New accreditation scheme vets UK veterinary practices

All veterinary surgeons practising in the UK are regulated by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), but up until recently there has been no broad-based accreditation of the practices that many of them own or work for.

This has changed with today's public launch of the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme, a voluntary accreditation programme for veterinary practices in the UK.

Through setting standards and carrying out regular inspections, the Scheme aims to promote and maintain the highest standards of veterinary care. It offers peace of mind to clients of accredited practices and more informed choice to the animal-owning public.

"The RCVS is here to promote and sustain public confidence in veterinary medicine and the Practice Standards Scheme is critical in meeting this objective," explained Mrs Lynne Hill MRCVS, RCVS President, at the launch.

"The regulatory function of the RCVS has always meant that users of veterinary services could be assured that their veterinary surgeon was properly qualified and fit to practise but, for the first time, the Scheme offers reassurance that accredited practice premises also meet stringent standards," she said.

The Scheme was launched to the veterinary profession in January 2005 and approximately 50% of the UK's 3,801 veterinary premises now fall under its ambit. The geographical distribution of these practices mirrors that of practices at large.

Up until relatively recently, the structure of veterinary practice in the UK meant that by regulating individual veterinary surgeons, the RCVS effectively regulated practices too.

But trends in practice ownership have changed. For example, an increase in the number of corporate practices means there will be some that are neither owned nor managed by veterinary surgeons.

This, coupled with the expansion of the veterinary team to include greater roles for veterinary nurses and lay practice staff, means that to regulate veterinary surgeons alone is no longer appropriate.

In addition, there is a general trend amongst consumers to demand greater reassurance. According to independent pet owner market research commissioned by the RCVS in November 2005, there is a public expectation that veterinary practices have been subject to regulation for some time.

But this does not undermine the fact that, in general, owners trust their vets and hold them in high esteem.

"The time is now right to make the public aware of RCVS accreditation. We are not saying that those practices not yet accredited are bad practices. But accreditation provides official recognition of the high standards that already exist within UK veterinary practice. If a member of the public wants peace of mind that their practice has been regularly inspected, they should look for the RCVS accreditation logo," stresses Mrs Hill.

Also speaking at the launch Ms Claire Bessant, Chief Executive of the Feline Advisory Bureau, said: "Based on our research and extensive contact with cat owners, I believe that this accreditation Scheme addresses many issues of concern - including queries that pet owners probably didn't even think they could raise.

"Owners have little idea of what goes on behind the scenes in a practice or what should be standard veterinary care. They want a local practice where they will get compassionate, respectful, well-informed and competently delivered treatment for a fee they can understand. The RCVS Scheme will cover many of these areas and foster a great understanding of practice for clients," she concluded

Giving the practitioner's point of view, Colin Lindsay MRCVS, a veterinary surgeon in mixed-practice in Cumbria, discussed the benefits of accreditation for the client: "For me it is much the same as taking my car to the garage for a repair," he said. "I'm not a mechanic and I don't know the first thing about a car. I just have to make a gut-feeling judgement about a mechanic's abilities. It's the same for the majority of our clients, who have little veterinary knowledge. But knowing a practice has met standards set out by our regulatory body should give them confidence and reassurance."

To become accredited, practices volunteer for rigorous inspection every four years. Those which pass the inspection will have met a range of standards. Minimum standards include hygiene, 24-hour emergency cover, staff training, certain types of equipment and cost estimation procedures. More specific criteria apply for practices accredited at different levels. Accredited practices also undergo spot-checks to ensure standards are maintained between inspections.

The Scheme is currently voluntary but it is hoped that, under a new Veterinary Surgeons Act - the legislation that sets the regulatory obligations of the RCVS - it will become mandatory.

Members of the profession and the general public can check if practices are accredited, or search for an accredited practice, using Find A Vet.

View the notes for editors

For more information, please contact:

Lizzie Lockett (020 7202 0725) [email protected] 
External Affairs Department
Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. The RCVS is the regulatory body for veterinary surgeons in the UK and deals with issues of professional misconduct, maintaining the register of veterinary surgeons eligible to practise in the UK and assuring standards of veterinary education. It also has a 'Royal College' role, which means that it is responsible for post-graduate educational and veterinary nursing qualifications.

2. The Practice Standards Scheme, which administers RCVS accreditation, was devised by a working group that included representatives from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the British Veterinary Association, the British Small Animal Veterinary Association, the British Equine Veterinary Association, the British Cattle Veterinary Association and the British Veterinary Hospitals Association. The working group now also includes representatives from the Veterinary Practice Management Association, the Society for Practising Veterinary Surgeons and the British Veterinary Nursing Association.

3. There are currently 1,808 premises falling under the ambit of the Scheme, approximately 50% of the UK total, and 829 practices, representing 36% of the UK total.

4. The Practice Standards Scheme replaces two previous schemes, run by the British Small Animal Veterinary Association and RCVS/British Veterinary Hospitals Association. It encompasses practice types previously unable to seek accreditation, for example, farm animal and equine general practices and emergency service clinics.

5. The Feline Advisory Bureau works with practitioners, academics, veterinary nurses, breeders, catteries and owners to promote the health and welfare of cats through increased feline knowledge. For example, it is committed to improving the quality of boarding catteries and is soon to be launching a Cat Friendly Practice Scheme to raise awareness of the specific needs of cats and their owners in the practice context.