Andra-Elena Enache and Savina Gogova join the head of service Richard Everson, an RCVS and European Recognised Specialist, to form one of the strongest ophthalmology teams in the UK.
Richard said: “It is fabulous that Andra and Savina were both successful in their specialist examinations.
“Of course, we already knew their expertise but passing the examination requires not just an unparalleled knowledge of their subject but also the constitution that allows them to prove their knowledge, skills and professionalism in the crucible of the examination environment.
“For both Andra and Savina to pass at the first time of asking is remarkable and just confirms their brilliance. It’s also a big boost for NDSR.
“Having three internationally-recognised specialists in ophthalmology in one hospital makes the service so much more resilient; for example, we will never have to close due to annual leave or lecturing commitments.
“This strength in depth means we really can offer the best possible service to our referring vets and poorly pets.”
For more information, visit: www.ndsr.co.uk.
The RCVS has announced that its new Royal Charter, which recognises veterinary nursing as a profession, is due to come into effect early next year once it has been signed by Her Majesty the Queen and received the Great Seal of the Realm.
The Charter, which was approved at a meeting of the Privy Council on 5 November, sets out and clarifies the objects of the RCVS and modernises its regulatory functions.
The Charter will also confirm the role of the College as the regulator of veterinary nurses and give registered veterinary nurses the formal status of associates of the College.
In addition, the Charter will also underpin other activities of the College such as the Practice Standards Scheme.
One of the key changes is that those qualified veterinary nurses who are currently on the List will automatically become registered veterinary nurses. This means that they will be required to abide by the Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Nurses, will be held accountable for their actions through the RCVS disciplinary process and will be expected to keep their skills and knowledge up-to-date by undertaking at least 45 hours of continuing professional development (CPD) over a three-year period.
In addition, the Charter will give formal recognition for VN Council to set the standards for professional conduct and education for veterinary nurses.
Kathy Kissick RVN, the current chair of VN Council, said: “A Charter which recognises veterinary nursing as a fully regulated profession is something that many veterinary nurses, as well as the British Veterinary Nursing Association, have been wanting for some time so I commend this development.
“This can only be a good thing for the profession, the industry as a whole and animal welfare because it makes sure that registered veterinary nurses are fully accountable for their professional conduct and are committed to lifelong learning and developing their knowledge and skills.
“Furthermore, the new Royal Charter is a significant step towards attaining formal, statutory protection of title, which would make it an offence for anyone who is not suitably qualified and registered to call themselves a veterinary nurse.”
From next autumn those former listed veterinary nurses who have become registered veterinary nurses will be expected to confirm that they are undertaking CPD and will also need to disclose any criminal convictions, cautions or adverse findings when they renew their registration.
A detailed set of frequently asked questions for listed veterinary nurses who will become registered veterinary nurses once the Charter is implemented can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/rvn.
Although the date for signing and sealing the Charter has not yet been confirmed, once it comes into effect the College will be contacting all listed veterinary nurses by letter to outline the changes as well as putting an announcement on www.rcvs.org.uk.
The Specialist Panel is a new feature at VetsNorth with panellists including Dr David Williams, MA VetMB PhD Cert V Ophthalmology Cert WEL FRCVS and Dr Pip Boydell, BVetMed Cert V Ophthalmology MRCVS.
VetsNorth also offers dedicated lecture streams for vets, nurses and practice managers, together with a series of small group, focused workshops. An exhibition showcasing the latest veterinary products and services, featuring demonstrations and workshops from exhibitors, will run alongside the conference.
VetsNorth delegates will also be given a free six-month subscription to Bitesize CPD, an online educational platform offering convenient 24/7 access to learners, launched in 2016 by veterinary CPD company Improve International. Using the Bitesize free trial, veterinary surgeons get 18 hours of free CPD, whilst veterinary nurses get nine.
Matt Colvan, Event Director said: "At VetsNorth we aim to offer the highest quality CPD for the entire veterinary team in an easily accessible and friendly venue which provides plenty of opportunity for interaction between delegates, speakers and opinion leaders.
"The programme focuses on areas highlighted by previous delegates as priorities for learning and on emerging areas of veterinary practice. With new features like the Specialist Panel and with the opportunity to gain additional CPD through a free subscription to Bitesize, we urge delegates to take advantage of our time-limited Early Bird offers and register without delay."
For more information visit www.vetsnorth.com or call 01793 208065.
The company is encouraging owners to post a simple 'thank you' on Facebook with the hashtag #thankuvets.
Boehringer has also produced a thank you video, depicting a day in the life of an equine vet during these tough times.
Warren Ball, Equine Brand Manager at Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, said: “This year has been a year like no other, but equine vets throughout the country have carried on regardless of the challenges they face and are deserving of a huge thanks from all who need them.”
"Our ‘Thank You Vets’ initiative will show how appreciated each and every vet is by bringing together owners, trainers and others in the equine community."
To watch the video and see the thank you messages from owners, visit: https://www.facebook.com/equitopmyoplast/posts/2188633904615007
What a lovely initiative. Makes a change from the usual griping on Facebook.
Ceva Animal Health has produced a new booklet explaining the discharge procedures for horses that have been treated with Equidronate (formerly called Tildren), a bisphosphonate infusion used for the treatment of bone spavin.
Ceva says the new booklet is designed for vets to give their clients to help convey the most effective post-treatment management protocol. It explains what Equidronate is, how it works and how it is administered. It goes on to cover how owners can help to monitor progress once exercise has commenced, by completing the specially created assessment forms contained within the booklet every couple of weeks.
According to the company, trials published earlier this year show that horses suffering lameness caused by bone spavin can show marked improvement following treatment with an Equidronate infusion, in combination with controlled exercise.
Copies of the new leaflet are available free of charge from your Ceva sales representative. Leaflets on understanding bone spavin, understanding navicular disease and understanding sacroiliac disease are also available.
The Veterinary Benevolent Fund has launched a survey for veterinary surgeons in order to learn more about how the charity is viewed by the profession, and understand how it might improve the support it offers.
Please take part! The survey is anonymous, contains 21 questions and should take no more than 5-10 minutes of your time.
The survey is here: http://freeonlinesurveys.com/rendersurvey.asp?sid=b90tg0mv3vtzpa1965478
The results will be shared in due course.
Veterinary Insights has announced that it will be unveiling Vet Viewer, its new veterinary benchmarking service, at the SPVS/VPMA event at the Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, South Wales on January 22-24.
As those familiar with the old Fort Dodge Indices will be aware, benchmarking services like these allow participating veterinary practices to compare their own activity and business results against a broad panel of similar veterinary practices so that they can better gauge their own market performance and make changes to their working practices as they see fit.
Vet Viewer is provided free of charge to participating vet practices. It delivers monthly information to help practices get a quick understanding of key business metrics and a clear view of practice activities and the income they are generating.
Veterinary Insights' Managing Director Alexander Arpino said: "The Benchmarking Service has been carefully designed to give practical business support to veterinarians and we have had a great response from the 100 plus clinics that have signed up to the service to date. We have plans to expand the range of services offered to enable an even wider range of meaningful data and KPIs for veterinarians to manage their businesses."
The incoming President of the Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons (SPVS), Nick Stuart said: "We have been working closely with Veterinary Insights for over a year on this valuable service and we are delighted to say that SPVS members will have access to additional features that track practice profitability and other important financial measurements."
For further information contact Veterinary Insights on 01403 800135 or visit: www.vetviewer.co.uk
Additionally you can download a detailed brochure on the Benchmarking Service here: http://www.vetviewer.co.uk/downloads/vet-viewer-brochure.pdf
The first webinar will be run by Dr Sarah Caney (pictured right), the CEO and founder of Vet Professionals, and Dr Hannah Newbury, technical lead vet at MSD Animal Health.
It will cover how telemedicine can benefit you, your practice and your patients. Sarah and Hannah will offer practical tips on how to set up a remote consultation, what you can do via telemedicine during the UK lockdown, and how to carry out these consultations and provide care during this time. There will also be an opportunity to ask specific questions in advance.
The series will also explain the financial benefits of remote consulting and the release of a new telemedicine platform.
To register for the first webinar, visit: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4735768510902351372.
Click here to submit your questions before the webinar: https://getfeedback.com/r/hBY8qihT/q/1.
The theme for the 2025 conference is how to make veterinary work sustainable, creating teams that can reliably work at their best, feel positive about work, and feel supported and valued by their team.
Keynote speaker, Amanda Oates BA (hons), MSc Strategic HRD, C.C.I.P.D. (pictured) will be talking about the concept of restorative veterinary practice, and how it relies on establishing a restorative workplace culture.
There will be three streams at the conference.
In the first stream, VetLed founder and Training Director, Dan Tipney will be joined by guest speakers to help delegates understand how they can make a difference to the way they work using human factors tools and techniques proven in human medicine and other safety-critical professions.
In the second stream, VetLed’s Community Lead, Hannah Godfrey, will be joined by human behaviour expert Katie Ford to help delegates understand themselves as humans, to acknowledge and accommodate their own needs and the needs of others, and to work better as a team.
The third stream will be hosted by VetLed Managing Director, Cat Auden, and a Chartered Psychologist, Ergonomist, and Human Factors Specialist. In this stream, delegates who are already familiar with human factors concepts will be encouraged to think big, share ideas, and shape the veterinary profession.
Tickets: £190.80
https://www.vetled.co.uk/conference
The new service is available to any practice, regardless of which practice management system you use, or which healthcare provider you are with. You can specify your product catalogue and are not tied to particular products or manufacturers. You can also decide how you want to manage client delivery charges and how to treat health care plan clients.
OurVet.Shop can also be used to take payment for services, such as telephone or video consultations, and because it allows for one-off ordering, clients aren’t forced to sign up to a 12-month subscription with an unknown third party.
Lastly, the service is tailored to your practice’s brand and personalised to every client and their pets. The company has also produced marketing materials for use in social media, on websites and in client communications.
Jamie Crittall, co-founder of Virtual Recall, said: "As a veterinary practice owner myself, these last few months have been tough – I mean really tough.
"Nine years ago, Charlie Barton and I created Virtual Recall from a desire to communicate with our clients in a personal & timely manner. Not being able to find a solution, we built one and iRecall was born. Since then it has helped over 1,500 practices communicate with over 5 million clients & their pets worldwide.
"Now, here we were again - desperate to ensure that my patients got the healthcare they needed, but no home delivery service that I wanted to put my practice’s name to, I turned to my team at Virtual Recall to create a solution - that was not just right for my practice but every practice.
"So, we did what we do best – we put ourselves in practices’ shoes and created a smart solution that would help them safeguard animals’ health, enhance their relationship with their clients, and provide them with a life-line to help get through this crisis and build a stronger future. It couldn’t come with any compromises."
For more information, visit: www.ourvet.shop
At the outset of the hearing, which was to consider evidence for a number of charges relating to the treatment of three colts at his former practice in 2015, Mr Denny made an application to the Committee that the hearing should be adjourned contingent on a form of undertakings being accepted. These undertakings were that his name be removed from the Register with immediate effect and that he never apply to be restored to the Register under any category.
The application was granted by the Committee, taking into account a number of factors. These include the fact that Mr Denny had now retired and closed his practice, his long and hitherto unblemished veterinary career and the fact that it would not be proportionate, or in the public interest, for there to be a lengthy hearing on the matter.
The Committee noted that there were several precedents for concluding cases in such a manner. The Committee also noted that the application was supported by both the College and the complainant.
Mr Denny was removed from the Register as of Monday 24 April 2017.
The 'Obesity Care in Practice' webinars are designed to help you recognise obesity, create individual weight-loss plans and turn failing cases into successful ones.
The webinars will be presented by Georgia Woods RVN, CertCFVHNut, VTS (Nutrition). Georgia is clinic nurse at the Royal Canin Weight Management Clinic at the University of Liverpool Small Animal Teaching Hospital. She has been dealing exclusively with obese pets and nutrition for the past five years.
Georgia said: “Pet obesity is on the rise and it’s one of the biggest challenges that veterinary professionals face. It reduces pets’ quality of life and leads to a range of illnesses that shorten life expectancy. This two-part webinar will help veterinarians, veterinary nurses and practice managers to effectively manage pet obesity and make a difference to the lives of their patients."
The first webinar: Obesity Care in Practice – Essential Elements, takes place on Tuesday 22nd September at 8pm.
The second webinar: Tailored plans and problem cases, takes place on Tuesday 20th October 2020 at 8pm.
To register for the free webinars, visit: https://www.thewebinarvet.com/pages/register-royal-canin-weight-management-series/
The Association says following the launch two years ago BEVApod has become such a popular information and learning resource that members have been asking for more content.
The new BEVApod will include regular features from equine vet Brad Hill, clinical Assistant Professor in Equine Practice at the University of Nottingham (pictured right), who will be exploring the many aspects of life in equine practice. He will be sharing real life stories to help promote a sense of togetherness and support mental health and wellbeing.
Brad said: “Although based at Nottingham, I am passionate about maintaining links to all areas of the equine profession. This podcast will provide a platform to bring the experiences of others directly to the listener wherever they are.”
Brad will be releasing a new episode every other week and has already lined up some participants, including Maddy Campbell, Ellen Singer, Graham Duncanson, Jack Wallace and Gemma Kirk.
BEVApod will also host clinical episodes on a monthly basis, taken from the BEVA Clinical Catch-Up recordings.
BEVA President Lucy Grieve said: “These are live webinars where we invite a practitioner to present on a clinical topic and then open it up for an informal discussion. We have turned the recordings of these into podcasts so that our members can listen to the recordings whilst travelling between clients. It makes great use of travel time and fills the void we all sometimes feel when we are alone with just our thoughts in the car.”
Current clinical catch-ups available on BEVApod include a panel discussion with experts on PPE, a discussion on equine obesity with Lucy Grieve and Cathy McGowan and treating and managing liver disease with Sarah Smith.
You can listen to the BEVApod here https://beva.podbean.com
The Codes were approved by RCVS Council and the Veterinary Nurses Council earlier this year, following a lengthy consultation and review process that began in 2009, and will replace the existing Guides to Professional Conduct.
The College says the new Codes are principles-based, easily accessible and, at 16 pages long compared to the 50-page Guides, much more concise. They bring the College's guidance into line with the codes of conduct of other regulatory bodies, and help to describe those professional responsibilities that are fundamental to veterinary surgeons' and veterinary nurses' practice.
To expand on and clarify these professional responsibilities, an additional 27 chapters of supporting guidance have been published on the RCVS website, which also consolidate and update all existing RCVS guidance for veterinary professionals.
Both Codes set out five principles of practice: professional competence; honesty and integrity; independence and impartiality; client confidentiality and trust; and, professional accountability.
The veterinary surgeons' Code features an update to the declaration made on admission to the profession and, for the first time, the veterinary nurses' Code includes a declaration to be made on professional registration.
Among the professional responsibilities introduced in the Codes are: mandatory recording of continuing professional development; a mandatory professional development phase for new veterinary surgeons and period of supervised practice for registered veterinary nurses (RVNs) returning to practice after a break; a Performance Protocol; and, notification to the RCVS of any matter that may affect fitness to practise, including convictions (although this will require further consideration by the College).
For the first time, mandatory clinical governance has been introduced, and minimum practice standards have also been incorporated, at equivalence to the core standards set out in the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme.
A pocket-sized hard copy of the Code will be posted to all vets and RVNs shortly, which will include references to where the supporting guidance and further information can be found on the RCVS website. The online versions - at www.rcvs.org.uk/vetcode and www.rcvs.org.uk/vncode - are fully searchable by keyword, and PDF versions will soon be available to download. A digital version is also being explored, to enable veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses to access the Codes and supporting guidance on smart phones and tablets.
Although only registered veterinary nurses have agreed to abide by the VN Code of Professional Conduct, the College hopes that all veterinary nurses will consider it a useful benchmark of professional standards.
Dr Jerry Davies, RCVS President, said: "I am delighted that this significant piece of work has come to fruition. The RCVS has shown that, despite aged legislation, the Codes will, through imaginative interpretation of the Veterinary Surgeons Act, ensure the public and their animals continue to receive the level of professional service they have come to expect from veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses in the UK."
The Petplan/Panasonic Monitoring Kit, which was launched last year, allows pet owners and veterinary staff to check on their animals via an app on their smartphone or tablet.
Petplan says is it being used by some veterinary practices to help provide additional security and monitoring capability within the practice.
The kit includes an indoor camera, which comes with an in-built temperature sensor and night vision, a door sensor and Smart Plug which can be remotely activated to turn on a radio, lamp, portable heater or fan to help keep animals content.
The kit also contains an SD card which allows clients to save and share video footage of their pet in its home environment with their veterinary surgeon, and practices to record and share footage with their staff or clients.
Isabella Von Mesterhazy, Head of Marketing at Petplan, said "For Petplan, keeping pets healthy always has been and always will be our priority. We worry about our pets when we are not with them and the pet Monitoring Kit addresses this problem by providing welcome reassurance that they are safe and well. We are delighted to be able to share this exclusive, time limited offer with our customers and veterinary partners to allow them to check in on their pets, from wherever they are."
To find out more and access a discount code, veterinary staff should login to petplanvet.co.uk.
Jason has a very personal reason for supporting the charity: his wife is one of the 100 people diagnosed with MS each week: "My wife, Adele, was diagnosed with MS a few years ago and the support and information we have received from the MS Trust has been invaluable in helping us as a family to come to terms with the condition."
The MS Trust offers trusted information, a friendly voice to speak to and the funding and training of vital MS nurses. Each month the charity responds to on average 271 enquiries and sends out around 3,700 information booklets.
To support Jason's efforts, visit: uk.virginmoneygiving.com/jasondavidson
Seven graduands from The University of Nottingham's School of Veterinary Medicine and Science have become the first from the new school to become members of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.
Nottingham is the first new veterinary school in the UK for over 50 years, and the process to recognise its degree for the purposes of RCVS membership is currently in its final stages. Following a visitation and audit process, RCVS Council unanimously recommended the degree's approval to the Privy Council, where the final decision lies.
Generally, veterinary graduates become RCVS members - which they need to be in order to practise in the UK - at a ceremony on the day of their graduation. However, sometimes they wish to start work before graduation and can therefore apply to register as graduands, as in this case.
Although formal Privy Council approval of the Nottingham degree is still awaited, RCVS external examiners have overseen the School's final exams during the last year of the course to ensure that they meet the required standards.
The Nottingham graduation ceremony will take place on 22 July, when a further 77 students will graduate, and those wishing to practise in the UK will become members of the College.
The RCVS 2010 Survey of the Veterinary and Veterinary Nursing Professions indicated that, on average, new graduates took one month to find work on graduating, with 63% going straight into clinical practice.
On the 15th anniversary of the foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak, the BVA has emphasised the vital role of vets and veterinary surveillance in protecting the UK from devastating disease outbreaks.
The outbreak (confirmed in an abattoir on 19 February 2001) involved the slaughter of more than six million animals causing dire emotional and financial impacts on farmers, vets and rural businesses. Vets from across the profession, including those not working with livestock, were called upon to assist with disease control.
BVA is marking the anniversary by asking the government to reflect on the vital role of vets and veterinary surveillance after Defra was asked to make a further 15% budget cut in last year’s Autumn Statement (November 2015).
BVA President Sean Wensley said: "15 years on from the devastation of the 2001 outbreak the UK must remain vigilant for Foot and Mouth Disease, but important lessons learned mean we are now better prepared if another outbreak does occur. Today we would have an immediate standstill on livestock movements, improved traceability systems and the possibility of using vaccination as part of the overall control strategy. But we cannot be complacent and the anniversary is an opportunity to reflect on the vital role of vets and veterinary surveillance in protecting the UK from disease.
"In recent years we have seen the impact of significant cuts to Defra's budget on veterinary fees for TB testing and other OV services. Vets’ frontline roles must be recognised and supported, backed up by an effective, coordinated system of data capture that will enable us to make the necessary links to detect and control new disease threats. We can never be free from the risk of disease, and in recent years the emergence of Schmallenberg and re-emergence of Bluetongue have brought new challenges. It is essential that we have the coordination and capability to identify and diagnose in order to protect our national herd and flock."
Following last year's campaign, Merial commissioned a survey to learn more about how horse owners seek and receive information about the wider aspects of preventative healthcare, and in particular about the relationship with their veterinary practice.
In the survey of 455 horse owners, which was carried out by CMI Research, 78% said their veterinary surgeon was the most important source of information. The next most important influencers were yard managers/grooms at just 22%.
Louise Radford MRCVS from Merial said: "We wanted to learn more about client education and the opportunities for practices to get more from their client relationships, including vaccination and booster uptake. However we hadn’t estimated just how much horse owners rely on their vet for information!"
"However there appears to be a significant gap between vets as a source of information, and their client’s purchasing habits. Health plans are a great example of the potential for improved compliance, with benefits to the horse, client and practice. Yard health plans present an opportunity to increase booster uptake and also to include animals that might not otherwise be vaccinated.
"Of those horse owners and grooms surveyed who did not vaccinate some or all of their horses, their reasons included horses that never leave the yard, or are old, young, or do not interact with other horses. Yet we know that horses that don’t travel are still at risk of equine flu, as virus can travel up to a mile as an aerosol on the wind, in addition to being carried on objects such as buckets and tack.
"So as the key influencers on preventative healthcare, there is much that practices can do to further engage with clients to increase uptake of products and services, improve client loyalty, and ultimately boost the practice business."
For more information on Equine Flu Awareness Month- 2017, including client materials and video content, visit www.equinefluawareness.com
The course is comprised of a 14-module programme of lectures, case discussions and practical sessions, during which Improve says delegates will learn how to approach the dog, cat and exotic patient presenting with manifestations of oral pathology in a logical and scientific manner.
Lecturers for the programme, which starts in January 2020, include Bob Partridge and Rachel Perry (pictured right), both European and RCVS Specialists in Veterinary Dentistry, and Owen Davies, an RCVS Specialist in Veterinary Oncology.
Each module will be supported with an online learning management platform offering additional learning resources, together with a subscription to Harper Adam’s online e-library which gives access to scientific articles and abstracts for those progressing to a PgC. All delegates have a dedicated Programme Tutor.
Juliet Pope, Operations Manager at Improve International, said: "The diagnosis and management of dental and oral disease is a significant – and growing - component of small animal practice.
"The programme we have developed offers a thorough case-based approach and includes the opportunity to practice oral surgery in a wet-lab environment.
"It will support general practitioners in taking a more well-informed clinical approach to the diagnosis and treatment of these cases and give them confidence to manage some cases that they might otherwise have felt they should refer."
Merseyside police are urging members of the public and veterinary practices to exercise caution following the theft of some prescription veterinary medicines from a commercial vehicle in Prescot.
The missing medication is around ten 100ml bottles of Micotil, a prescription-only veterinary medicine used to treat respiratory problems in cattle and sheep, but which could prove fatal if taken by humans.
The drug, which was packaged in cardboard with Spanish labelling, was stolen from a lorry that had parked last Thursday night on an industrial park at Caddick Road, Prescot, prior to making a delivery to a company in Speke.
PC Dufton-Kelly of Huyton Police Station's Crime Management Unit said: "We believe this was simply an opportunist theft, which has left the offenders with a rather unusual product on their hands, with little or no opportunity for gain.
"We would like to alert the veterinary industry, particularly in the Merseyside area, in case the goods are handed in or offered for sale. The drugs could present a danger to the public if they fall into the wrong hands."
Anyone who finds the drugs is asked to contact their nearest police station via 0151 709 6010. Anyone with information about the theft can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. All information provided will be treated in strict confidence.
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has dropped the requirement that veterinary practices display a poster in waiting rooms which tells clients what the top ten medicines they supply are, and their costs.
The requirement was apparently dropped, initially for a six month period, following pressure from the Royal College, which felt says it felt the poster did not entirely serve its purpose.
The requirement for the poster was brought in following the Competition Commission investigation into veterinary medicine sales in 2005, as part of a range of measures. Some of the responsibilities were enforced via the RCVS as an alternative to legislation under the Fair Trading Act, to ensure that clients have access to sufficient information to be able to decide where to obtain veterinary prescriptions and medicines.
The poster, which was outlined in the Guide to Professional Conduct, and subsequently the Code of Professional Conduct, had to include information about prescriptions and repeat prescriptions, together with the 'ten relevant veterinary medicinal products most commonly prescribed during a recent and typical three-month period'.
How 'most commonly prescribed' has been calculated has often varied - for example, by price, volume, number of prescriptions, etc - and, in addition, different formulations, brands or pack sizes of the same active ingredient could cause confusion.
RCVS President, Jacqui Molyneux said: "Having seen how this has worked in practice, we have been keen to push for change because it was felt that the list could be confusing to clients.
"We have also been mindful of the fact that the ways in which consumers access information has changed radically over the last seven years or so, with internet searches becoming more prevalent.
"These factors conspired to make the list less meaningful as a tool that allowed consumers to shop around. It is thus hoped that the removal of the list will reduce potential misunderstanding among the public."
During the first six months following the change, the College and the OFT will monitor the situation. If there is no appreciable level of complaint from the public, the change will become permanent.
The other requirements of supporting guidance to the Code of Professional Conduct Chapter 10 (Fair Trading Requirements) remain unchanged (www.rcvs.org.uk/fairtrading), and the OFT recommends that the notice advising clients that they can obtain a prescription from the practice be made even more prominent.
In addition, it remains important that veterinary surgeons communicate medicines prices clearly to their clients and other callers, and that invoices itemise individual products supplied (www.rcvs.org.uk/medicines).
According to the charity, one in ten homeless people have a pet, which is around 32,000 people in the UK. However, the majority of hostels do not accept animals, so they are unable to access accommodation.
The new StreetVet Accredited Hostel Scheme will make sure that hostels are well-equipped to support pet-owning residents. This includes having a variety of pet-friendly health, hygiene and safety policies; access to vet care including telemedicine, free provision of pet essentials, transport to vet practices when needed, emergency kennelling should the pet owner be taken ill and trained hostel team members able to offer support.
The scheme - which will roll out nationwide – has launched today with its first accredited site, The Elms in Hemel Hempstead.
The charity was able to launch the programme after winning £41,000 in funding from Purina’s BetterwithPets Prize which rewards social entrepreneurs and innovators seeking to harness the pet-human bond to tackle societal issues.
StreetVet co-founder Jade Statt MRCVS said: “Under current regulations, if people turn down housing due to 'no pets' clauses, they are told they are making themselves 'intentionally homeless' and are refused further housing assistance. Any pet lover will understand that choosing between a roof over your head and the company of your beloved pet is no choice at all.
"Our hope is that in setting up the StreetVet Accredited Hostel Scheme, fewer people will have to make this impossible choice. Access to pet-friendly hostels is their first step towards independent housing. With homelessness on the rise due to the economic impact of COVID-19, it was important to us to launch this scheme before Christmas, as winter sets in."
Bernard Meunier, Purina EMENA chief executive said: “This great achievement demonstrates how a programme built on deep love for pets and their owners, and belief in the power of the pet-human bond, can deliver positive change for both individuals and communities. And this is what we want to achieve with ourBetterwithPets Prize.”
For more information, visit https://www.streetvet.org.uk
RCVS President Tim Parkin said: “The aim of our brand review was to make it easier for people to understand our purpose and the unique role we have as a Royal College that regulates.
“Our new strapline – ‘Inspiring confidence in veterinary care’ – looks to maintain animal health and welfare at our heart and to connect veterinary professionals and animal owners to that purpose.
“I’m delighted to see our new livery now in place around this fantastic new building, along with a number of different artworks that illustrate the College’s heritage and impact on society, and reflect all those with whom, and on whose behalf, we work.”
The College’s new look is has a contemporary feel, but features a shield device based on the original coat of arms granted to the RCVS in 1844, a nod to its history and heritage.
Updates to its overall visual identity include new logos, iconography, typography and colours, although the main blue and gold will remain.
These elements will be used together but in different ways to denote the College’s different initiatives, in order to make it easier for people to recognise the College’s different services.
The full rollout will take place over the coming months, with the design approach also applied to the RCVS Academy later this year and RCVS Mind Matters in 2026.
Branding for the Practice Standards Scheme (PSS) will remain unchanged at least until after the current PSS review has concluded.
RCVS CEO Lizzie Lockett, said: “Our previous look and feel had been in place for over 14 years and had served us well, but the modern, largely digital, communications landscape has evolved significantly in that time.
“We now also undertake a wider range of activities and initiatives and, against the current backdrop of the Competition and Markets Authority review and potential legislative reform, we may need to adapt to further changes ahead.
“It is therefore essential that our visual identity remains fit for purpose now and flexible for the way we work, both now and in the future.”