Registered address for locums

Re: Registered address for locums

Sarah McGurk — Mon, 10 Mar 2014 07:47:50 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]

It all in the VSA 1966

There shall continue to be a register known as the register of veterinary surgeons (hereafter in this Act referred to as “the register”) containing the names, addresses and qualifications of all persons who are entitled under the provisions of this Act to be registered therein.

The Council shall cause the register to be printed and published as often as they think fit.

So to be registered as a veterinary surgeon the register must include your address and be in the public domain. It's been that way for nearly 50 years

[/quote]

Just because there has to be a register, and that they have to be aware of it, doesn't mean they have to hand out that information without good reason. I can't think of many occasions where someone non-veterinary would wish to find out my address, and I would want them to be able to. And as a non-practising member, I have very little choice in what address I choose. I guess in future, if it became an issue, my only choice would be to remove my name from the register, but I'd prefer not to have to.

I guess my issue is that in the old days, it would take quite a lot of effort for someone to go to the lengths of sending a letter to the RCVS to find out details. Nowadays someone with an axe to grind could find out with almost no effort using e-mail. I guess, for me, it's similar to how easy it is for a client to complain now, or worse than that, just launch an attack online. Just another way in which modern technology has moved on, but the systems in place to protect us have not.

Re: Registered address for locums

Anthony Todd — Sat, 08 Mar 2014 20:38:25 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]So to be registered as a veterinary surgeon the register must include your address and be in the public domain. It's been that way for nearly 50 years[/quote]

It's the address where you work, not where you live surely!?

Locums should just give a box number or that of their accountant unless they want the public to have their home address. [If you are a Ltd Co. you have to have a registered address anyway.

I'll bet there isn't a vet, with a work address, who gives their home address to the RCVS.

If the RCVS insists on a home address for locums the requirement should be changed, obviously.

Re: Registered address for locums

Michael Woodhouse — Sat, 08 Mar 2014 19:38:38 GMT

It all in the VSA 1966

The Council shall cause the register to be printed and published as often as they think fit.

So to be registered as a veterinary surgeon the register must include your address and be in the public domain. It's been that way for nearly 50 years

Re: Registered address for locums

Rob Loxley — Sat, 08 Mar 2014 15:00:04 GMT

[quote user="Sarah McGurk"]then we have to give it to them[/quote]

Why?? Is this not covered by the data protection act?

Re: Registered address for locums

Sarah McGurk — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 13:53:13 GMT

I e-mailed them to find out the exact situation, and this was the reply

The registered address is in the public domain. All vets on the RCVS Register of Members are required to provide a postal address for publication in the Register and this Register address is available to anyone who asks for it. Currently, the Regulations say that the Register address should be their ‘practising’ address but there are some circumstances where this may not be appropriate so an alternative postal address can be accepted, e.g. if someone is working in a sensitive area, on maternity leave, locuming, or not currently practising etc.

If anyone asks us for the Register address of any vet, then we have to give it to them. We only give out the postal Register address; we do not give out phone numbers, mobiles or email addresses.

We do publish a limited number of hard copies of the Register which contain the postal Register addresses of all members. These hard copy Registers are available for anyone to purchase.

There is a feature on the website for checking whether a vet is registered - http://www.rcvs.org.uk/registration/check-the-register-list/. Full Register addresses are not included on the online Register, only a general geographic area, usually the county of the Register address.

If you do not want your address to appear in the register please provide an alternate address or a PO Box.

So your address isn't randomly on the internet, but will be made available to anyone who asks.

Personally I'm not that delighted about that. I don't really see why they should hand that information out to third parties at all. I realise random maniacs are rare, and those who would go to the bother of deliberately seeking people out even less so, but I just can't see why it's necessary.

Re: Registered address for locums

CatherineThomas — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 20:35:03 GMT

I don't know, all I know is that the lady on the other end of the phone told me that the registered address will be published so members of the public will be able to find it.

Re: Registered address for locums

Sarah McGurk — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 20:18:03 GMT

I'm confused. I thought the address was only available to those who were actually signed in. For the general public, I thought it only showed a general region. That's what I get when I go on the RCVS "Find a vet" site. Are the addresses available somewhere else? I'm a non-practising member and the only address they have is my home address, which similarly, I don't particularly want advertised.

Re: Registered address for locums

Wren — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 09:21:03 GMT

I thought the RCVS only allowed you to register a work address, not a home address now? I appreciate this is a problem for locums who work from home, but it's a benefit to mean as it prevents the renewal paperwork getting sent to an old home address, not being forwarded to me, me forgetting that it was renewal time of year and my name being removed for non-payment as happened once many years ago!.

I have just googled my name and 'vet' and can only get my work address to come up (plus a few newspaper reports from when I was a successful eventer!).

Re: Registered address for locums

Michael Woodhouse — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 00:22:09 GMT

Published where?

Re: Registered address for locums

salome2001 — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 00:05:15 GMT

I am in the same situation. The RCVS will only let you list a home address or a (useless) PO Box. And then they publish your home address.

I tried arguing it at the time because I live locally to a practice where I had worked, and where a particularly nasty man had made a numbers of threats against members of the practice, myself included (this was not the reason I was leaving). I tried explaining to the RCVS why I didn't want my home address made public, but they were having none of it. I could get a PO Box... of course... miles away....

So despite not having my details listed in a telephone directory, or the published electoral roll, my home address is out there for any whackjob to find, and I pay the professional organisation responsible £300 a year for the privilege...

Re: Registered address for locums

Alison McIntosh — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 21:53:42 GMT

I'll have to have a look at the paperwork - haven't sat down with it yet this year. I did have to write a letter to them (several actually before I got a response) to request a region only published address. Maybe I'll have to do that again?

Re: Registered address for locums

mariette asselbergs — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 20:59:45 GMT

I used my home address and never had people turning up here to expect me to see animals (most of the time I will not be at home either!). The disadvantage is that you get lots of vet junk mail. But if you use a vet practice address then all kind of important mail may end up there instead of in your postbox!

Mariette

Re: Registered address for locums

CatherineThomas — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 07:54:08 GMT

[quote user="Alison McIntosh"] I use my home address but did not give permission for it to be used in the online register - they just list my region[/quote]

I don't think you've got that option anymore, there isn't a box to tick. The form tells you that your registered address will be published. When I called and spoke to a lady at the RCVS she said that it was upto me what address I put down there but whichever one I choose will have to be published.

I know that at the moment when you search for a vet on the RCVS website it just lists your region so I'm not sure if that is going to change.

Re: Registered address for locums

Alison McIntosh — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 06:02:14 GMT

I use my home address but did not give permission for it to be used in the online register - they just list my region. ( No vets for 2 hours where I live and I get enough people pitching up at the door with animals as it is, without encouraging the google generation to do the same). I felt less strongly about the written down register- much less accessible to the general public!

Re: Registered address for locums

Michael Woodhouse — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 01:16:03 GMT

What is the issue, exactly? Are these addresses online? In the old directory my home address was listed along with a lot of others.

Re: Registered address for locums

Yantha Smyth — Tue, 04 Mar 2014 22:57:08 GMT

I came across this a few years ago when becoming a Locum, and I have used my 'home' address, as that is also the registered office of my ltd company....didn't feel that there was an alternative in the circumstances.

Re: Registered address for locums

Nicola Cole — Tue, 04 Mar 2014 20:48:37 GMT

I did my home address initially (wasn't very keen on this option though) and then changed to my most 'regular' practice.