The Awards are open to all organisations and practice teams across the UK who are using recognised QI techniques to improve outcomes.
The Award categories are as follows:
Ashley Doorly, Head of Quality Improvement at RCVS Knowledge, said: “Now in its seventh year, the RCVS Knowledge Awards continue to highlight the incredible work being done across the veterinary professions to improve patient safety and outcomes, boost team morale, embed evidence-based veterinary medicine, and support more fulfilling careers.
"Over the years, we’ve seen how strong team culture lays the foundation for successful Quality Improvement projects.
“This year, we’re especially excited to receive applications that explore emerging priorities such as sustainability, One Health, and contextualised care.”
https://knowledge.rcvs.org.uk/awards/rcvs-knowledge-awards
Royal Canin has announced a new Approved Weight Management Centre programme for vet practices across the UK.
As part of the programme, a number of practices across the UK will receive ‘Centre of Excellence’ status for managing overweight or obese cats and dogs educating clients on prevention.
To gain approved centre status, practices are required to establish a formal Weight Management Clinic and work as a team to refer clients with overweight pets through the clinic. The chosen practices will receive bespoke training from a member of the Weight Management Team, to provide them with the skills and protocols to discuss obesity with clients and encouraging vets, nurses and receptionists to work together to raise awareness of obesity.
Shelley Holden from the Weight Management Team said: "This is a unique platform for practices across the UK to take advantage of and really excel in addressing weight management issues in practice and tackling prevention. We are excited to currently work with an elite group of practices, all committed to raising awareness of obesity in cats and dogs."
Royal Canin has so far given nine clinics 'Centre of Excellence' status. They all now discuss body condition scoring with patients to identify whether the pet is in ideal condition. If overweight or obese, they are then referred for further advice and support to their weight clinic. The weight clinic is a complimentary 30 minute appointment with a weight management nurse, followed by ongoing monitoring, personalised advice and telephone support. Approved clinics also educate owners about prevention during puppy parties, puppy and kitten vaccinations, and at neutering to ensure owners are aware of the health risks of weight gain from the outset.
Jo Hammett BVSc MRCVS, Owner of The Stocks Vets (pictured right), said: "We have received bespoke training from Royal Canin to achieve centre status, giving our team the confidence to discuss the sensitive issues surrounding weight with clients, in addition to tackling education. This has really helped break down barriers in approaching the topic with clients about their pets’ weight and we are finding they are now much more open with the team during consultations, which is a major achievement in itself."
For more information about the Approved Weight Management Centre programme, contact your veterinary business manager or visit www.royalcanin.co.uk.
Finalists are chosen by a panel of industry leaders on the basis that they embody the qualities that define veterinary excellence: compassion, teamwork, innovation and a relentless commitment to animal welfare.
The finalists this year are:
Vet of the Year
Vet Nurse of the Year
Practice Support Staff of the Year
Practice of the Year
The winners will be announced at the London Vet Show on Thursday 20th.
Good luck, one and all!
The Statutory Membership Examination needs to be taken by overseas vets who hold veterinary degrees that are not recognised by the RCVS.
The exam is made up of two components: a written theory exam, and a clinical, practical exam.
Candidates must also have demonstrated their English language competence and professional good standing before being entered into the exam.
53 of those who passed the exam attended a ceremony earlier this month, hosted by Clare Paget, RCVS Registrar and Director of Legal Services, and RCVS President Professor Tim Parkin, at Central Hall, Westminster.
Tim said: “Presiding at the Statutory Membership Exam Ceremony is one of the best jobs we get to do as Officers of the College, and I feel very fortunate to be able to share this special day with you and your friends and family at this magnificent venue.
He added: “You should all be very proud of your achievements here today, especially as I know some of you came to the UK under difficult circumstances.
“The UK veterinary profession is very lucky indeed to have you joining it and I know that you will make a massive difference – you’ve already demonstrated amazing energy and drive, and you will also no doubt bring fresh and different perspectives with you - that, as I said, will only serve to enrich all of our lives.”
Among those who attended the day was Zahra Mohammedi MRCVS, who came to the UK after fleeing Afghanistan four years ago.
She said: “It wasn’t easy. When I first arrived in the UK, I still had the trauma from everything that had happened in my country.
"I struggled a lot because I’d never left my family before and when I arrived in the UK, I was alone.
“I’ve had a lot of support from many people to get me to where I am today, and I feel like one of the luckiest people to have all these wonderful people around me.
"There are millions of girls in Afghanistan who don’t have this opportunity. I never gave up because I didn’t want the Taliban to win. Now I feel like I’ve won and they’ve lost.
"I’ve proven that Afghan women are worthy to study and work and can do whatever they want.”
Sohail Idrees MRCVS from Pakistan said: “Completing the Exam was always a dream. When I was in Pakistan working as a veterinary surgeon I used to go on the RCVS website and say one day I’ll get there.
"I’ve always wanted to work in the UK as a veterinary surgeon, and I would like to thank Sonia Green and Chorley Vets for all their support throughout the exam process.
“I’ve already secured a job – working as a veterinary surgeon in Birmingham, but I plan to go for my advanced veterinary practitioner qualification, in soft tissue surgery and orthopaedics.”
Chibuzor Onyekwelu MRCVS, from Nigeria, said: “I dreamt of becoming a vet from the age of seven. When I qualified in 2016, I practised in Nigeria for five years but then I decided I wanted to work at a global level – I love a challenge and wanted to do something new.
“Having passed the exam I’ll now be able to work in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Ireland so that one certificate will allow me to practise in four other countries.”
Clark Dental has launched the new Nomad Handheld X-Ray machine from Aribex™.
According to the company, Nomad already has a superb track record as a practical, effective and recognised state-of-the-art device. It boasts a multitude of benefits and features and is suitable for many different environments. Two rechargeable batteries provide 150 exposures each, and it’s compatible with both digital sensors and traditional X-ray film.
The operator is protected by a patented internal radiation shield as well as an external backscatter shield, which the company says provides excellent protection: one operator would have to expose over 10,000 E-speed films per year in order to approach the lowest measurable dose on a monitoring badge. With a direct digital sensor, the scatter dose is even less.
For further information, please contact the exclusive UK supplier, Clark Dental, on Tel: 01270 613750 or email maria@clarkdental.co.uk
Dr Sarah Caney, RCVS specialist in feline medicine has launched http://www.catprofessional.com/, a new website for vets and nurses that want to become more feline friendly, and those in the animal health industry who want to be cleverer in their approach to cats.
The new site, which has been developed by Dr Caney’s own company Cat Professional Ltd, offers articles for vets and owners on various aspects of cat care, as well as detailing upcoming events and publications.
In addition, companies can access a range of consultancy services, including assistance with clinical trials and product design.
There is a facility to book training sessions and lecture slots at home and abroad with Dr Caney, who is a renowned speaker, able to combine her expertise in feline medicine with a gift for communicating difficult concepts in a way that makes learning an enjoyable experience.
Dr Caney’s latest book, ‘Caring for a Cat with Kidney Failure’ is available as an environmentally friendly download or to purchase as a hard copy from the site. Aimed at vets and cat owners, the book includes step-by-step instructions on how to give medication and better cater for a cat’s needs, providing another tool that will help owner compliance and therefore quality of life in renal failure cats.
For vets, nurses and other cat professionals, perhaps the biggest bonus is that the site provides a direct line of communication to Dr Caney and access to her vast knowledge of all things feline: from effective handling techniques to the best therapeutic protocols.
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Council and the Veterinary Nursing Council have decided that there will be no increase in registration and retention fees for veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses for 2012.
Last year, the Councils decided that a lower than inflation increase should apply to fees for 2011 to help mitigate the impact of the difficult economic climate on veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses. Members who are over 70 and who cease practising do not have to pay fees if they wish to remain on the Register.
Bradley Viner, RCVS Treasurer said: "We know times are tough financially for many people and hope that freezing fees will help a little. Professional regulation can be costly, but we try to keep fees as low as possible."
The RCVS financial policy remains that fee increases should be small and incremental in order to avoid a need for periodic sharp fee hikes resulting from inflationary pressures.
Fees for 2012 will be as follows:
2012 fees (£)
Veterinary surgeons
UK-practising retention fee
299
Overseas-practising retention fee
150
Non-practising retention fee
49
Non-practising retention fee (over 70 years old)
0
Registration fee
Temporary registration fee
Restoration fee
Restoration fee following voluntary removal
75
Veterinary nurses
Retention fee
61
They include a webinar from In Communication, a company which specialises in veterinary client communications, which covers things like how to broach costs with clients, communicating treatment options succinctly and time-blind shared decision-making.
The Society has also published eight questions which the public may ask about the investigation, with model responses.
The resources also include a summary of the five concerns raised by the CMA, and advice about how to discuss them with practice staff.
Finally, you can download SPVS' presentation to the CMA which talks about the drivers for fee increases.
https://spvs.org.uk/cma-spvs-response
Lincolnshire veterinary surgeon David Bull MRCVS has won a Vet Futures ‘Headlines of tomorrow’ competition with his entry: ‘Vets and medics collaborate to prevent human and animal obesity’.
The competition was held at BSAVA Congress in April where Vet Futures-themed fortune cookies contained a message asking those attending ‘What future headline do you want to see?’ and providing a weblink to enter the competition.
David, a joint partner at Vets4Pets in Lincoln South and an Advanced Practitioner in General Small Animal Surgery, said: "The headline was inspired by topical issues, having ‘One Health’ in mind and the issue of obesity in our patients, as well as the general human population. I feel that these are some of the big issues of our time, especially that of obesity which has been linked to so many other diseases and is essentially a self-induced problem.
“We see so many overweight cats, dogs and rabbits on a daily basis. It seems to be becoming a more common problem, as well as seemingly more accepted in society. This is to the extent that we have some clients that come in worried because they have been told that their dog is too thin, when in actual fact they are in an ideal body condition and are being compared to overweight pets which have become perceived as normal.”
Some of the other topics raised in the competition include the veterinary profession taking the lead in tackling ‘superbugs’, veterinary surgeons topping job satisfaction and wellbeing polls and the profession taking a leading role in One Health and medical advancements.
The installation is a collaboration between Vet Sustain and IVC Evidensia, supported by MSD Animal Health.
Laura Gelder-Robertson, CEO of Vet Sustain, said: “We want to show the best of what already exists within veterinary sustainability, to bring to life the business benefits for veterinary teams in a really hands-on, practical way that people can touch and feel and relate back to their everyday practice.
"This is a really positive news story where by sharing knowledge and collaborating across the profession, we can continually improve the health and wellbeing of animals, people, the environment and business.”
https://vetsustain.org
The materials include pet owner guides, reception posters and slides to display on waiting room TV.
They complement the Krka veterinary professional guide on responsible risk-based parasiticide use for cats and dogs that was developed in conjunction with Ian Wright BVMS MSc MRCVS and launched last year.
Renzo Di Florio, Krka’s Technical Veterinary Adviser said: “In first opinion veterinary practice, where the majority of consultations last 15 minutes or less, time is short and in-depth discussions are not always possible.
"The guides provide comprehensive information on common parasites, practical advice on prevention and treatment and information on risk assessment.
"And by aligning with ESCCAP guidelines, the guides help address the delicate balance between animal health, human health and environmental protection – a true One Health issue.”
https://www.krka.co.uk/veterinary-knowledge-hub/articles/risk-based-parasiticide-use-for-cats-and-dogs
CharcoPet is a ready-to-use oral gel formulated with 50% activated charcoal and marine-derived polysaccharides.
Forte says Charcopet has a high concentration of activated charcoal per ml, which reduces the volume needed and minimises handling stress.
It's supplied in a 2 x 30ml dial-dose syringes, with each syringe suitable for up to 15 kg bodyweight, used at 2 ml/kg bodyweight orally, repeatable every 4–6 hours if clinically required.
Dr Lucy Chadwick MVB ACIM CMktr MRCVS, Global Partnerships Manager & Head of Technical Services at Forte Healthcare said: “CharcoPet represents a major step forward in veterinary care, offering practitioners a fast, precise, and reliable solution when faced with suspected or confirmed cases of toxin or medication ingestion."
https://fortehealthcare.com/product/charcopet
The new resource contains webinars, vet-written articles and podcasts covering topics including the microbiome, the gut’s role in immunity and toxin ingestion.
The resources support NVS's range of dietary products: Prorestore +, Movipet, Duostart, Glandvet, Activated Charcoal, Duotox and Digestive Paste.
Malcolm Dickinson, Head of Product Management at NVS, said: “The new products are all designed with vets and their patients in mind.
"They’re useful everyday products to help combat some of the most commonly seen conditions in practice.
“We hope the hub will act as a central base of knowledge that veterinary teams can refer back to time and time again.
"The webinar and podcasts in particular are well worth a listen and a watch as they are full of useful information delivered by vets.”
https://www.nvsweb.co.uk/our-brands/select-from-nvs/digestive-health-hub
The new guidelines are freely available in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery (JFMS), along with accompanying guides for vet nurses and cat carers.
Samantha Taylor, iCatCare Veterinary Specialist Consultant and co-author and panel chair for the guidelines said: “There have been significant developments in the treatment of feline diabetes mellitus since the publication of the 2015 ISFM diabetes guidelines.
"Experts in the disease from the USA, Netherlands, UK, Australia and Italy have collaborated on a much-needed update and the resulting 2025 iCatCare consensus guidelines are an essential information resource for vets diagnosing and treating diabetes mellitus in cats.”
https://internationalcatcare.cmail20.com/t/i-l-znwll-tykyklax-k/
The RCVS has announced that nominations are now open for the RCVS Elections and launched a new video which explains why you should consider putting your name forward.
Six seats are available on RCVS Council, each for a four-year tenure. Existing RCVS Council Members David Catlow, Jacqui Molyneux, Bob Partridge, Christine Shield, Neil Smith and Clare Tapsfield-Wright are due to retire from Council next year, but are all eligible for re-election.
Last year, for the first time in over a decade, no women candidates stood for election, and the College says it is determined to widen participation in Council amongst the whole profession.
To help veterinary surgeons learn more about what's involved in being a Council Member, the benefits it can bring and the amount of time it requires, the College has produced a short video featuring the experiences of some existing members of Council and their reasons for standing.
Gordon Hockey, RCVS Registrar, said: "We have chosen the theme 'People like you' for these videos because people on the Councils really are no different to their colleagues across all aspects of the veterinary and veterinary nursing professions. The thoughts and experiences they describe on camera will sound very familiar to many of their colleagues and peers! We need people of all ages and of varying experiences and professional backgrounds to ensure there is a healthy and diverse range of views available."
The College will also be hosting a special 'Meet the RCVS' day on Tuesday, 10 December for anyone considering standing for election but wanting to find out more first. Further information and bookings are available from Fiona Harcourt, Communications Officer (020 7202 0773 / f.harcourt@rcvs.org.uk).
Nominations are open until 5pm on Friday, 31 January 2014, allowing plenty of time to find out more about what's involved and to find two proposers.
Details about how to stand in the elections are available at www.rcvs.org.uk/rcvscouncil14.
The three factsheet chapters cover understanding OA, creating a management plan and supporting pets and their owners.
Krka says each section is grounded in evidence-based approaches and was shaped by Professor Carmichael’s extensive knowledge of the pathogenesis of pain in patients with OA and experience in the diagnosis, contextualised treatment, and long-term care of patients with OA.
The resources encourage veterinary teams to adapt their approach to the needs of each case - supporting a flexible, patient-centred mindset in everyday consults.
Stuart said: “What works is the thing that works best for the dog, the owner and the practice in that moment.
“And part of the art is trying to get that right rather than being dogmatic about a certain type of treatment.”
Renzo Di Florio, Krka’s Technical Veterinary Adviser, said: “In first-opinion practice, consult time is limited and there’s a lot to cover.
"These factsheets bring together expert advice in a format that’s quick to reference and easy to apply in consults.
"They’re designed to help vets feel more confident in their approach to OA, especially when time is tight.”
To further support veterinary professionals in managing OA, Professor Carmichael has delivered a webinar, available here: https://membership.elearning.vet/rethinking-canine-oa-login.
He and Renzo will also be presenting together at the London Vet Show this November, delivering a session focused on osteoarthritis in practice on Thursday 20th November at 14.00 in Exhibitor Showcase Theatre 2.
The OA factsheets are available here: https://www.krka.co.uk/veterinary-knowledge-hub/
The International Elbow Working Group has announced a pre-congress meeting at WSAVA in August. The meeting is sponsored by Hills Pet Nutrition and is being held on Wednesday 20th August at University College Dublin.The meeting offers the opportunity to hear some of the most influential researchers in the field.The speakers include Professors Hazewinkel and Hedhammar who were responsible for the seminal work that identified that high calcium high energy diets could increase the propensity to developmental bone disease. Professor Hedhammar will be delivering a presentation on the genetics of elbow dysplasia and the implications for breeding programmes, while Professor Hazewinkel will be discussing diagnosis. Representing the UK, Dr Noel Fitzpatrick will discuss the decision making algorithm for conservative and surgical treatment of elbow dysplasia, incorporating the latest thinking on how to manage the disease. Other topics being presented on the day will be imaging techniques by Professor Van Bree and grading of osteoarthritic lesions by Dr. Tellhelm.The group has invited practitioners and researchers to submit posters and free communications on the topic of elbow dysplasia for presentation up until 20th July. The congress fee is 80 euros which includes lunch and refreshments. Further details and a registration form can be downloaded at www.iewg-vet.org.
In November 2024, the RCVS Education Committee agreed to grant the veterinary degree conditional accreditation after an accreditation visitation earlier that year found deficiencies with the degree meant it only met 27 of the 77 RCVS accreditation standards.
55 recommendations for improvement were made by the visitation panel.
A subsequent visit in September 2025 found that while there were still a significant number of standards to be met, many of the recommendations for improvement had either been achieved, or significant progress had been made towards them being met.
The Education Committee therefore decided to grant the programme conditional accreditation for one year, with an action plan and timetable being put into place to guide how and when the 20 outstanding recommendations would be met.
The next accreditation visit to Cambridge will take place in October 2026.
It was agreed that this timeframe and accreditation status would ensure that progress towards meeting accreditation standards continued at pace, allowing the Department to demonstrate its commitment to student wellbeing and support for learning across the entirety of the veterinary programme.
An RCVS spokesperson said: “We appreciate the considerable efforts and hard work that the staff team within the veterinary department at Cambridge University have put into rectifying many of the issues identified in the 2024 accreditation event, for taking on board the constructive advice that was given and working together to make many of the necessary improvements.
“However, as the report shows, there are still several outstanding areas of concern, and so the Education Committee agreed that it was not yet in a position to grant Cambridge’s veterinary degree full accreditation.
“We have collaborated with Cambridge on putting together an action plan and timeline for meeting the 20 remaining recommendations and we hope that it will continue on its current trajectory towards meeting the RCVS accreditation standards.”
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/document-library/university-of-cambridge-2025-report/
Photo: © Copyright John Sutton and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Two equine journals have joined forces to create a free online collection of their recent articles on endocrinology to raise awareness of these common disorders and to provide veterinary surgeons with what they say is a definitive source of references all in one place.
The collection of references published by Equine Veterinary Education (EVE) and Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ) covers a range of topics within the field of endocrinology and includes authoritative review articles on insulin dysregulation2, glucocorticoids and laminitis3 and paraneoplastic syndromes4.
The initiative has been made possible with the support of British Equine Veterinary Association Trust and has been compiled by leading international authorities on equine endocrinology, Professor Philip Johnson, of University of Missouri and Professor Nicholas Frank of Tufts University, Boston and the University of Nottingham.
They say that equine endocrine disorders, such as Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), are becoming more promptly identified and treated, thanks to ongoing research and advances in diagnosis, pharmacokinetics and management protocols.
PPID, or Cushing's, is a progressive neurodegenerative condition that is more easily recognised in its advanced form in older horses. Surveys show a PPID prevalence rate of up to 22% in horses over the age of 155, with the odds of developing clinical signs associated with PPID increasing by approximately 20% per year after this age.
Insulin dysregulation (ID), characterised by increased insulin response to oral sugars, hyperinsulinaemia and insulin resistance, is identified in both PPID and equine metabolic syndrome (EMS)2. Both PPID and EMS have been linked to the development of recurrent laminitis with subsequent high risk of mortality6. The exact mechanisms which link insulin to laminitis remain to be clarified1 but this online collection highlights several studies, which partially address this important jigsaw7-12.
Best practice for the management of EMS is outlined by Professors Nick Frank and Ray Geor in the December issue of EVE13. The first goal is to induce weight loss, and guidelines for designing diets for obese equids are provided. Exercise and dietary management14 have been shown to reduce the clinical signs and indices of inflammation in equine metabolic syndrome13 - 15, however, further studies are needed to quantify the efficacy of these management changes on long-term outcomes.
The online collection also includes several studies addressing the diagnosis of PPID. The value of plasma adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH), when interpreted with seasonally adjusted reference ranges, is discussed by several authors18-20. Professors Frank and Geor advocate it as the most readily accessible test for monitoring PPID cases in a field setting, although they maintain that the thyrotropin- releasing hormone (TRH) stimulation test is more sensitive and therefore has advantages when diagnosing PPID in its early stages13.
Pergolide has emerged as the drug of first choice for treatment of PPID13. While many vets recommend the early introduction of medication in the hope that it may avert the specter of laminitis, at present, there are no trials comparing pergolide with alternatives. Furthermore, there have been no long-term studies to show that horses treated with pergolide before the onset of clinical signs of PPID have better outcomes, including a reduced incidence of developing laminitis, than horses in which treatment is delayed until clinical signs become apparent.
Professor Celia Marr, Editor of Equine Veterinary Journal said: "Better control of PPID and insulin dysregulation should lower the risk of laminitis to help improve the health and longevity of many predisposed horses and ponies.
"Raising awareness of the benefits of early diagnosis and sharing the latest research on these and other associated conditions are imperative to provide horse owners with the best diagnostic and treatment programmes for their horses. However, it is easy to under-estimate obesity: horse owners need to think about improving management of their horses' feeding and exercise in order to avert problems before they become a veterinary issue."
References
The guide covers the importance of nutrition and nutritional assessment, diet types, feeding for different life stages, feeding for specific situations and feeding for specific diseases.
There are a number of online resources to accompany the guide, including client handouts and videos, available in the BSAVA Library.
Julian Hoad, BSAVA President, said: “The guide has been put together by a panel who are very competent in their field and wish for the reader to become confident and competent as well.
"What really stands out to me is the level of detail included in the guide.
"There is ample explanation of the underlying principles of nutrition, as well as formulae for specific nutritional plans.
"Where there may be confusion, or potential errors in calculating nutritional requirements, there are practical hints and tips for avoiding those pitfalls.”
The BSAVA Guide to Nutrition in Small Animal Practice costs £32.50 for BSAVA members and £50 for everyone else.
www.bsava.com/store
The theme of Congress this year is 'Adapt, Evolve, Succeed', considering how we can succeed both professionally and personally by embracing growth and change.
Billed as one of the most influential experts on change and human leadership in the world, Richard has advised governments and corporations such as Google and Microsoft
Early-bird prices start at £395 for the full event, with further group bundles and day tickets available.
www.spvs-congress.co.uk
richardgerver.com
The modules are 20 minutes long each.
The first: "The Key Components of Successful Anaesthesia", covers the basics of companion animal anaesthesia and analgesia.
The second module: "The Benefits of Zoletil", looks at Zoletil as an anaesthetic and explains the advantages it offers.
Licensed for cats and dogs, Zoletil comprises a coactive balance between Tiletamine & Zolazepam.
Virbac says it is ideal for short and medium duration anaesthesia with multiple administration routes including IV or IM administration, making it a versatile choice of anaesthetic.
https://vet-uk.virbac.com/home/products/dogs/anaesthetics--analgesics/zoletil-100.html