RCVS marks tenth anniversary of Royal Charter

This month [February 2025] the RCVS marks the tenth anniversary of the introduction of the Royal Charter 2015, which sets out the role of the College and underpins many of our core functions as a Royal College that regulates.

The RCVS was established through a series of Royal Charters, with previous ones dating from 1844 and 1967. The 2015 Charter established that ‘The objects of the College shall be to set, uphold and advance veterinary standards, and to promote, encourage and advance the study and practice of the art and science of veterinary surgery and medicine, in the interests of the health and welfare of animals and in the wider public interest’.

The Charter came into effect on 17 February 2015 and established veterinary nursing as a fully regulated profession, empowering VN Council to set standards for education and training and continued professional development (CPD). It replaced the list of veterinary nurses with a formal register, with registered veterinary nurses entitled to use the postnominals ‘RVN’, and required to undertake CPD, adhere to the code of professional conduct and be subject to the RCVS concerns investigation framework for cases of alleged serious professional misconduct.

In addition to the positive changes the Charter made to the veterinary nursing profession, it also strengthened the foundation of existing RCVS projects such as the Practice Standards Scheme (PSS), as well as providing a foundation for projects such as the Mind Matters Initiative, our leadership and equity, diversity and inclusion work, and projects such as Vet Futures and VN Futures.

RCVS President Linda Belton said: “The 2015 Charter gave us the opportunity to extend our regulation to include veterinary nurses and to widen our Royal College functions in support of a profession that is fit for purpose, and to enhance public confidence in our work. As a compassionate regulator, the Royal Charter is also essential in allowing us to support veterinary professionals to succeed, further aiding us in our mission to uphold animal health and welfare, and also public health.”

Chair of Veterinary Nursing Council, Belinda Andrews-Jones (pictured), added: “We now have almost 25,000 RVNs on our Register who wear their RVN badges with pride. However, we are still keen to further increase public confidence in our wonderful profession by providing formal statutory protection of the title of veterinary nurse. As it stands, anyone can still call themselves a veterinary nurse and this is unacceptable.

“It is worth noting, though, that the 2015 Charter has allowed us to kick-start considerations around who and how the wider veterinary team, including allied professionals, could and should be regulated. Our work towards achieving a new Act will help us further in these areas, and increase our regulatory remit to allow us to have oversight of more individuals who also have key impacts on animal health and welfare and public health.

“In the meantime, we have been actively working to elevate the profile of veterinary nursing and enhance the VN role. For nearly nine years, our VN Futures project, in partnership with the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA), has been working to help shape the future of the profession - producing school ambassadors, creating careers materials, helping to empower current veterinary nurses, and hosting a range of events. Most recently, our 2024/25 VN Vision events have brought together veterinary nurses to explore future aspirations, ensuring that the project stays relevant and forward looking.

“I'm excited to see what the next ten years will bring for the College and the professions. It is fantastic to reflect on how far we have come in the past ten years with the College now able to fully support both vets and vet nurses to develop and thrive within their roles, but we must continue moving forward.”

The RCVS is constituted by Royal Charter, carries out functions under an Act of Parliament and makes rules, regulations and bye-laws. For more information on our legislative reform campaign for a new Veterinary Surgeons Act, please visit our dedicated campaign page.