary Times, a further testimonial to our hard work could be seen in the Veterinary Record recently (30 May 2015). Here, veterinary

RCVS Council member Professor the LordTrees has submitted a Private Members'

Bill to the House of Lords which, if successful,would legally protect the title ‘veterinary nurse’.

The ‘Veterinary Nurses (Protection of Title) Bill’ was entered into the House of Lords ballot onTuesday 19 May, and received its first reading inthe House on 10 June. Though the Bill was notdrawn high in the ballot, we remain hopeful that itwill receive a second reading later in the year,meaning that the Bill would be debated in theLords and the Commons and, if approved by bothHouses, would become law.

The move to protect the title ‘veterinary nurse’follows on from the introduction of our new Royal Charter in February, which formalised theregulation of veterinary nurses.

What the Bill would doDrawn up at our request, the Bill would prohibituse of the title ‘veterinary nurse’ for any personwhose name is not on our Register of VeterinaryNurses. Any non-registered person who used thetitle veterinary nurse or a name, title or descriptionthat implied they were on the Register would beguilty of an offence and may be fined or convictedunder the Veterinary Surgeons Act.

Lord Trees commented: “If we can getParliamentary time then I am confident that the Bill will receive total cross-party support. It wouldmark the final brick in the wall of creating a fully-fledged, recognised and protected veterinarynursing profession. This is what the veterinarynursing profession merits and the public deserve.”We will continue to work with Lord Trees to lobby parliamentarians to support the Bill, but inthe meantime, we would encourage all veterinarynurses and veterinary surgeons to back ourcampaign to protect the title and raise awarenessof the issue amongst their clients.

Veterinary nurses –true professionals!College campaigns for legal protection of VN title

RC VS NEWSTHE NEWSLETTER OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF VETERINARY SURGEONS JUNE 2015

“It’s important thepublic understand that veterinary nursesare not ‘junior vets’.”

In this issue: New Council members, Code changes, vaccination clinics and 24/7, CEO update, governanceconsultation, Honours nominations, VN Golden Jubilee Award, EU language testing, Fellowship changes, advice service extended, Vet Futures, RCVS Day, TB testing, client confidentiality, Mind Matters, Doctor title form,PSS Assessor vacancies, key skills for Specialists, CPD rule changes, Advanced Practitioner, events andconferences, Annual Report, webinars, ADR report, DC and PIC reports, EBVM online resource.

Our campaignAt the start of VN Awareness Month in May, welaunched a short film to explain the role, trainingand professionalism of veterinary nurses, andcalling for their title to be protected. The film hasbeen a huge hit on social media, having beenviewed nearly 90,000 times and receiving nearly10,000 interactions. What’s more, our campaignwebpage has signed up over 2,600 supporterssince the start of May and over 700 people havetaken part in our online poll.

Kathy Kissick RVN, Chair of VN Council, welcomedthe new video, saying: “It’s important the publicunderstand that veterinary nurses are not ‘juniorvets’ but that they complement the work ofveterinary surgeons and enhance animalhealth and welfare in different ways.

“I would encourage all veterinarynurses, as well as vets andothers in veterinary practice, to sharethis video on social media andwith their clients so that they canfind out more about theprofession and understand howcrucial it is that we secure protection of the title.

"Having untrained and unqualified people callingthemselves veterinary nurses is not onlymisleading but potentially detrimental to animalhealth and welfare.”

How you can helpPlease view and share our film on social media,and visit our campaign webpage atwww.rcvs.org.uk/vntitle to register your support.We will soon update this page with template lettersto make it easy for supporters to write to their MPsto ask for their help, and will also shortly belaunching a formal petition to the government torequest that they help to change the law to protectthe title ‘veterinary nurse’.

NEWS

2 RCVS NEWS – JUNE 2015

The results of the 2015 RCVS Council andVeterinary Nurses (VN) Council elections

saw two existing members and four newmembers elected to RCVS Council (includingthree women and three men), and oneexisting member and one new memberelected to VN Council.

Current members Niall Connell and Lynne Hill were returned to two of the six available seats onRCVS Council, with 2,575 votes and 1,889 votesrespectively (the four other current members ofCouncil eligible for re-election will all be retiring thisyear). Peter Robinson (2,308 votes) was electedagain, having previously served on Council in2013/14, and joining Council for the first time willbe Timothy Greet (2,550 votes), Joanna Dyer(2,383 votes) and Katherine Richards (1,905 votes). The two available places on VN Council were takenby new member Lucy Bellwood (914 votes) andexisting member and Vice-Chair, Elizabeth Cox(630 votes).

Turnouts in both elections rose this year, with 4,838 veterinary surgeons (18.1%) and 1,379veterinary nurses (11%) voting, which compares to4,137 (16.1%) and 1,157 (10%) in 2014. These

represent the highest numbers of vets and VNsever to vote in RCVS elections, although there areincreasing numbers of vets and veterinary nurseson the Registers. Average turnouts over the pastten years are 17.4% (4,051 veterinary voters) and9% (833 VN voters).

Five new facesTurnouts rise in elections that featured campaign videos for first time

RCVS Registrar Gordon Hockey, commented: “My sincere thanks to all those who stood forelection this year and to all those who voted, andmany congratulations to the successful candidates.Once again we have an excellent mix of peoplejoining Council, who will be able to bring a diverserange of skills and experience to Council discussionsand activities. I very much look forward towelcoming them to Council at our AGM in July.”

Newly elected: Tim Greet FRCVS, Jo Dyer MRCVS, Peter Robinson MRCVS, Kate Richards MRCVS and Lucy Bellwood RVN

“We have an excellent mix of people joining Council, who will be able to bring adiverse range of skills andexperience to Councildiscussions and activities.”

Chair of VN Council Kathy Kissick, said: “It’sencouraging that voter numbers have risen slightlyin this year’s election, especially in such anauspicious year where the introduction of the newRoyal Charter for the RCVS means that we are now formally regulated by the College andrecognised as true professionals in our own right. My congratulations to both Lucy and Liz on their success.”

In addition to their usual written biographies andmanifesto statements, all candidates produced a‘Quiz the candidates’ video this year, where theyanswered questions put to them directly by fellowmembers of the professions. Available to watch via the College’s website and YouTube channel, all 14 videos received over 3,500 views in total bythe voting deadline.

Once again veterinary surgeons and VNs couldcast their votes by post or online, with the formerremaining the more popular method. A higherproportion of veterinary surgeons (30%) votedonline than did veterinary nurses (23%).

Both elections were run on behalf of the RCVS by Electoral Reform Services.

themselves or others to be veterinary nurses, unlessappropriately registered with the RCVS.

At its May meeting, VN Council had approved asimilar change to the VN Code, to clarify thatveterinary nurses must not: hold out themselves orothers as having expertise they cannot substantiate;hold out others as Specialists or AdvancedPractitioners unless appropriately listed with theRCVS; or, hold out others as veterinary nursesunless appropriately registered with the RCVS.

These changes have already been implemented inthe online Codes, and most will take effectimmediately. However, the Code change regardingspecialist titles will not be enforced until after

RCVS Council and VN Council have bothapproved changes to the respective Code

of Professional Conduct for veterinarysurgeons and veterinary nurses to strengthenthe proper use of titles in practice.

At its June meeting, Council approved arecommendation from Standards Committee toamend the Code of Professional Conduct forVeterinary Surgeons to clarify that only those whoare listed as RCVS Specialists should promotethemselves as a ‘specialist’ or similar suchexpression; and that only those listed as AdvancedPractitioners may describe themselves as such.Veterinary surgeons should also not hold out

Proper nameChanges to Code strengthen title protection

March 2016, to allow time for veterinary surgeonsto apply to join the list of RCVS Specialists.

Applications for RCVS Specialist status should bemade by 4 September 2015 and Europeanspecialists can benefit from a 50% reduction inlisting fee. Further information is available on ourwebsite at www.rcvs.org.uk/specialists.

The Code changes have been accompanied by changes to Chapter 23 of the supportingguidance (‘Advertising and publicity’), which givesdetailed guidance on the use of the specialist title in the context of advertising and referrals,among other topics.

RCVS NEWS – JUNE 2015 3

CEO OVERVIEW

Watch my post-Council videos at www.youtube.com/rcvsvideos, read myblog at www.nickstaceblogs.org, or follow me on @nickstacetweets.

Strategic Plan update

The front page of Veterinary Times on 1 June bore the headline ‘Staff back RCVS as great workplace’. This reflected our coming

30th in the top 50 Best Workplace Awards (medium-sized category), run by the Great Place to Work Institute (see page 4), beating the likes of Coca Cola, Office Angels and General Mills.

This was pleasing news in itself, but it was also particularly great to see thatheadline in print, because one of the exercises carried out back in 2013, as we put together our 2014-6 Strategic Plan, was imagining the headlines we would like to see on the front page of the vet press in three years’ time: the RCVS being a great place to work was one of them.

Clarity of visionThe moral of this story is that when you have a specific goal in mind, andespecially when you can articulate and visualise how it might look in print, it has a much greater chance of being met.

This is why our Strategic Plan is full of very specific goals, which were developedout of a process that involved staff, Council and, through the First Rate RegulatorProject, the profession and public at large. Some organisations shy away from specific objectives – it’s too easy to be called on them if they are not met.But plans without bite are inevitably left on the shelf to gather dust.

And so I would like to reassure you that, 18 months into our current three-yearplan, we have either met, or are on target to meet, the majority of our objectives.The list of actions yet to be tackled is manageable, and one which we may yetadd to before 2016 is out.

Complaints progressBut don’t just take my word for it. In addition to the excellent headline in the Veterinary Times, a further testimonial to our hard work could be seen in theVeterinary Record recently (30 May 2015). Here, veterinary surgeon John Dinsdalewas kind enough to praise our Professional Conduct Team, specificallyhighlighting the positive changes that have been made in our concerns-handlingprocess and improvements in communications. This work has been part of ourStrategic Plan objective to ‘reduce the time it takes for a complaint to beconcluded in a fair and transparent manner’. Mr Dinsdale also commentedpositively on our trial of an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) process, anotherof our Strategic Plan objectives.

A third piece of recent external validation came in the form of the independentChair of our Audit and Risk Committee, Liz Butler, giving our current IT projects, which include an upgrade of our database, a new online PracticeStandards system and a new IT system for our Professional Conduct work, aclean bill of health.

You can find a full report on our Strategic Plan progress in my CEO Update to Council, available online as part of the June Council paper bundle(www.rcvs.org.uk/council-june15).

We will soon be starting the process of developing our 2017-19 Strategic Plan, and I will continue to push for sharp, meaningful objectives of the kind that you can sum up in a positive headline. Of course, by being specific youcould set yourself up to fail, but it is better to fail to reach a stretching goal than meet a feeble one. Of course, to set yourself stretching goals and meetthem is even better!

It’s nice when a plan comestogether…

Nick Stace, Chief Executive

In April, our Standards Committee reviewed thecurrent 24/7 guidance relating to those practices

offering ‘limited services’, including vaccinationclinics, but decided to make no change.

Therefore, the supporting guidance to the Code remainsthat veterinary surgeons ‘working in vaccination clinicsmust make provision for 24-hour emergency cover for theperiod in which adverse reactions might arise.’

However, the Committee did consider the availableevidence in relation to the typical timings for a VaccineAssociated Adverse Reactions (VAAEs) and the four majorperiods when these are likely to happen, these being: • 5–60 minutes post vaccination – very serious events(death or anaphylaxis)

• 1–12 hours post-vaccination – serious events • 12–24 hours post vaccination – moderate events• More than 24 hours

The Committee was mindful of having guidance for eachdifferent type of limited service provider and was agreedthat vaccination clinics must offer 24-hour emergencycover for the animals they see. It was noted that in manycases the client will not necessarily have another veterinarysurgeon they can contact should they need to. Thishighlights the importance of vaccination clinics (and otherlimited service providers) making provision for 24-hourcover, i.e by subcontracting to other service providers ifneeds be, and providing the client with the relevant contactdetails. In an emergency situation, owners are oftenpanicked and distressed and they need to know who theycan contact.

Taking into account this evidence, the Committee’s viewwas that, generally, there should be a minimum of 24 hoursof emergency cover for the period in which moderate andserious events are likely to occur, with a caveat relating tospecies and vaccine. On balance, however, the Committeefelt that the wording of the existing guidance was sufficient.Veterinary surgeons are still expected to exerciseprofessional judgement and it is recognised that, in somecases, longer periods of cover may be necessary.

Vaccination clinics andemergency coverNo change to 24/7 obligations

At its June meeting, RCVS Council decided that theannual renewal fees for both veterinary surgeons

and veterinary nurses should be frozen for yetanother year, the sixth year running that there havebeen no fee increases.

It seems the big freeze has begun to thaw, however, as thedecision to maintain fees at their 2011/12 levels was carriedby just a single vote. President Stuart Reid noted that themood of Council suggested renewal fees should probablybe raised for 2017/18, in order to ensure the Collegemaintained sufficient financial reserves for future generations.

For UK-practising veterinary surgeons the 2016 renewal fee,which was last increased in 2011, remains at £299. Forveterinary nurses the renewal fee, unchanged since 2010,will be £61 again next year.

Fees frozen againFee increase likely in 2017/18

NEWS


The RCVS has been recognised as one ofthe country’s best workplaces following a

staff engagement survey conducted last yearin which the vast majority of staff said it was agreat place to work.

We were ranked number 30 in the medium (50 to499 employees) category at the Best WorkplacesAwards ceremony held in May and hosted by BBC newsreader Huw Edwards.

The awards are run by the Great Place to WorkInstitute, an organisation that works with a wide

It’s grrreat!College receives staff satisfaction accolade

Over the coming months, the professionand the public will have their chance to

comment on proposals for reform of ourgovernance, as the Department for Environment,Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is set toconsult on the matter.

At its June meeting, RCVS Council considered adraft consultation developed by Defra. It agreedthat the Panel of Council members tasked withworking on governance reform thus far shouldhelp Defra to fine-tune the proposals before theconsultation is published.

Council discussion regarding governance tookplace in two sections, the first in open sessionfocused on the general issues, and a second, incommittee, looked in more detail at the wording of the proposed consultation. This arrangementmet Defra’s wishes regarding confidentiality of the proposals until the consultation is published.

The proposed direction of travel aims to enable asmaller Council to meet more frequently and toensure that lay people and veterinary nurses areformal members of Council. It also addresses the‘escalator effect’ with regard to veterinary schoolappointees: the current legislation requires twonew appointees for each UK vet school offering anapproved degree, while also saying that electedvets should remain in the majority – thus giving theuncapped potential for Council to continue toincrease in size.

Most importantly, and described by PresidentStuart Reid as “the biggest prize in the process”,the proposed legislative reform order to enablethese changes would include built-in flexibility,making it easier for future generations to maintaina structure that is fit for purpose.

A range of questions was raised, including aroundthe desirability of a three-year term for the President;whether vet school appointees should be limited to just one from the Veterinary Schools Council;and whether the proposed size of Council wouldoffer a large enough pool from which to drawcommittee members. It was agreed that suchquestions should remain to be addressed as partof the consultation process.

It is envisaged that Defra will consult over summer,and a special meeting of RCVS Council will takeplace on 29 September, in committee, to discussthe findings.

Governance –have your sayConsultation due over summer variety of small, medium and large businesses

and organisations in conducting comprehensiveannual surveys of staff engagement.

In last year’s survey 91% of College staff gave apositive answer to the question “Taking everythinginto account; I would say this is a great place towork”, compared to 52% agreeing with thisstatement in 2013.

You can read more about the staff engagementprocess and the awards in a blog posted by ourCEO at www.nickstaceblogs.org.

Do you know someone who has gonebeyond the call of duty in their dedication

to veterinary medicine and science, who hasmade an outstanding contribution in their field and who is an excellent ambassador forthe profession? If so, please make sure tonominate them for one of two honours.

Nominations are now open for 2016 for the RCVSQueen’s Medal and Honorary Associateship.

The first Queen’s Medal was bestowed in 2014 toDes Thompson and is the highest honour that canbe awarded to a veterinary surgeon, recognisingparticularly distinguished careers and outstandingachievements.

At RCVS Day in July this year the Medal will beawarded to Lord Soulsby of Swaffham Prior, aformer President of both the RCVS and RoyalSociety of Medicine and the first veterinary surgeonto be made a Life Peer of the House of Lords.

It would be an honourNomination period now open for RCVS honours

Honorary Associateships are conferred to a small number of non-members of the RCVS eachyear in recognition of a special contribution to the veterinary field.

Please visit www.rcvs.org.uk/honours to find out more about each and download a nominationform. These forms should be completed andreturned to us no later than Friday, 11 September2015. For further details on how to make anomination, or to request a form, please contactPeris Dean, Executive Secretary, [email protected] or 020 7202 0761.

All nominations will be considered by theOperational Board and then by RCVS Council at its November 2015 meeting. Nominators andindividuals who have been successful will be notifiedin November and the results made public atCouncil next March. The honours will be awardedat RCVS Day in July 2016.

Education, education,delegationAt its June meeting, RCVS Council agreed thatall decisions regarding the approval of veterinarydegrees, in the UK and abroad, will bedelegated to the Education Committee.

NEWS


At its June meeting in Edinburgh, RCVSCouncil agreed to proceed with plans to

consult on the introduction of languagetesting for applicants to the Register ofVeterinary Surgeons who qualified elsewherein the European Union. The tests would onlyapply where we have ‘serious and concretedoubts’ about a veterinary surgeon’s Englishlanguage ability.

Every year, around half of all new veterinarysurgeon registrants with the RCVS come fromoverseas, and the majority of these are from otherEU or EEA countries. These individuals fall withinthe scope of the Mutual Recognition of ProfessionalQualifications (MRPQ) Directive, which applies toall EU nationals wishing to practise in a regulatedprofession in another member state. At present,we have no power to test the language skills ofthese individuals. This means that even if it is clearthere is an issue with an applicant’s language skills,the Registrar has no power to refuse theirregistration or to require him or her to undertakelanguage courses in order to ensure they canpractise safely in the UK.

Last year, a revised version of the MRPQ Directivecame into force, which makes a number ofimportant changes to the mobility of professionalsacross Europe, including clarifying and reinforcingthe role of competent authorities such as the

Mind your languageGo ahead for consultation on language testing for EU registrants

RCVS. One of these changes is that languagetesting is expressly permitted, but only whereserious concerns have been identified.

The Veterinary Surgeons Act (VSA) 1966 does not empower the Registrar to bar someone fromregistering on the basis of language ability, so aStatutory Instrument (SI) will be necessary beforelanguage testing can be implemented.

Were the SI to be implemented, during theregistration process applicants would be asked aseries of questions concerning their languagequalifications, experience and general ability touse the English language; this would effectively be a process of self-certification. If the applicantanswered negatively to all four questions then they would have to pass an appropriate languagetest before registering, or delay their applicationwhile they improve their language skills.

The proposed amendments to the VSA as regardslanguage testing must be the subject of formalconsultation by Defra, which is expected to beheld during summer 2015. The consultation resultswill inform our work with Defra to determinewhether to proceed with implementation and, if so,to develop the most appropriate system oflanguage testing. We would intend to implementlanguage testing for veterinary nurses in parallelwith any changes for veterinary surgeons.

Jolly good, fellowsChanges to RCVS Fellowship

At its meeting this month, Councilapproved significant changes to the entry

routes to the RCVS Fellowship in an effort toopen up our highest award level to a greaterpart of the profession, including those inclinical practice.

The key change to the routes to entry was theclosing, to new applicants, of the current route toFellowship by thesis, which was judged to beunsustainable on quality-assurance grounds.Instead we will be encouraging individuals whowish to achieve a high-level qualification to look atexisting doctoral programmes. Furthermore, wewill also be discontinuing the current HonoraryFellowship route.

The changes will come into effect from 1 August2015. However, all those who have joined theFellowship either by thesis or by HonoraryFellowship will retain their FRCVS/HonFRCVS status.

From that date the routes to entry will be changedto Meritorious Contribution to the VeterinaryProfession, Meritorious Contribution to Knowledgeand Meritorious Contribution to Clinical Practice.

As a result of Council’s decision we will now be setting up an interim Fellowship Board andcredentials panel which will take forward the proposals and will seek applicants for the revised Fellowship.

Aveterinary nurse who pioneeredawareness-raising for the profession has

been announced as the recipient of this year’sVeterinary Nursing Golden Jubilee Award in recognition of outstanding contribution tothe profession.

Dot Creighton (pictured) is a former President ofthe British Veterinary Nursing Association (from2003 to 2004) and, during her presidential year,she devised the concept of VN Awareness Day asa way of making animal owners and localcommunities more aware of veterinary nurses andwhat they do. This subsequently developed into anawareness week and now National VN AwarenessMonth, which takes place every May.

Commenting on Dot’s accolade, Kathy Kissick,Chair of VN Council, said: “Dot has worked tirelesslyto raise awareness of the veterinary nurse bothwithin the profession and with the general public.She has always supported the student veterinarynurse in training and leads by example at all timesinspiring nurses to stay in or return to practiceeven when life changes their circumstances.

“Dot is an inspiration to many, many nurses andalways commits 100% to the welfare of the animals

Spotlight on Dot

“Dot has worked tirelessly toraise awareness of theveterinary nurse both withinthe profession and with thegeneral public.”

Winner of VN Golden Jubilee Award

in her care and to her clients. I congratulate her on achieving this award.”

The VN Golden Jubilee Award was launched in2011 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of our first veterinary nurse training scheme. Nomineescan be veterinary nurses, veterinary surgeons orlay people who have made an outstandingcontribution to the VN profession.

Dot was nominated for the Award by fellowveterinary nurse Lindsey Raven-Emrich who praised her “enthusiasm and input” to the profession,adding that she really “couldn’t think of a bettermember of the nursing community to receive this award.”

Dot, who is currently working in practice in Essex,said she was delighted to win the award at such acrucial time for the profession. She added: “It

couldn’t be a more exciting time to train to be aveterinary nurse – we have a robust training scheme,we are pushing and advancing the boundaries ofveterinary nursing practice, we are seeingveterinary nurses branch out into different fields ofclinical practice and, most importantly, the newRoyal Charter officially recognises veterinarynursing as a regulated profession.”

The Award will be given to Dot at this year’s RCVSDay – the College’s Annual General Meeting andAwards Day – which takes place on Friday 10 July(see page 8).


NEWS

Evening all! RCVS advice team trials extended hours

Since early June, our ProfessionalStandards Advice Team have been

trialling extended operating hours, meaningthat a member of staff will be available toanswer calls about our Code of ProfessionalConduct and its supporting guidance until7pm on weekdays.

The trial will last for three months during whichcalls will be taken between 9.15am and 7pm,Monday to Friday. The closing time of 7pm wasdecided by our Standards Committee becauseresearch conducted by both the Society ofPractising Veterinary Surgeons and the Collegedetermined that this is the average closing time for UK veterinary practices.

On average, our Professional Conduct Departmentdeals with 7,500 calls a year (which includes callsfrom veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurseslooking for advice about professional responsibilitiesand standards), as well as around 2,000 writtenrequests which are dealt with exclusively by theProfessional Standards Advice Team.

Laura McClintock, Standards and AdvisoryManager, says: “The aim of the trial is to determineif the profession would take advantage of theseextended hours and, therefore, if our team shouldpermanently extend its operating hours to providea better service to the profession.

“However, it must be remembered that this is not an emergency service but an extension to ourstandard service; advice during the extendedhours will not necessarily be any more immediatethan at any other time during the day, because itmay need further research or input from membersof the Standards Committee.

“Prior to launching the trial we also liaised with ten other UK healthcare and professionalregulators and found that our current professionaladvice service compared favourably to others and that we were providing a more extensiveservice than many.”

The team aims to provide clear, concise andconsistent advice to help veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses understand their professionalresponsibilities and support compliance with the Code. It also clearly distinguishes betweenprofessional requirements, legal requirements andsuggested good practice and may offer suggestionsabout how professional responsibilities can beapplied in practice.

However, there are some areas on which the team is unable to offer guidance. For example, it cannot offer clinical advice or advice on legalmatters such as employment law, maternity rights,or contractual or civil disputes.

Advice is also available for members of the public, for example, to help animal ownersunderstand what they can expect from theirveterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses.

To contact the team, call 020 7202 0789 or,alternatively, email [email protected].

Taking the high roadCouncil hits Edinburgh

Services has asked the veterinary surgeon aboutwhom the concern has been raised to makegoodwill payments in seven cases. In 27 cases,Ombudsman Services has determined that theveterinary surgeon need take no further action and, in one case, has recommended that the clientpay the outstanding fees.

It is important to note that the trial is voluntary andboth parties must agree to participate. Furthermore,recommendations made by Ombudsman Servicesare not binding on either party.

A final report on the trial will be presented to RCVSCouncil in November.

Our alternative dispute resolution (ADR)trial continues to grow apace with 61 cases

having now been referred to the OmbudsmanServices, the independent complaintresolution service which administers the trial.

The trial, which was launched in November 2014and will run for a whole year, is the first steptowards developing a consumer redress system to resolve those complaints raised by members ofthe public that do not meet our threshold ofserious professional misconduct.

Recommendations have now been issued inrelation to 44 of the 61 cases. Of these, Ombudsman

ADR trial updateOver 40 cases now resolved

For the first time in living memory – andpossibly in the history of the College –

RCVS Council met outside of London onFriday 5 June, at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.

The Council meeting itself was just one of a seriesof events that took place over a two-day period,others included a visit to Edinburgh vet school forsome Council members; a meeting of ourOperational Board; an afternoon meeting with localstakeholders; an evening supper where Councilmembers were addressed by the CVO forScotland, Sheila Voas; a breakfast meeting withlocal vets and nurses as part of our Vet Futuresroadshow; and a tour of the Scottish Parliament,where the Council meeting itself took place.

"It was a pleasure to be in Scotland for this historicmeeting – taking Council to the membership is an ambition now realised and I am sure the first of many,” comments President Stuart Reid. “It wasimportant for us to find a venue for our Councilmeeting that was independent of the Scottish vet schools, and the Scottish Parliament was ideal. It was also terrific meet with stakeholdersand to hear from Sheila Voas about her role asCVO in Scotland.”

Guests at the stakeholder meeting includedrepresentatives from organisations such as FoodStandards Scotland, One Kind, British HorseSociety Scotland, the Highlands and IslandsVeterinary Services Scheme, Scotland’s RuralCollege, Glasgow Veterinary School and Moredun.Topics raised included 24-hour cover in remoteareas, how best to co-ordinate veterinary activitiesin Scotland, the importance of improving careersadvice to vets, abiding by horse passport rulesand the leadership role of the RCVS. We willconsider how best to take forward these issuesover the coming months.

The Council meeting was also a first in thatmembers went without gowns. A straw poll at theend of the meeting showed mixed feelings aboutcontinuing with this – and the President suggestedit was an issue for incoming President BradleyViner to take forward.


In the last issue of RCVS News we included aflyer promoting a series of regionalroadshows as part of our Vet Futures project,jointly powered with the BVA. At the time ofwriting we have completed all but one ofthese, and have met with around 250 vets,nurses and practice managers at BSAVACongress in Birmingham, and in Belfast,Exeter, Cambridge, Manchester and Edinburgh,with Swansea to follow on 17 June.

The events were designed to let members of theveterinary team have their say on what issues they felt would be key by 2030, as well as developsome creative thinking around potential challengesthe profession might face. In later meetings, once some goals had started to crystallise, theconversation moved on to how these might be met. The engagement and participation at themeetings has been fantastic, with some excellentinsights being generated.

By the time we reached our latter couple of meetings,our independent researchers had distilledinformation from a range of evidence-gatheringactivities, such as a literature review, qualitativeresearch, a survey of BVA members and anomnibus survey of the general public (see below),and generated a series of seven potentialworkstreams for discussion. These included a

Fast forwardThe latest from our Vet Futures project

NEWS

focus on a better quality of veterinary life; the roleof vets in global health; the role of vets in animalwelfare; speaking with one voice; developingdiverse and rewarding career paths; finding newways to add value for clients; and developingsustainable business models

These will be considered further by a meeting ofthe wider Vet Futures Group on 14 July, before theprocess of report and writing begins in earnest. A draft report will be considered by the respectiveboards of BVA and RCVS in September, then anupdate and discussion will be held at the Councilmeetings of both organisations, before the reportis launched at the BVA Congress at the LondonVet Show in November.

Public confidenceOne of the early findings of the project had been a somewhat under-confident veterinary professionand so we asked questions about trust in theprofession as part of a national opinion poll carriedout by ICM.

“Throughout the Vet Futuresproject we have been listeningclosely to the hopes and fearsof the veterinary profession.”

“The results are extremelyencouraging; particularly inrelation to how well thepublic trusts members ofthe profession.”

The survey of more than 2,000 members of thepublic found that 94% trusted the veterinaryprofession ‘generally’ or ‘completely’. This putsveterinary surgeons above GPs, dentists and headteachers in terms of how well the key professionsare trusted in Great Britain, and third overall interms of trust, just behind opticians, who attracted a 95% trust rating, and pharmacists, who took the top position with 97%.

The survey also found that 78% of people usingveterinary services were satisfied or very satisfiedwith the level of service they receive, putting vets in the middle of the field ranging from 87% ofpeople satisfied with the service they receive frompharmacists to 55% satisfied with the service from accountants.

Finally, the survey found that 70% of those whouse veterinary services rated the value for moneyoffered by their veterinary practice as fair, good or excellent.

Commenting on the findings President Stuart Reidsaid: “Throughout the Vet Futures project we have been listening closely to the hopes and fearsof the veterinary profession and heard a lot abouthow veterinary surgeons and nurses perceivethemselves. To complete the picture, RCVS andBVA felt it was essential that we also gain a deeperunderstanding of how the general public perceivesthe veterinary profession.

“The results are extremely encouraging; particularlyin relation to how well the public trusts members of the profession, including both animal ownersand non-animal owners.

“But it is also clear that there is more to be done in relation to public perceptions of value for money.We will explore these issues further as the VetFutures project progresses and we are keen tohear ideas from all members of the veterinary team.”

Competition timeIt’s not too late to share your ideas for the future of the profession. We will soon be launching anessay competition, with a prize of an all-expenses-paid trip to the London Vet Show at Olympia (19–20 November). For more details about thecompetition, and how to submit your entry, pleasevisit www.vetfutures.org.uk/essaycomp.

Trust in the professions

Percentage of public who said they ‘generally’ or ‘completely’ trusted the profession

Honours and awards:join us at RCVS DayRoyal College Day 2015 – Annual General Meeting and Awards Presentation

ProgrammeCoffee will be available from 9.30am to 11.00am

10.00amAnnual General Meeting1. Minutes of the last Annual General Meeting2. Annual Report and Financial Statements for

the year ending 31 December 2014*3. Questions4. Council elections: new members and

retirements6. Date of next AGM: Friday 8 July 2016

Meeting of the RCVS Council7. Meeting to elect President, Vice-Presidents

and Treasurer

Coffee break

11.00amPresentation of Awards7. Presentation of Queen’s Medal Award8. Presentation of Honorary Associateships9. Presentation of Honorary Fellowships by

Election10. Presentation of Fellowship11. Presentation of Diplomas12. Declaration for Registered Veterinary Nurses13. Presentation of Diplomas in Advanced

Veterinary Nursing (small animal)Presentation of Diplomas in AdvancedVeterinary Nursing (equine)

14. Presentation of Veterinary Nursing GoldenJubilee Award

15. Presentation of books to the RCVSKnowledge Library from the British SmallAnimal Veterinary Association

16. Chief Executive & Secretary’s address17. President’s address18. Introduction of new President,

Vice-Presidents and Treasurer

12.00Talk from Professor Will Hueston DVM on thetopic of professional leadership in veterinarymedicine, science and policy

12.45pm Drinks

13.00pm Lunch

* The RCVS Annual Report and FinancialStatements 2014 are available online atwww.rcvs.org.uk/publications and can beposted on request, please [email protected]

All veterinary surgeons and veterinarynurses are warmly invited to attend this

year’s RCVS Day, to be held on Friday 10 July,at One Great George Street, London.

As his last official engagement of the year, RCVS President Professor Stuart Reid will chair the Annual General Meeting and welcome newmembers to Council and the Veterinary NursesCouncil, before handing over the reins to Dr Bradley Viner, who will formally take up hisoffice as President for 2015-2016.

AwardsRCVS Day is a chance to recognise and celebratethe achievements of our colleagues across theveterinary profession. Honorary Awards will bebestowed, and Fellowships and Diplomas awarded.

We will be celebrating the success of Lord Soulsbyof Swaffham Prior as the recipient of the RCVSQueen’s Medal – the most prestigious honour thatthe RCVS can bestow upon a veterinary surgeon(see RCVS News March 2015, page 4).

The following Honorary Fellowships will also bebestowed, recognising outstanding individualachievements, above and beyond the call of duty,in the fields of veterinary medicine or science, orrelated areas:

• Alistair Mclaren Lawrie BVMS MRCVS, generalpractitioner and contributor to animal welfare in Scotland

• Professor Donald Francis Kelly BVSc MA PhDFRCPath DipIECVP MRCVS, veterinary pathologist

• Gordon Nicholson Henderson BSc MRCVS,whose career has been in veterinary marketing

We are pleased to announce that HonoraryAssociateships will be presented to:

• Dr Michael James Francis

• Catherine Anne Phillips

• Phillip Sketchley

And a Fellowship will be presented to:

• Dr Cheryl Lynn Scudamore BVSc PhD FRCPath MRCVS

Guest speakerWe are delighted toannounce that ProfessorWill Hueston will be our guest speaker,addressing the topic ofprofessional leadership in veterinary medicine,science and policy.

Professor Hueston holds a joint professorship inthe University of Minnesota’s (UMN) College ofVeterinary Medicine and the School of PublicHealth. In 2001, he created the university’s Center for Animal Health and Food Safety, which he led for seven years before being named UMN’s endowed chair for Global Food SystemsLeadership and executive director of the GlobalInitiative for Food Systems Leadership.

Working between the College of VeterinaryMedicine and School of Public Health, Dr Hueston catalysed the development of adynamic portfolio of public health educationalprogrammes for veterinarians.

Professor Hueston is the director and principalinvestigator of UMN’s innovative Food PolicyResearch Center (FPRC), a unique, multidisciplinarypartnership involving co-investigators from UMN’s College of Veterinary Medicine, School of Public Health, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, Extension, andHumphrey School of Public Affairs.

He also serves as director of an Office ofInternational Education (OIE) Collaborating Centerfor Veterinary Services Capacity Building, one offour centres worldwide that focus on strengtheningthe veterinary capacity of countries to control thespread of transboundary diseases and zoonosesin order to fully participate in global trade ofanimals and animal products.

In 2013, Professor Hueston was awarded theAssociation of American Veterinary MedicalColleges (AAVMC) Senator John Melcher DVMLeadership in Public Policy Award.

The minutes from RCVS Day 2014, held at OneGreat George Street, London, can be found atwww.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-events/rcvs-day/

Book your place nowTo book your place at RCVS Day 2015, please contact Emma Lockley, [email protected] or 020 7202 0773.Tickets are free and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

VenueOne Great George Street, Westminster, SW1P 3AA.www.onegreatgeorgestreet.com


RCVS DAY


“Eventually the training will bemade available online so that it is easily accessed by allmembers of the veterinary team.”

“One of the strengths of the Links Group is that it hasbrought together bothveterinary and humanhealthcare professionals, as well as the police andanimal welfare agencies.”

How can vets help breakthe cycle of human andanimal violence?

The Links Group came into existence after a conference called ‘Forging the Link’ in

2001. This symposium brought the concept ofthe link between animal and human abuseinto the veterinary conscience – a notion thatwas unfamiliar to many vets in practice. Muchhas been achieved over the past 14 years, notleast that veterinary surgeons are now wellaware that animal abuse occurs; it is strangeto relate that at the time of the conference,many vets did not see, or perhaps did notrecognise, animal abuse. Even fewer vetsunderstood that beyond deliberate cruelty toan animal in a household, there was thepotential for abuse of a vulnerable human.This situation is perfectly encapsulated in thisquotation (used with permission): in anyviolent household…

“When animals are abused, people are at risk;when people are abused, animals are at risk.”[The American Humane Association (AHA)]

One of the strengths of the Links Group is that ithas brought together both veterinary and humanhealthcare professionals, as well as the police andanimal welfare agencies. Both ‘veterinary’ and‘human’ members have learned much from eachother over the years and the 'humans' have cometo value the AHA quotation because many of themsee animals when they visit troubled households to tackle allegations of domestic or child abuse.

Freda Scott-Park, Chair of the Links Group, explains thatworking together with medical colleagues is the key.

Making connections can save lives

GUEST COLUMN

As a result of the liaison with vets through the LinksGroup there is now a question about ‘animals inthe house’ in the form used to investigate violentincidents, which means that the animal's welfare isalso safeguarded.

The Links Group has continued to campaign forgreater awareness of the issues facing vets inpractice. Ignorance of animal abuse is less of achallenge, because Paula Boyden of the LinksGroup, supported by MSD Animal Health, haslectured to final-year veterinary students in most,but not all, of our schools. However, it is evidentthat members of the veterinary team find crueltycases difficult to deal with and, increasingly, arealso being faced with people who have beenabused. As trusted individuals, veterinary staff mayfind themselves in a situation where they receive adisclosure about a violent incident (either theanimal or human). Vets often do not know exactlywhat to do – an uncomfortable situation for highlytrained professionals.

To that end, the Links Group, in collaboration withmultiple partners including the Royal College ofVeterinary Surgeons, the British VeterinaryAssociation, the Animal Welfare Foundation andMedics Against Violence, has prepared guidancedocuments for the profession, available at the endof June 2015. A training course that helps buildself-assurance has also been developed so thatvets feel confident when tackling suspected abuseand have the ability to direct a victim towardsseeking help.

The Links Group is a committed multi-agency interest group that promotes the welfare and safety of vulnerablechildren, animals and adults so that they are free from violence and abuse. For more information, please seewww.thelinksgroup.org.uk. For recentchanges to the RCVS Code of ProfessionalConduct in relation to this area, please see page 11.

The training course stresses that vets are notexpected to be experts in recognising abuse,emphasising that the injured animal is the directconcern of the veterinary surgeon, but providesguidance on how to act appropriately. Eventuallythe training will be made available online so that it is easily accessed by all members of theveterinary team.

Veterinary surgeons and ancillary practice staff arean essential part of the team required to break thecycle of violence, and collaborative working andcross-reporting are becoming easier. Theindependent crime-fighting charity, Crimestoppers,is concurrently launching a pocket-card for vets;as part of a new initiative, the charity will nowgather evidence about violence towards animalssince it is recognised that if a perpetrator hasabused either a human or an animal, he/she islikely to do it again. Colleagues working withvulnerable children and adults have welcomed theparticipation of members of the veterinary team;we have much to be proud of but also there is somuch more we can achieve together.


ADVICE AND GUIDANCE

TB testing

The Animal and Plant Health Agency(APHA) has implemented a new regime to

modernise its relationship with suppliers ofveterinary services in order to ensureeffective delivery of animal health and welfarepolicies. The Veterinary Delivery PartnershipProgramme has awarded contracts toDelivery Partners to supply a package ofveterinary services including tuberculintesting for TB in cattle and other government-funded services. This sits alongside a newapproach for training and authorisingveterinary surgeons to perform this work asOfficial Veterinarians (OVs). There is moreinformation about the new training andqualification on the commercial supplier’swebsite: www.improve-ov.com.

At its April meeting, Standards Committee met with representatives from APHA and the BritishVeterinary Association (BVA) to discuss the workingrelationship that will be required following theintroduction of these new contracts, specifically inrelation to the professional standards of veterinarysurgeons involved with the new TB testing regime.Our existing guidance on communication is clear that veterinary surgeons should liaise withcolleagues where more than one veterinarysurgeon has responsibility for the care of a groupof animals. Where different veterinary surgeons aretreating the same animal, or group of animals,each should keep the other informed of anyrelevant clinical information, so as to avoid anydanger that might arise from conflicting advice, or adverse reactions arising from unsuitablecombinations of medicines. During discussions itwas accepted and recognised that this existingguidance applies to all veterinary surgeonsworking in this area and in their different roles,which includes OVs or vets working for APHA.

The BVA has informed us that it is also aiming to provide advice and guidance proactively to its

Responsibilities of vets working under new process

When the chipsare down

New Defra microchipping guidelines inEngland make it compulsory to report

adverse reactions to microchips (includingmigration from the site of implantation) or thefailure of a microchip. Whilst Defra have saidthat they would not enforce this regulationthrough the courts, or seek to impose fines,we have now amended our supportingguidance to say that vets and VNs shouldreport microchip adverse reactions and failuresto the Veterinary Medicines Directorate.

Further information about the Microchip AdverseEvent Reporting Scheme is available from theVMD’s Pharmacovigilance Unit on 01932 338427and reports can be submitted online atwww.vmd.defra.gov.uk.

Microchipping guidelines

members on issues arising from the newarrangements. It acknowledges that there isrelevant guidance in the Code and supportingguidance already, but it is keen to know moreabout the issues that veterinary surgeons arefacing on the ground and to develop scenariobased guidance accordingly. StandardsCommittee has offered to contribute to anyguidance developed by the BVA.

Finally, we understand that APHA will shortly email all OVs with the new Policy for Authorisationof Official Veterinarians in Great Britain, whichreplaces the Memorandum of Conditions ofAppointment. The Policy sets out the workingrelationship between APHA, which acts on behalfof the relevant Ministers in England, Scotland and Wales, and vets who seek to carry out taskson behalf of those Ministers but who are notemployees of government.

As of 1 July 2015, veterinary surgeons will be required to include their

RCVS membership number on prescriptionsmade for Schedule 2 and 3 controlled drugs. This is due to amendments to theMisuse of Drugs Regulations in regards to controlled drugs.

Another change is the rescheduling of ketamine to a Schedule 2 controlled drug, with effect from 30 November 2015. Current RCVS advice is to treat ketamine as a Schedule 2 controlled drug (storing it in the controlled drugs cabinet and recording its use in an informal register) but, as of November, this will become a legal requirement.

Controlled drugs update New Home Office rules on controlled drugs

Adrive to reinforce the accountability ofveterinary surgeons and veterinary

nurses (VNs) in leadership roles has led to atitle change and significant amendments tochapter 17 of our supporting guidance:formerly ‘Veterinary team and business’, now‘Veterinary teams and leaders’.

The changes were made at the April meeting ofour Standards Committee and were, in turn,endorsed by Council in June. The Committee waskeen to reinforce the accountability of vets andVNs who, for example, manage other members ofthe team and set practice policies and protocols.

It has long been expected that any local policiesand protocols will allow professional members ofstaff to practise in accordance with our Code ofProfessional Conduct. The amended guidancereinforces this by clearly stating that in the case ofcomplaints and concerns relating to adherence toa policy or protocol that contravenes the Code, thevet or VN responsible for that policy or protocol willbe at least as accountable as the vet or nurse whofollowed it.

The amended guidance also reinforces theresponsibilities of ‘the appointed senior veterinarysurgeon’ in a large corporate organisation or charity.

Many of the sentiments expressed in the previousiteration of the chapter remain in the amended one,but it is hoped that the new structure and additionswill better promote the responsibilities of vets andVNs at different levels within their practice ororganisation, confirming that all vets and VNs,whether they are involved in clinical work or not,are expected to comply with the Code and itssupporting guidance.

ResponsibleleadersGuidance on team accountability

We would encourage vets to refresh their memoryon the current legislative requirements for controlleddrugs, for example, from Veterinary MedicinesGuidance Note 20 – www.vmd.defra.gov.uk/pdf/vmgn/VMGNote20.pdf.

Furthermore, there will be a requirement to use aspecified form for the requisitioning of Schedule 2and 3 controlled drugs which will come into forceon 30 November 2015.

A Home Office circular with the full details of all the changes is available atwww.gov.uk/government/publications/circular-0192015-a-change-to-the-misuse-of-drugs-regulations-2001.

FEATURE

Client confidentiality is a well-establishedprinciple, but the duty is not absolute and

there may be some circumstances in whichinformation can be disclosed.

In order to help members of the profession makedecisions in relation to disclosing data, theStandards Committee, at its April meeting,approved revisions to chapter 14 of our supportingguidance (‘Client confidentiality’). Building on theprevious guidance, the amendments aim to helppractitioners in a variety of scenarios wheredisclosure of confidential information to third partiesmay be considered due to concerns that animalwelfare or the public interest is compromised.

The existing guidance on dealing with animalwelfare concerns has been updated, and there isnow expanded guidance on what to do wherechild or domestic abuse is suspected. Veterinarysurgeons and veterinary nurses are not expectedto be experts in recognising abuse, but they canuse their professional judgement to determinewhether the appropriate authorities should beinformed. The guidance provides advice on whatto do in such situations, and highlights sources of further information, including the Links Groupsguidance ‘Recognising abuse in humans andanimals: guidance for the veterinary team’(www.thelinksgroup.org.uk).

There is also new guidance on disclosingconfidential information in the public interest whereit is likely to help the police or other enforcementagencies in the prevention, detection or prosecutionof a crime. This type of information is usuallyrequested under Section 29 of the Data ProtectionAct 1998. The new guidance explains what‘Section 29’ requests are and offers practicaladvice on what to do when faced with suchrequests, including reference to the guidanceprovided by the Information Commissioner’sOffice: www.ico.org.uk.

The Mind Matters project waslaunched in December 2014,

with funding confirmation inFebruary this year. The project isdriven and funded by the RCVS,and is backed by a Taskforce

comprising representatives from a widerange of veterinary bodies, including thosefor nurses, students and practice managers.

Our aimsThe project aims to make a real difference tothose suffering from stress and mental ill healthwithin the veterinary team by:• Reducing the stigma associated with mental illness

• Helping to develop a culture where help-seeking is accepted

• Improving access to sources of appropriate help• Better equipping those within the profession to spot signs of mental ill health in theircolleagues and to signpost to appropriatesources of help

• Helping to reduce the incidence of stress and mental health conditions within theveterinary profession

• Facilitating the sharing of best practice interms of interventions and support, at homeand overseas, within and outside the profession.

What’s been happening?We have been busy raising awareness of theissues at events such as VPMA/SPVS Congress,BSAVA Congress, the Highlands and IslandsVeterinary Service Scheme event, and meetingswith veterinary nurse training awardingorganisations and colleges.

The project will soon have its own web presence,where you will be able to find out about latestactivities and events, but, in the meantime, hereis an outline of some of our current activities:• Commissioning a play to help raise awarenessof the need to communicate and seek helparound mental health issues, which will beshown to vet students


How you can helpIf you would like to contribute to the project, either as a case study subject, or by offering us space in a newsletter or at an event to raise awareness of the issues, please contact Lizzie Lockett on [email protected].

Mind Matters project gathers pace

Putting your mind to it

• Progress to set up an inter-professionalsymposium on mental health issues to include doctors, dentists, pharmacists andveterinary surgeons

• Sponsorship of RCVS Council member David Bartram to attend the first internationalconference on mental health issues in the profession

• Circulation of Vet Helpline stickers to every vet and nurse in the country via RCVS Newsin March

• Production and distribution of a ‘banner’ pen(pictured) that highlights sources of help

• Progress with trialling a course to help peoplebetter spot signs of mental ill-health and stressin colleagues and understand how to talk tothem and how to point them to sources ofprofessional help

• Starting to produce a series of case studieswith vets and nurses who have experiencedmental ill-health, sought help and been able toreturn to work

• Supporting a range of researchers looking atdifferent aspects of the issues by allowingthem access to appropriate data

• Working with SPVS/VPMA to develop a MindMatters stream for their 2016 Congress

• Planning a symposium for those involved inmental health research in the veterinaryprofession to help map where there may begaps in our knowledge

• Reinvigorating an international network ofthose involved in the field of veterinary mentalhealth on a global basis

• Evaluating our funding contribution to theupgraded Vet Helpline, which enabled all calls to be answered by a person rather thanan answering machine.

A question ofconfidentialityWelfare concern guidance


REGISTRATION

Form a doctorly queue

Veterinary surgeons who wish to use thecourtesy title ‘Dr/Doctor’ can now change

their title on the Register via an online form.

If you would like to change your title, please log into the My Account area (www.rcvs.org.uk/login)of our website where the form can be accessed.Usernames and passwords for the My Accountarea were sent to all veterinary surgeons inFebruary as part of the annual renewal process.

Once the form is completed, email confirmationwill be sent to you and the changes should takeeffect immediately in the My Account area.However, it may take up to 24 hours before the titleappears on your Register entry.

Courtesy title can be applied for online

Changing circumstances?

Please remember to let us know about any changes to your practice premises –

for example, if you are opening a new branchor moving premises, if you are closing aveterinary practice premises or if your existingpremises have come under new management.

Veterinary surgeons may only supply a veterinarymedicinal product (excluding AVM-GSL products)from veterinary practice premises listed on theRegister of Veterinary Practice Premises (RVPP),which we hold on behalf of the VeterinaryMedicines Directorate. This includes premiseswhich are part of the Practice Standards Scheme.It is therefore a legal requirement to keep usinformed of change.

RVPP registration and removal forms are available todownload from our website (www.rcvs.org.uk/rvpp),

Let us know about practice changes

Making theappropriatechecks

We would like to remind all practices tocheck the registration status of new or

prospective staff (both veterinary surgeonsand veterinary nurses) to ensure that they are registered and that they are in the correctregistration category.

We would also recommend that practices performannual registration checks for their existingveterinary and VN staff, in case they have beenremoved from the Register for not paying theirrenewal fee. For veterinary surgeons, checksshould be carried out in June; for veterinary nursesthe checks should be made in January.

If an unregistered member of staff carries out an act of veterinary surgery, they would do soillegally, and employing unregistered staff could also invalidate a practice’s professionalindemnity insurance.

The easiest way to make registration checks is to use our online ‘Check the Register’ search toolon www.rcvs.org.uk/checkregister. You can also contact our Registration Department on 020 7202 0707 or [email protected].

Checking registration status

Registerremovals

On 1 June, we removed the names of some 372 veterinary surgeons from

the Register for non-payment of the annualrenewal fee.

The fee was officially due by the end of March,although the very final date on which it could be paidwas 31 May. We have published a list of the nameson our website (www.rcvs.org.uk/registration)and would encourage practices to check that their staff members do not appear there. If anyperson who has been removed from the Registerperforms an act of veterinary surgery they will bedoing so illegally.

Veterinary surgeons who have paid their annualrenewal fee but who have yet to complete the annual renewal process by confirming theirregistration details, confirming they have met our requirement for continuing professionaldevelopment of 105 hours over a three-year period, and declaring any convictions, cautions oradverse findings, should do so by the end of July.

To confirm this information and complete yourrenewal, please email [email protected].

Still time to update details where you can also find further information about the Register. Alternatively, you can contactour Registration Department on 020 7202 0707 or [email protected] if you wish to discuss any of the above.

Use of ‘Dr/Doctor’ as a courtesy title was approvedby RCVS Council at its March meeting, following apublic consultation which garnered more than11,000 responses. The majority of these were infavour of the change.

We would like to remind veterinary surgeons thatuse of the title is optional and if you choose to use‘Dr/Doctor’ you should do so in conjunction withyour name and either the descriptor ‘veterinarysurgeon’ or the postnominal letters ‘MRCVS’. Thisensures that you do not inadvertently mislead thepublic by suggesting or implying that you hold ahuman medical qualification or a PhD.

Meet the Committee Chair: Jo PriceChair of the Education Committee

“Primary care is at the heart of our profession and itsvalue must be promoted atboth undergraduate andpostgraduate level.”

“I spent several years in first-opinion practice and sounderstand what life is likeoutside my ‘ivory tower’ andat the coal-face.”

What made you want to take on the role as Chair of the Committee?Education is at the heart of the College’s mission,and so it is a privilege for me to have been offeredthe opportunity to Chair the Education Committee(EC). I wanted to take on the role as I ampassionate about veterinary education and havethoroughly enjoyed being a member of EC for thelast five years, serving under two outstandingChairs, Stuart Reid and Chris Tufnell. I am familiarwith EC’s terms of reference and way of workingand therefore feel I am now well placed to be ableto take on the role as Chair.

My ‘day job’ has also given me significantexperience of chairing committees and I can bringthis expertise to the role. The most nerve-rackingaspect was standing for election to the position byCouncil, as the last time I stood for election waswhen I was a student (to join the bar committee!). I have now gained some insight into how politiciansfeel! I am very much looking forward to workingwith Christine Warman [RCVS Head of Education]and her excellent team in the Education Department,and to joining the College’s Operational Board, asthis will enable me to play my part in helping itmeet its ambitious targets and progress towardsbecoming a First Rate Regulator.

Professor Jo Price from the University of Bristol willtake over the reins of the Education Committee inJuly when the current Chair, Chris Tufnell, steps downto become RCVS Vice-President. Here, Jo talks abouther new role and what she hopes to achieve.

What makes the work of the Committee usefulto the rest of the profession?It is relevant because education and learning arelife-long processes, whether someone works inprimary care practice, in a specialist referralhospital or in academia. Professional education nolonger stops when the degree certificate is handedout; it extends throughout the ‘veterinarian lifecycle’ – from the time someone enters veterinaryschool to when they retire.

What are the Committee’s main priorities for the coming year?As with any Committee, much of EC’s work is inprogress. In the next year, we will start to refine the

Year-One Competences and ensure that weprovide the profession with clear information onCPD requirements with a long-term aim ofachieving full compliance. Over time, developingan outcomes-based approach for CPD will beimportant, and to achieve this we will share bestpractice with other professional organisations.Engaging in effective CPD is key to obtainingAdvanced Practitioner status and we must ensurethat the application process is fit for purpose sothat the numbers on the list continue to increase.

Another initiative recently approved byEC is a new designation in VeterinaryPrimary Care, and I hope that itbecomes an aspiration of mostpractitioners to obtain a qualificationin this area. I appreciate that I amperceived as being a typical academic,but I spent several years in first-opinionpractice and so understand what life islike outside my ‘ivory tower’ and at thecoal-face. Primary care is at the heartof our profession and its value must bepromoted at both undergraduate andpostgraduate level. Primary carepractitioners also have a critical role toplay in evidence-based veterinary medicine.

Last, but of course not least, EC hasresponsibility for setting andand monitoring thestandards for veterinaryeducation. Day-OneCompetences andaccreditationstandards haverecently beenrevised – bothvery significantpieces of work.Going forward,we will take alook at extra-

mural studies provision and how we can ensure itis sustainable, and we will continue to ensure thatall RCVS-accredited schools achieve the higheststandards of veterinary education and recruit highquality applicants who can cope with the challengeof working in a changing profession. We will alsocontinue to stay at the heart of discussions aroundinternational accreditation.

There is therefore much on the ‘to do’ list, but I amvery much looking forward to my new role and toworking with other committee members. Some are‘old hands’ but we also have some new members –I’ve no doubt they will all keep me on my toes!


FEATURE

EDUCATION

PDP for overseas graduates

At its May meeting, the EducationCommittee clarified the rules on overseas

graduates practising in the UK and theProfessional Development Phase (PDP).

All UK veterinary graduates are expected toundertake the PDP, a period of self-assessmentthat provides a structure for them to develop theirconfidence and competence in clinical practice.

In February, the Committee decided to introduce athree-year requirement for graduates to completethe PDP – previously the PDP was not time-bound,although most graduates complete it in around 18 months. However, the Committee noted thatoverseas graduates practising in the UK did not

Clarifying current rules

New VN guides

We have published a new set of handbooksproviding information about our role as

a regulator for all those providing veterinarynurse (VN) training and qualifications.

There are three handbooks in total, aimed atawarding organisations and higher educationinstitutions, centres and colleges delivering VN qualifications on behalf of awardingorganisations and training practices respectively.

Each handbook contains information covering all aspects of the regulation of VN education,including our accreditation process, approvalcriteria, visitation teams and day-one skills andcompetences, among other topics.

Information for TPs and centres


“We want to provide as much guidance and advice to new and prospectiveawarding organisations and higher educationinstitutions as possible.”

Opening doors with key skills

Potential applicants for RCVS Specialiststatus will now be expected to demonstrate

that they meet professional key skillrequirements in areas such as professionalreasoning and decision-making, protectinganimal and public health, emergency care,veterinary ethics and communication.

The recommendation was made by the SpecialistSubcommittee, and approved by the EducationCommittee in May, in order to bring Specialists intoline with Advanced Practitioners who are expectedto provide evidence of having developed theirprofessional key skills if these were not explicitlyincluded within their qualification.

In order to demonstrate professional key skills,referees supporting a prospective Specialist’sapplication will have to complete a questionnaire

Professional skill requirements for Specialists

Julie Dugmore, our Head of Veterinary Nursing,explains: “Prior to the publication of thesehandbooks, all this information existed in variousdifferent documents spread across our website.We want to provide as much guidance and advice to new and prospective awardingorganisations and higher education institutions as possible in terms of our processes andregulatory requirements, so we thought it would be a good idea to collate all this information in one, easy-to-find place.”

The three handbooks, which also include sectionson the Veterinary Surgeons Act and internationalVN accreditation, are available to download fromwww.rcvs.org.uk/publications.

attesting to their applicant’s use of these skills in practice.

More information about Specialist status, including an information pack, application form, the referee questionnaire and associatedguidance, can be found atwww.rcvs.org.uk/education/specialist-status.

Visitations update

In the coming months and years we have a busy schedule of veterinary school

accreditation visits in the pipeline – both inthe UK and worldwide. These visits ensurethat veterinary degrees offered in each school continue to meet our criteria, as well as UK and European legislativerequirements.

In November 2015, RCVS Council memberProfessor Stephen May will co-chair a visit to theRoyal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies inEdinburgh along with Deborah Kochevar from theAmerican Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).Representatives from the European Association ofEstablishments for Veterinary Education (EAEVE)and the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council(AVBC) will also attend.

National and international accreditation

In March 2016, David Wadsworth MRCVS, one ofour PSS Inspectors, will be chairing an RCVSvisitation to the School of Veterinary Science at the University of Liverpool.

International visitations will take up much of the restof the year with joint visits to Murdoch Universityand the University of Adelaide in Australia plannedfor July and October 2016, respectively. In November2016, we will also be undertaking a full RCVS visitto the School of Veterinary Medicine at St George’sUniversity on the Caribbean island of Grenada inorder to determine if we should recognise the degree.

On the home front, the initial accreditation visitationfor the new veterinary degree at the University ofSurrey’s School of Veterinary Medicine is plannedfor 2017. Details are to be confirmed.

have to undertake the PDP provided they have just one year’s clinical experience before applyingto register with the RCVS. Committee members feltthis was unfair and decided to review the rules atthe May meeting.

Following the clarification of the rules, overseasgraduates who have completed up to one year ofclinical work must complete the PDP in order toensure that they meet our Year-One Competences.Those overseas graduates who have between ayear and three years’ clinical experience will beasked to confirm that they meet our Year-OneCompetences. If they are not able to confirm thisthey will be asked to undertake the PDP.

EDUCATION


VN clinical skills review

We are undertaking a complete review ofour ‘day-one’ clinical skills for the

practical training of veterinary nurses (VNs)and have launched a consultation on theproposed new skills list.

One of the benchmarks we use to set minimumstandards for the content of VN licence to practisequalifications, the RCVS day-one skills wereoriginally set by the veterinary industry via RCVSAwards and adopted by VN Council in 2011.Veterinary nurses must demonstrate proficiency inthe listed skills and procedures in order to showthey are competent, ie that they meet RCVS day-one competences.

Given the wide variety of veterinary practicesettings to which student veterinary nurses areexposed, it is important that we, as the industryregulator, define the required day-one skills and ensure that these align with the required day-one competences. We need to review the skills list to ensure consistency, that it reflectscurrent practice, and that it only includes thoseskills deemed necessary for registration purposes.A clearer focus on safe and effective clinical skills would support our primary regulatory role, that of protecting animal welfare and thepublic interest.

Our consultation sets out the proposed day-oneskills, grouped according to the correspondingday-one competences, and asks for feedback on their relevance, accuracy and completeness.You can access the consultation viawww.rcvs.org.uk/consultations and thedeadline for responses is 5pm on 27 July 2015.

Consultation on ‘day-one’ skills underway

Done it? Document it!Undocumented CPD allowance to be phased out

At its May meeting, the EducationCommittee decided to re-think the current

ten-hour annual continuing professionaldevelopment (CPD) allowance forundocumented ad hoc private study.

As of 1 January 2016, this allowance will end asCommittee members felt that all CPD, includingprivate study, should be properly documented andthat, furthermore, private study extends across arange of different types of learning. For example, it could include reading, preparing for a seminar orpresentation, preparing for mentoring and so on.

Chris Tufnell, Chair of the Education Committee,comments: “We would like to stress that it is the‘undocumented’ element that Committee membersare unhappy with. The Committee believes thatself-study, including private reading, is a very usefulform of CPD for many vets but that there was noreason why it should not be documented like anyother type of CPD activity.

“We also felt that removing the undocumentedelement outright would clear up some of theuncertainty around the allowance, as some membersof the profession were under the impression thatprivate study, even if it was documented, couldonly be classed within that category.”

“The Committee believes thatself-study, including privatereading, is a very useful formof CPD for many vets but thatthere was no reason why itshould not be documented likeany other type of CPD activity.”

As a result of the Committee’s decision theEducation Department will also be reviewing the information that is currently available on

our website for both veterinary surgeons andveterinary nurses regarding what counts as CPD, as some uncertainty still appears to exist.The aim is to give greater clarity as to what can be logged and to give more and clearerexamples in each category. Information about CPD for veterinary surgeons can be found atwww.rcvs.org.uk/cpd; for veterinary nurses, it is www.rcvs.org.uk/vncpd.

We are also in the process of looking for ‘CPDChampions’ – veterinary surgeons and veterinarynurses who can act as ambassadors to the rest of the profession as to the positive impact ofundertaking CPD and how it aids all areas of practice life, from clinical skills and competenceto customer service and client relationships.

If you are interested in becoming a CPD Champion and would like more information,please contact Jenny Soreskog-Turp, CPD Officer, on [email protected].

More time toadvance

Veterinary surgeons have extra time thisyear to apply for Advanced Practitioner

status – the middle tier accreditation for thosewho wish to demonstrate knowledge andskills beyond the initial veterinary degree.

Applications for the status can be made fromFriday 12 June 2015 with the deadline for this yearbeing Friday 30 October. In 2014, when welaunched the status, the application process ranfrom the beginning of September until the end ofNovember. In total, 640 veterinary surgeonsapplied, with a total of 574 having been admittedto the List of Advanced Practitioners so far.

Successful applications received in June and Julywill be considered by the Advanced PractitionerPanel and ratified by the Education Committee inOctober this year, which may result in an earlierlisting for applicants. Applications received inAugust, September and October will be ratified atthe Committee’s February 2016 meeting.

This year, veterinary surgeons will be able to makean application for the status through our online ‘My Account’ area (www.rcvs.org.uk/login). The application fee is £80 and we are now able totake payment online as well.

If you are interested in applying, please read the Advanced Practitioner Applicant GuidanceNotes (www.rcvs.org.uk/advanced), which contain the eligibility criteria, the list ofcurrent designations, eligible qualifications, feeinformation and other guidance.

Applications for AP status

ADR FEATURE


Alternative dispute resolution trial

Our alternative dispute resolution (ADR) trial was launched inNovember 2014 and is due to run for a year, in conjunction

with the not-for-profit complaints resolution organisationOmbudsman Services (OS). In addition to our update on the trialon page six, we’ve set out some case studies below to give aflavour of how the trial is shaping up.

Roger and hisrabbit, JessicaCategory of complaint • Negligence• Misdiagnosis/Inadequate treatment

What happened?Roger took his rabbit, Jessica, to the localveterinary practice for a routine operation andexpected to collect her later the same day. When he returned later that afternoon, it wasevident that Jessica had lost the use of her hindlegs. She was also urinating when held.

Bob the vet examined Jessica and concludedher symptoms indicated a parasite. Bobprescribed antibiotics for Jessica anddischarged her.

Roger was concerned about Jessica overnightand took her back to the practice the next dayfor a further check up. Radiographs confirmedthat Jessica had a serious spinal injury that she was unlikely to recover from. Reluctantly,Roger and Bob agreed that euthanasia was the kindest option.

Bob the vet accepted that the injury hadoccurred while Jessica was at the surgery butwas unable to explain how it occurred. Toresolve the dispute, Bob had offered a goodwillgesture of £25 and to cremate the rabbit. Roger declined this offer.

Review• OS was unable to establish the cause ofJessica’s injury but was concerned that thisoccurred while she was in the care of thesurgery and went unnoticed.

• OS was also concerned that the Bob the vethad discharged Jessica without furtherobservation or examination.

Final DecisionOS recommended that Bob the vet should:• apologise to Roger for the upset that mighthave been caused by allowing Jessica toreturn home;

• refund all the costs associated with Jessica’soperation and subsequent treatments;

• offer to cremate Jessica’s body and return theashes, without any further charges, if this wasstill required; and,

• make a goodwill payment to Roger in theregion of £50 and £100.

Natalie and herdog, BarnsleyCategory of complaint • Misdiagnosis• Customer service

What happened?Natalie noticed her dog,Barnsley, was in painwhen she walked him, soshe took him to the localpractice whereupon theattendant veterinarysurgeon, Chris, diagnosed a grazed paw. Natalie maintained that Chris failed to examineBarnsley properly, and noticed that the dog was in agony overnight and that his pawbecame very swollen.

Natalie decided to take Barnsley to a veterinaryhospital the next day where he was x-rayed, anda double fracture of the right toe was diagnosed.

Natalie insisted that Chris misdiagnosed her dog’s injury and missed the fractured bone,causing Barnsley extra hours of agony and stress.

Review• Chris had prescribed painkilling medicationon the first visit and was unable to find anyevidence of a fracture, though he did statethat the dog’s foot was bruised and swollen.He advised Natalie to return Barnsley’slimping persisted.

• On the second visit, Chris found Barnsleyto be in too much pain to perform anexamination. He therefore recommended thatBarnsley be re-examined if the pain stillshowed after a few days of rest andrecuperation. A separate vet, Chloe, offeredthe same advice.

• On a second visit to Chloe the vet, a radiographwas taken and a successful diagnosis wasmade after Chloe noticed swelling.

• Chris admitted that on the date of the firstvisit, the surgery had been particularly busy,but as Chloe had also made this diagnosis, itwas not considered unreasonable.

Resolution During OS’s investigation, it contacted bothNatalie and Chris. OS failed to find evidence that Chris had inappropriately treated theBarnsley or misdiagnosed the issue. Chris hadalready offered a refund of his fees as a goodwillgesture. OS decided this was a generous offerand asked Chris to maintain it.

Final decisionOS recommended that the offer to refund theveterinary fees be maintained.

Mrs King and her dog, AceCategory of complaint • Negligence• Misdiagnosis/Inadequate treatment

ComplaintMrs King took her dog, Ace, for emergencytreatment at her veterinary practice, Full HouseVets, following a dog attack in her local park, butended up feeling that the treatment Acereceived there was inadequate. She felt that abandage applied to Ace’s leg was too tight,causing the circulation to be cut off and the dogto have a fit.

Mrs King alleged that Jack, the veterinarysurgeon, and Elizabeth, the veterinary nurse, didnot treat her with courtesy. At the same time,Jack and Elizabeth made a complaint to thepractice partners stating that Mrs King wasabusive and aggressive during the consultation.

The allegation that Mrs King was aggressivewas only addressed with her some 12 weeksafter the incident and after Ace had been fullytreated and the bill had been paid.

Mrs King felt aggrieved by this allegation andasked for it to be withdrawn. She also wanted anapology from Full House Vets for the allegationmade against her.

Review• OS was unable to establish whetherMrs King had been aggressive and abusiveduring the consultation.

• OS was able to establish that thetreatment provided to Ace atthe consultation wasappropriate. • OS established that thebandage applied to the Ace’s

leg would not havecaused him to fit.• OS established thatthe Full House Vetshad not committedany shortfalls incustomer services.

Final DecisionOS found that noremedy or award was required.

Four case studies to illustrate how the ADR trial is progressing

NB The names of the parties have been changed to protect their identities. Recommendations made by the OS are not binding on either party.

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PRACTICE STANDARDS

Mrs Eden and her dog, ChurchillCategory of complaint • Negligence • Misdiagnosis/Inadequate treatment

ComplaintMrs Eden took her dog, Churchill, to her usualpractice, Heath Vets, for vaccinations and anannual check up. During the examinationappointment, Churchill was unhappy andstruggled when held.

Shortly after returning home with Churchill, Mrs Eden stated that his back became painfuland he was unable to jump up on the furnitureas normal. She believed that the injury had beencaused during the vaccination appointment

When Churchill was returned to Heath Vets, hewas placed on anti-inflammatory medicationand rested. Despite this treatment, his conditiondeteriorated and, following investigations, a‘slipped disc’ was diagnosed.

Mrs Eden felt that the advice given regarding thesuccess of further treatment was negative andmade to put the dog to sleep.

Mrs Eden believed that the veterinary surgeon,Harry Wilson, did not provide the appropriateadvice regarding the options available fortreatment and the success of that treatment.She was unhappy that when she made arequest for the clinical records and x-rays inorder to obtain a second opinion, that thepractice manager, Margaret, withheld the x-raysand there was a delay in receiving them.

Review• OS is not able to determine that vet HarryWilson caused the dog’s injury. The diagnosiswas for a degenerative disease with anassociated slipped disc and, as such, the disccould have slipped during the course of thepet’s normal activities. Mrs Eden also did notreport any noticeable difference in the dog’sbehaviour when leaving the Heath Vets.

• OS was able to establish that Mrs Eden hadbeen given all correct options for Churchill’streatment when making her decision.

• OS established that there was a shortfallPractice Manager Margaret’s customer

service due to the delay in releasing theclinical records.

Final DecisionOS recommended that Heath

Vets should:• send a letter of apology for theshortfall in customer service; and,

• make a goodwill payment in the sum of£30 to acknowledge that shortfall.

Talks and workshops ahead of November launch

Learn more about the revised Scheme

Ahead of the launch of the revisedPractice Standards Scheme (PSS)

this November, there will be a number oftalks and events outlining the upcomingchanges and how they will benefitpractices in the PSS.

On Friday 26 June, Pam Mosedale (pictured),Veterinary Advisor and Assessor Coordinator for the PSS, will be giving an update on the

revised Scheme at the VetsNorth Conference at the Renaissance Manchester City CentreHotel. The talk takes place at 3.15pm as part ofa programme of lectures and discussionsorganised by the British Veterinary HospitalsAssociation. More information can be found onthe VetsNorth website at www.vetsnorth.com.

On Thursday 24 September, we will bepartnering with the Society of PractisingVeterinary Surgeons (SPVS) and the VeterinaryPractice Managers Association (VPMA) for aone-day briefing on the revised Scheme whichwill be hosted by Jacqui Molyneux, Chair of thePractice Standards Group, and Adi Nell, SeniorPartner at Medivet and a past-president ofSPVS. Jacqui and Adi will provide an overviewof the main changes to the PSS, highlighting thekey benefits including a designated IT system,a trained and professional inspectorate and theadditional ‘Awards’ available to practices.Delegates will also have the opportunity to quizthe speakers on all aspects of the Scheme andits requirements and discuss its merits withother delegates.

The event takes place at the Village Hotel inSolihull between 10am and 4.30pm. For moreinformation, and to book your place, please call Charlotte Lodge on 01453 872731 or visitthe SPVS/VPMA events website onhttp://vpma-spvs-events.co.uk/cpd-2015/practice-standards-scheme-update/

Having announced the recruitmentprocess for new Practice Standards

Scheme (PSS) Assessors last month, aheadof the Scheme’s relaunch in November thisyear, there is still time to apply.

We are looking to recruit 18 experiencedveterinary surgeons as Assessors who will workdirectly with RCVS-accredited practices to helpthem comply with the Scheme and maintain thehighest possible standards of veterinary care.

Successful candidates will be expected toactively assess and inspect veterinary practicesat the different PSS accreditation levels – core,general practice and hospital – to encouragecontinuous improvement; they will workproactively with practice teams to ensure thatthe Scheme’s standards are understood andbeing worked towards. We are aiming to recruitAssessors from across the UK who haveexperience in small animal, equine and/or farmanimal practice.

PSS Assessors wanted!Still time to apply for 18 new positions

The recruitment process is being handled by Thewlis Graham Associates. Thoseinterested in applying should contact them for a confidential discussion on 020 7850 4781. The deadline for applications is Monday, 29 June 2015. Further information about therole, including the candidate brief andapplication form, is available via our website(www.rcvs.org.uk/workforus).

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COMMUNICATIONS AND EVENTS

North Yorkshire-based veterinary surgeonCarla Balnave was the highly skilled

and dextrous winner of our ‘Shape thefuture’ game at BSAVA Congress in April,completing the wooden shape-sorterpuzzle in a record time of 15.34 secondsand receiving a Sony smart watch for her efforts!

Intended simply to promote the Vet Futuresinitiative (see page 7) and toencourage delegates to think howthey would like the future of theveterinary professions to take shape,the puzzle – normally the preserveof toddlers – proved a big hit andproduced some highly competitiveencounters, not least between theChief Veterinary Officers ofNorthern Ireland (Robert Huey)and Scotland (Sheila Voas)!

Shaping up for the futureVet wins smart watch in congress competition

More free learningWebinars to catch live or on demand

By the time RCVS Newshits your doormats, thesewill be joined by awebinar to be presentedlive at 8pm on 9 June:‘Practice StandardsReview: the next steps’,presented by PracticeStandards Group Chair,Jacqui Molyneux, and PSS Veterinary Adviser & Assessor Coordinator Pam Mosedale.

If there are any topics on which you would like tosee a webinar produced, please let Ben Myringknow, on [email protected].

Who’s who?

Taking your pet to the vet can be a stressfultime for many owners, and while they

may not always understand who is helpingand advising them, many do not like ask.Meanwhile, vets and nurses don’t always take the time to introduce themselves andexplain their role.

So we have produced a new leaflet outlining who’swho in the veterinary team, including veterinarysurgeons, Advanced Practitioners, Specialists,veterinary students, registered veterinary nursesand student nurses. The leaflets were a hit at theLondon Pet Show. If you would like some todisplay in your waiting room, please contact LizzieLockett on [email protected].

Our programme of free webinars, hosted by the Webinar Vet, now includes

the following to listen again, available atwww.rcvs.org.uk/webinars:

• ‘Don’t let complaints get you down: commonconcerns raised about veterinary professionalsand how to avoid them’, presented by EleanorFerguson, Head of Professional Conduct, andJerry Davies, Chair of the PreliminaryInvestigation Committee

• ‘Continuing Professional Development (CPD):the importance of lifelong learning’, presented by Kit Sturgess, RCVS Council member, and Liz Cox, VN Council Vice-Chair

New leaflet demystifies the practice team

With a stand right next to one where The Apprentice contenders were trying

to sell some kind of cat toy, we seemed to be subject to more than even the usualmayhem at the London Pet Show (ExCel, 9–10 May) this year!

Yet between dodging Karen Brady and ClaudeLittner, camera crews and star-struck members ofthe public, we found plenty of opportunity to helpexplain the role of the College in setting, upholdingand advancing veterinary standards.

As ever, careers information – for both buddingveterinary surgeons and nurses – proved popular,as did the demonstrations of veterinary nursingskills carried out by our resident RVNs VictoriaHedges and Lily Lipman (otherwise known asExaminations Manager and QualificationsManager respectively). Don’t worry, we used ananimatronic cat….

In fact, there was a distinctly veterinary nursingtheme to the stand this year, as the eventcoincided with National Veterinary NursingAwareness Month. We showed our new animation,which aims to raise awareness of the role andskills of a registered veterinary nurse, and calls forsupport for our campaign to protect the title‘veterinary nurse’ (see cover). On going to press,the video had been viewed over 83,000 times onFacebook and over 5,000 times on YouTube.

Before we showed people the animation, weasked for their views about what an RVN can do,how long it takes to qualify and whether they feltthe title should be protected.

Of the 144 visitors taking part in the survey, ofwhich 92% were pet owners, and 87% hadattended a practice in the last 12 months, thefollowing summarises the results (the figures inbrackets exclude the 29 people who had worked ina veterinary practice):

• 88% (85%) felt they had seen a VN in theirpractice, with 54% (44%) of them feeling theyknew if the nurse was registered

• In terms of what a nurse can do, 96% (95%)correctly understood they can offer advice onworming, flea treatment and diet; 78% (76%)understood they could administer injections;only 44% (37%) felt that VNs could carry outminor surgery; 75% (72%) believed a VN couldperform dental hygiene (although not allunderstood the term and some explanation wasneeded at the time); 31% (23%) wrongly believedthat VNs could perform tooth extractions; and,58% (57%) felt that VNs could administer drugsto cause general anaesthesia

• Given a choice of two, three, four or five years’training being required to become a VN, themajority plumped for three years

• 97% (97%) felt that only those with appropriatetraining and qualifications should be allowed tocall themselves veterinary nurse.

We weren’t fired!The Apprentice flavour to LPS

Carla said: “I decided to have a go at the College’s'Shape the future' game because I'm a suckerfor a competition and I’m very competitive! I think I have my 15-month-old son and hisshape-sorter to thank for my success!

“I think the Vet Futures project is a goodidea,” added Carla. “It’s important that,

as a profession, we have goals and globalaspirations for the direction in which we

want the profession to go, andgetting the opinions of individualswithin the profession is key toachieving that. We need to makesure that it continues to be aprofession that attracts new bloodto it, but at the same time looksafter the people who are already init, so that the advancement inscience for the improved welfare of

animals is sustained.”

Overseas CPDgoes northManchester dates prove popular

In May, we took our Overseas CPD Course toManchester, responding to a call for a location

more accessible for practitioners in the North than our previous London-based dates.

The event is organised jointly by the RCVS, the BVA and the Veterinary Defence Society (VDS),and we were very happy with the turn-out of 46delegates for day one, which comprised a seriesof sessions around practising in the UK, and about20 for day two, a masterclass in communicationsdelivered by the VDS.

Delegates attending had graduated from 24different countries, including Iran, South Korea,India and Uganda, as well as many Europeancountries, with a mix of experience in practice, but generally less than two years. Some were notyet registered with the RCVS but planning to workin the UK soon.

The purpose of the course was to ensure thatoverseas graduates practising in the UK are betterequipped to deal with differences in practice,professional approach and culture.

Feedback was positive, including comments such as:• Brilliant, thanks for giving me this opportunity• A good eye-opener to see the expectations of veterinary practice in the UK

• Fantastic informative day, all vital information and I will definitely feel more confident nowentering my first UK job

• I wish I’d done this course the first week I cameto the UK

• I will recommend this course to all my overseasgraduate friends

• Having read some disciplinary cases I wasscared of the RCVS and hearing Gordon Hockeywas a relief

The next Overseas CPD Course will be held at the RCVS in London on 30 September and 1 October. As before, day one will be free, and day two, the communications masterclass, will be charged at £160.

You can sign up for the event online at:www.rcvs.org.uk/overseascpd – don’t delay, wewere oversubscribed for day two this time!

Reporting inAnnual Report 2014 now available

The RCVS Annual Report and FinancialStatements 2014 is now available to

download from our website:www.rcvs.org.uk/publications.

For the second year, our accounts have beenformatted according to SORP (Statement of Recommended Practice, Accounting andReporting by Charities).

As well as the usual auditor’s report and accountinginformation, the Annual Report also includes an overview of progress against our three-yearstrategic plan (2014–16), outlining activities such

as the granting of our new Royal Charter, thelaunch of the Advanced Practitioner List, the reviewof our 24/7 emergency cover guidance, and theinstigation of our Service Charter.

In their introduction to the Report, President StuartReid and CEO Nick Stace thank Council membersand staff for the role they have played in deliveringthese achievements: “It’s a great feeling to worksomewhere where everyone is pulling in the samedirection to deliver the best service they possiblycan. So we would like to pay tribute to all of thestaff and Council members who made 2014 sucha historic year for the College.”

Out and about in autumnWhere you can find us

There are plenty of chances to catch us atevents this autumn – do come and say

hello, and bring your questions for the team.

In short…• On 4–6 September, we will be attending theBritish Small Animal Veterinary AssociationScottish Congress, at Herriot-Watt, Edinburgh

• On 9–11 October we will be back to Telford forthe British Veterinary Nursing AssociationCongress

• On 19–20 November, it’s time for the London VetShow at Olympia

Time for TelfordAt BVNA Congress, we will be sharing the stagewith BVNA Officers for an opportunity to updatedelegates on our latest activities and take theirquestions. Liz Cox, incoming Chair of VN Council,and Julie Dugmore, Head of Veterinary Nursing,will be joined by Fiona Andrew, BVNA President,and Sam Morgan, BVNA President Elect. Lastyear’s joint Question Time was well attended andprovided thought-provoking questions, so wehope to build on that success this year. Just beforethe Q&A there will be a chance for RVNs who have

not yet done so to make their professionaldeclaration. So, join us at 11.45–12.45 on Saturday10 October in the Coalport Suite.

Olympian eventThe Business Theatre at the London Vet Show will host the launch of our new Practice StandardsScheme, at 8.30–9.15 on Friday 20 November.Come and share some breakfast with us, and hear how your practice can achieve one of our new Awards.

Friday will also see Neil Smith, Chair of the MindMatters Initiative, give a talk entitled ‘Too much, too young: mental health and wellbeing in theveterinary profession and beyond,’ as part of theBVA Congress.

And if that wasn’t a busy enough day, our VetFutures Report and Action Plan will also belaunched on the Friday, marking the ‘end of thebeginning’ of this project, and outlining streams of activity that will be taken forward.

We will also soon be agreeing dates and venuesfor our next series of Regional Question Times –keep your eye on RCVS e-News for more details.


COMMUNICATIONS AND EVENTS

Report to Council, June 2015

The full reports are available at www.rcvs.org.uk.

PIC Chair Jerry Davies

PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION COMMITTEE

Report to VN Council, May 2015VNPIC Chair Lynne Hill

VN PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION COMMITTEE

Since the last Report to Council there has been onemeeting of the Veterinary Nurse Preliminary

Investigation Committee (VNPIC) in February. Asthere was no new business and no new cases, theChairman cancelled the VNPIC meeting scheduled forApril. Between January and April, five new concernswere received which are all under investigation by theCase Examiners Group.

New casesDuring the same period, the VNPIC has considered one new case and referredit to the College’s solicitors for statements to be taken from relevant witnesses.

Ongoing investigationsThe VNPIC has three ongoing cases, two of which are adjourned pending theoutcome of criminal court trials against the respective RVNs.

Health ProtocolThere are currently two RVNs on the RCVS Health Protocol. In the last Report to Council there was one RVN being considered for the Health Protocol but signed undertakings were awaited. This RVN has since voluntarily removed her name from the RVN Register and therefore fallsoutside RCVS jurisdiction. The RVN’s registration details have been noted and the Chief Investigator will be informed if the RVN applies for her name tobe restored onto the Register.

Referral to VN Disciplinary CommitteeSince the last report, the VNPIC has not referred any new cases to the VNDisciplinary Committee.


Since the last Report to Council there have been four Preliminary Investigation Committee

(PIC) meetings in February, March, April and May. Of the 26 new cases considered by the Committeeduring this period, one was closed; five were closed with advice issued to the veterinary surgeon; two were held open; 12 were referred for further investigation; and six were referred tosolicitors for formal statements to be taken.

No cases were referred to the RCVS Health Protocol.

The PIC is also investigating 48 ongoing cases and has referred fourveterinary surgeons to the Disciplinary Committee (DC).

Health and Performance ProtocolsThere are 14 veterinary surgeons either under assessment or currently on theRCVS Health Protocol. One who had been engaging with the Health Protocolwas discharged on retirement and moved to the non-practising category ofregistration. Another who was on the Health Protocol for some time has hadthe number of visits reduced as a result of progress made.

Four veterinary surgeons are either under assessment or currently on thePerformance Protocol.

Case reportsTwo cases are reported to Council and the profession:

Conflict of interestThe PIC considered a matter relating to the vetting of a horse and the declarationof any conflict of interest on a pre-purchase examination (PPE) certificate thatwas signed by the attending veterinary surgeon. The veterinary surgeoncompleted the certificate on the basis that he had been the attending veterinarysurgeon for the animal to provide vaccinations, and that he knew the vendor.He did not, however, disclose to the purchaser that in fact his wife had been apart-owner of the horse until shortly before the date of the vetting.

Although it was accepted that, technically, the veterinary surgeon hadcompleted the PPE certificate correctly, the Committee was concerned that infocussing on the specifics of the PPE form requirements, the overriding duty ofa veterinary surgeon to inform clients of any conflicts of interest had got lostand that such an omission detracted from the public’s trust in the profession.After consideration, the case was held open for two years, meaning that thematter could be revisited if similar concerns come to light in the future. Theveterinary surgeon was formally advised as to the importance of being openand honest with clients and avoiding conflicts of interest [Code of ProfessionalConduct, paragraph 2.2].

Keeping clinical recordsThe PIC considered a matter in which a complainant had raised concernssome two years after the incident, as she had suffered health problems andhad been unable to raise the matter earlier. Her concerns related to her cat,which was being treated for anaemia over a period of days. She had concerns(among other issues) that she had specifically asked the veterinary surgeon to carry out a blood transfusion and that he had agreed to do so, but this hadnot happened and the cat had died.

In a letter to the complainant, the veterinary surgeon had stated that there hadbeen no donor available, which the complainant disputed as she owned anumber of other cats. The veterinary surgeon’s recollection was that he hadnot carried out the transfusion as the client had not been able to afford it. Thiswas strongly disputed by the complainant.

After consideration, the PIC found that the reasons for not having carried outthe procedure could not be established and that any failure to do so could notamount to serious professional misconduct in any event. The PIC noted,however, that had the clinical records created at the time provided a detailedaccount of the veterinary surgeon’s reasoning and the discussions held withthe client, then the matter could have been resolved much more quickly. TheCommittee decided to close the case, formally advising the veterinary surgeonas to the importance of keeping detailed and accurate contemporaneousclinical records [Code of Professional Conduct, paragraph 2.5].


Full details of disciplinary hearings areavailable at www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary.

Inquiry concerning: charges relatingto pet insurance fraud anddishonestly altering clinical records

DC decision: case dismissed

Registration status: name remainson RegisterOn Friday, 24 April 2015, the DisciplinaryCommittee (DC) dismissed a charge against aveterinary surgeon from Cinderford,Gloucestershire, which alleged he was guilty of pet insurance fraud, along with one of his clients,and of dishonestly altering clinical records.

The inquiry into Nicholas Robert William HornimanMRCVS took place between Monday 20 and Friday 24 April 2015 to hear a charge that, betweenDecember 1 2008 and June 30 2014, in relation to Cassy, a Labrador retriever belonging to JayneBowkett, he:

(i) suggested to Mrs Bowkett that she take outan insurance policy for the dog using owner’sdetails that were different from those used forits current insurance policy;

(ii) dishonestly arranged for or allowed practicerecords for the dog in the name of Bowkett tobe discontinued and separate records to bestarted in the name Griffiths; and,

(iii) dishonestly maintained practice records forthe dog as if she were different from the onefor which previous practice records had beenmaintained.

The DC heard that Cassy, who had previouslybeen diagnosed with hip dysplasia, had beenregistered with Pets Barn Veterinary Group inGloucestershire in May 2008 when Mr Hornimanwas the Principal and owner of the three-practicegroup. Cassy was treated at the Cinderford branchof the practice where she received regularprescriptions for her condition.

At some point in 2008/2009, Mrs Bowkett hadrelayed concerns to Mr Horniman that her currentpet insurance policy needed to be renewed, thatthe renewed policy would not cover Cassy’sexisting hip problems and that she would beunable to pay for any future operations herself. Itwas alleged that, in response to Mrs Bowkett’sconcerns, Mr Horniman told her that they couldtake Cassy off the practice computer and put herback on under a different insurance policy in adifferent name.

Mrs Bowkett took out a policy with Petplan,beginning on 13 August 2009, using her father’sdetails instead of her own. It was alleged that Mr Horniman then arranged for new practicerecords to be set up in the name ‘Cassy Griffiths’.These new records were first used substantively inMay 2010 when Cassy returned to the practicewith hip problems, following which two separaterecords were maintained for the dog under ‘CassyBowkett’ and ‘Cassy Griffiths’.

In August 2010, Dariusz Drozdz MRCVS, a vet whohad treated Cassy several times, had been told by

Mr Nicholas Robert William Horniman

“In coming to its conclusion...the Committee is faced withconflicting evidence... ”

Mrs Bowkett that the dog had two separaterecords. He told the DC that he queried this withMr Horniman who suggested that it was a mistakeand that they ‘RIP’ the name Cassy Bowkett. Mr Drozdz disagreed on this course of action butwas told by Mr Horniman to ‘leave it to me’ and the records were then changed to say that CassyBowkett had died.

Mrs Bowkett alleged that, at some point in 2011,Mr Horniman explained to her that it would nolonger be possible to claim for treatment forCassy’s hip dysplasia under the Petplan policy inher father’s name. However, the policy remainedactive, and was transferred into Mrs Bowkett’sname upon her father’s death.

In July 2011, Cassy Griffiths was seen by JenniferJones MRCVS, a part-time locum vet at theCinderford practice, who told the DC that she waspuzzled about why there were very few clinicalrecords relating to the animal. A receptionistexplained to her that there were two sets ofrecords for the same dog and that Mr Hornimanhad instructed her to mark the original pet ashaving been euthanased and close its records andcreate a second new record for the dog. Ms Jonestendered her resignation shortly afterwards citingconcerns that a pet had been “reincarnated toensure continued income from insurance claims”.In November 2011 Ms Jones submitted a formalcomplaint to the RCVS.

During the course of the hearing the DC heardevidence from Mrs Bowkett, Mr Drozdz and Ms Jones, amongst others.

In giving evidence, Mrs Bowkett admitted that shehad knowingly engaged in fraud but maintainedthat at all times she had acted with the knowledgeand on the advice of Mr Horniman. However, theDC found that she was unable to remember anyrelevant material dates and was unclear about thechronology of events. It was suggested on severaloccasions that she was lying to the DC, which shedenied. However, the DC believed that she took noresponsibility for her own fraudulent actions butmerely blamed Mr Horniman and that she had astrong motive to engage in the insurance fraud.

In regards to the evidence given by Mr Drozdz the DC noted that he did not record his suspicionsof possible fraud, that he continued to treat CassyGriffiths after he raised his concerns, and that heappeared to have accepted Mr Horniman’sassurance that he had dealt with the issue.

The DC found that Ms Jones was correct in hersuspicions that there was only one dog. However,it felt she offered no evidence to support hersuspicion that this was part of Mr Horniman’s‘scheme to maximise income for the practice’ asshe alleged in her witness statement.

The DC also heard oral evidence from and onbehalf of Mr Horniman who categorically deniedsuggesting to Mrs Bowkett that she commitinsurance fraud and attempting to cover this upthrough the maintenance of two separate records.He maintained that it was not until Ms Jonesvoiced her concerns that he realised that CassyBowkett and Cassy Griffiths were the same dog.

The DC voiced a number of concerns about Mr Horniman’s actions and behaviour and, attimes, found his evidence to be unsatisfactory. For example, the DC found it difficult tounderstand why ‘alarm bells’ did not ring that hewas dealing with only one dog when he prescribedmedication for two almost identical dogs in May2010 when only one was presented for examination.It also queried why, when he became aware thatthe insurance policy for Cassy Griffiths wasfraudulent, practice records were not updated andno attempt was made to contact Petplan to informthem of this, as is clearly advised by the RCVSCode of Professional Conduct.

Furthermore, the DC was concerned that, in hiscorrespondence with the RCVS, he was less thantransparent, candid and honest. The DCconsidered this to be unacceptable behaviourfrom a professional in dealings with investigationsundertaken by the regulatory body.

In making its judgment, the DC had to make adecision on whose account it felt to be morereliable in regards to the first element of the charge.

Professor Noreen Burrows, chairing the DC and speaking on its behalf, said: “In coming to itsconclusion ... the Committee is faced withconflicting evidence from Mrs Bowkett, who is anadmitted fraudster, admits to acting dishonestlyand to lying to Petplan. This is in contrast to the evidence from the Respondent, who is of goodcharacter, had an unblemished personal recordover 23 years and is supported by impressivecharacter references.”

The DC found the evidence of Mrs Bowkett to be “vague, lacking in clarity and inconsistent withthe facts” and therefore rejected her evidenceconcerning the first element of the charge. Inregards to the second element of the charge, theDC was not satisfied that Mr Horniman hadarranged for or allowed the records to be changedas was alleged. In regards to the third element itfound that, since it had already rejected the chargethat Mr Horniman suggested to Mrs Bowkett thatshe embark upon insurance fraud, it was unlikelythat Mr Horniman would have acted dishonestly inthe manner alleged.

Professor Burrows added: “In the light of the above findings, all charges against theRespondent are dismissed.”

DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE HEARING

Windows on the profession

HISTORY

That same month an editorial in The VeterinaryJournal reminded ‘societies and individuals thatthere is much yet to be done in the way of furnishing,fitting and embellishment of their building, and thatnow is a good opportunity for their assistance’.Perhaps that was a plea aimed at the issue of thefinal window in the Council Chamber?

If so, it seems to have worked, as the followingyear the Norfolk and Eastern Counties, WesternCounties and Lincolnshire Veterinary MedicalAssociations agreed to jointly fund the final stainedglass window. They presented the design toCouncil on 3 April 1888. The window would show:“a veterinary surgeon examining a horse, whichwas made to appear as jaded as possible, to carryout the idea of a sick animal. After the stable-master’s explanation about the animal, theveterinary surgeon appears to be cautioning himfor the future, telling him never to leave tilltomorrow what might be done today. There was a

In the reception of Belgravia House there is a display that contains the coats of arms of the original veterinaryschools and of the universities with veterinary schools. In the Members’ Room there is a stained glassrepresentation of the RCVS coat of arms, which was once part of a much larger window. Veterinary historianBruce Vivash Jones and RCVS Knowledge Librarian Clare Boulton explain their origins.

A brief history of our stained glass glories


Latin inscription under the subject to that effect. Inthe background a shepherd was seen driving aflock of sheep for the veterinary surgeon toexamine. The subject was surrounded by an ovalinterlaced with the monograms of the counties bywhich the window was presented.”

Finally the three windows were complete, and theydisappear from the records until 1941, when they are mentioned in reports of damage causedby the bombing of Red Lion Square in the finalmonth of the Blitz. The damage was so seriousthat they had to be removed and replaced by plainglass. It was not until 1953, following the paymentof war damage compensation, that the windowswere repaired and returned.

The 1953 Annual Report also records that the idea of adding the “armorial bearings of theuniversities having veterinary schools and of the veterinary colleges which have their ownbearings” in the windows at the opposite end ofthe building, overlooking Yorkshire Grey Yard, was being considered.

It was hoped that these would be paid for by “theuniversities and colleges concerned or by thealumni thereof”. There is no record of when thishappened but the six university coats of arms musthave been added before 1960, when the Collegevacated the Red Lion Square Building, as they arementioned in discussions in March 1962 about thefitting out of the new building in Belgrave Square: arepresentative from Goddard and Gibbs [a leadingstained glass studio where the windows werebeing stored] reports that it was not practicable toinclude the main windows in the new building but it would be possible to “incorporate one panel ofthe Royal College coat of arms [see photo] andthe six existing panels of the coats of arms of theuniversities in the window at the garden end of thelarge room on the first floor”.

This was agreed and these sections of glass, with the addition of the coats of arms of “the ‘RoyalSign Manual’ veterinary schools under the old oneportal system” (Royal Veterinary College, Royal(Dick) Veterinary School, Glasgow VeterinaryCollege and the Veterinary College of Ireland) plusTrinity College, Dublin, and University College,Dublin, were installed in the Historical Library inBelgrave Square. It is this stained glass that cannow be found in Belgravia House.

The question of what happened to the rest of thethree larger windows remains a mystery. Minutesof 1962/63 record discussions of possible homes,including a new student hostel been built at RVC’sHawkshead Campus. These all fell through. Thefinal mention of them in the official records is inOctober 1963, when Registrar WGR Oates reportsthat he has written again to the associations whopresented the windows to see if they have viewson their future.

To see more images of the windows, visit Clare Boulton’s blog on the topic, at www.rcvsknowledgelibraryblog.org.

The story of this stained glass begins in1884, when the College decided to knock

down its existing building in Red Lion Squareand erect a new home on the same site. Thisnew building was to be a ‘fitting for the homeof the veterinary profession’ and, as such,tenders were invited for stained glasswindows in the Council Chamber facing ontoRed Lion Square. However, money was tight,and the building opened on 6 April 1886 withplain glass.

The idea of having ‘coloured’ windows must haveappealed to sections of the profession as theCentral Veterinary Medical Society offered to payfor stained glass in the central of the threewindows. Practitioners HL Simpson and JF Simpson(prominent members of the Royal CountiesVeterinary Medical Association) jointly offeredanother. These windows were installed in time for the AGM in May 1886.


Over 100 veterinary professionals fromacross the world have begun working

together in Knowledge Groups on specificareas of veterinary health, producingsummaries of the best available evidence forfrequent clinical questions. The KnowledgeSummaries will be published online forpractitioners to access in clinical settings.

An initiative from the EBVM Network (aninternational collective of people interested insupporting and furthering evidence-basedveterinary practice), there are now 46 KnowledgeGroups working together on topics such asemergency and critical care, anaesthesia and paincontrol, obesity and nutrition, and practice-basedresearch. The groups prioritise clinical questions

RCVS KNOWLEDGE

EBVM online resourceNew resource to be launched at EBVM Skills Day 2015

Agroundbreaking online evidence-basedveterinary medicine (EBVM) resource,

jointly produced by 12 universities, will bepresented at our EBVM Skills Day 2015, aone-day continuing professional developmentseminar taking place on 30 October 2015 atChurch House, London.

A dozen European and North American universitiesare pooling their knowledge and experience tobuild the online learning and teaching resource forevidence-based veterinary practice. Funded by anRCVS Knowledge Target Grant, this majorinternational collaboration will allow practitioners tolearn more about EBVM for free at their own pace.

Groups producing Knowledge Summaries across wide variety of subjects

“We are thrilled to have theopportunity to lead on such a worthwhile project in anemerging field that hasalready proved essential toour profession.”

“We’ve had 360 signups to theKnowledge Groups so farwhich is hugely encouraging.”

Knowledge Groups on the rise

Two of the project leads, Kristen Reyher from theUniversity of Bristol and Marnie Brennan from the University of Nottingham, will present the newonline resource to the veterinary community at the Skills Day.

Dr Reyher says: “We are thrilled to have theopportunity to lead on such a worthwhile project in

EBVM Skills Day 2015 Sponsorship and exhibition opportunitiesavailable for suppliers, practices, consultants & advisors. For more information, contact our fundraising team:Marcus Pugh | [email protected] Gilmour | [email protected]

STOP PRESSRCVS Council backs open-accessevidence resourceRCVS Council has approved two years’funding for us to develop a KnowledgeSummaries website, allowing us to waive the usual open access submission fees sothat practising veterinary professionals cancontribute to the project.

an emerging field that has already provedessential to our profession.

“As a global group, we are passionate about beinginvolved in larger, long-term projects to pushEBVM further into the consciousness of theprofession, and believe this project moves us one

step closer by bringing together key stakeholdersand building an excellent fit-for-purpose resource.”

The organisations collaborating on the project are:University of Bristol, University of Nottingham,University of Cambridge, Royal Veterinary College,University of Agricultural Sciences & VeterinaryMedicine Bucharest, University of Berlin, Universityof Edinburgh, University of Georgia, University ofGlasgow, University of Guelph, University ofLiverpool, and University of Prince Edward Island.

Tickets for the EBVM Skills Day are £170, includingVAT and lunch, with group discounts available. To view the programme and purchase tickets,please visit www.rcvsknowledge.org/events.

in their chosen area, identify gaps in knowledge,review evidence and summarise their findings intoKnowledge Summaries. These summaries canthen be used by practitioners at the point of care,to inform clinical decision-making.

Laura Jackisch, who is co-ordinating the KnowledgeGroups, says that with the EBVM Network reaching800 members in 42 countries, Knowledge Groupsare the next stage of disseminating evidence-based knowledge and support.

“We’ve had 360 signups to the Knowledge Groupsso far which is hugely encouraging. Two years ago our Target Grants programme characterisedthe veterinary caseload, ranking presentingcomplaints by frequency. The work of KnowledgeGroups will build on this to provide practitionerswith evidence summaries for the most usefulquestions in practice.”

Laura adds: “This work is vital to evidence-basedveterinary practice and will be supported by an

online publishing platform and international CPDevents such as the EBVM Skills Day.”

To get involved in Knowledge Groups: • Sign-up to the EBVM Network atwww.surveymonkey.com/s/EBVM_Network

• Sign-up to specific Knowledge Groups atwww.bit.ly/knowledgegroups


Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, Belgravia House, 62-64 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 2AFE [email protected] | T 020 7222 2001 | F 020 7222 2004 | www.rcvs.org.uk

The ProfessionalsOur campaign to protect VN title

Hi-fives for new five Welcome to new RCVS Councilmembers

Use your proper name pleaseCode changes to protect titles

Injection of senseVaccination clinics and 24/7

On track and then someCEO update on Strategic Plan

Direction of travelDefra to consult on governancechanges

Fully engagedCollege ranks in staff satisfactionsurvey

Awareness accolade VN Golden Jubilee Award winner

Poodle translateLanguage testing for EU vets?

Making historyFirst Council meeting outsideLondon

Evening callsAdvice service open until 7pm

Back to Vet FutureUpdate on joint RCVS/BVA project

Hueston, we have lift off!RCVS Day guest speaker

Revealing connectionsLinks between animal and human abuse

New TB regimeOV responsibilities

Accountability at the topNew guidance on responsibility inleadership roles

Confidentiality and abuseconcernsNew guidance on disclosing clientinfo

Getting our brains in gearMind Matters project shaping up

Forms to fillOnline form for Dr status

Check, check and check againEnsuring staff are registered

What Price education?Interview with new EducationCommittee chair

Special skills Professional skills for Specialists

Handy booksPublications for TPs and VN trainers

Documentary evidenceNew rules on CPD

Apply yourself!Advanced Practitioner applicationperiod opens

Finding solutionsADR case studies

Applications welcome!PSS Assessor recruitment

PSS up and comingTalks and workshops on new Scheme

Public outreachTalking about our role at LondonPet Show

Free and convenientListen again to recent webinars

Meet the teamNew leaflet on practice staff

Autumnal activitiesUpcoming events and conferences

Oasis of learningCPD event in Manchester

Looking back, going forwards Annual Report published

Case loadPIC report on two recent cases

VN investigationsVNPIC report

DC hearingCommittee dismisses chargesagainst Nicholas HornimanMRCVS relating to pet insurancefraud and dishonestly alteringclinical records

A window into the pastThe story of our stained glass

Breaking new groundOnline EBVM resource launchingsoon

Pooling knowledgeThe growth of ‘Knowledge Groups’

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

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RCVS News at a glance…Too busy to read the lot? Start here for important dates foryour diary and story summaries, so you can decide whatmight be worth reading in through.

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29 JunePSS Assessor application deadline

10 JulyRCVS Day

4 – 6 SeptemberBSAVA Scottish Congress

11 SeptemberHonours nominationsdeadline

29 SeptemberSpecial meeting of RCVS Council

30 September – 1 OctoberOverseas CPD event

6 OctoberVN Council

9 – 11 OctoberBVNA Congress

30 OctoberEBVM Skills DayDeadline for AdvancedPractitioner applications

5 November RCVS Council

19 – 20 NovemberLondon Vet Show and new Practice StandardsScheme launch

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Documents

RCVS NEWS · j o ngC u c l, wh b eat rdv s ... the Veterinary Times, a further testimonial to our hard work could be seen in the Veterinary Record recently (30 May 2015). Here, veterinary