RCVS news: 2024 RCVS and VN Councils elections: call for nominations

The candidate nomination period for the 2024 RCVS Council and Veterinary Nurses (VN) Council elections has now opened, with veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses able to put forward applications to stand in their respective ballots.

With elections to RCVS Council and VN Council due to take place next spring, veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses who wish to stand as election candidates must submit their nomination forms by 5pm on Wednesday 31 January 2024.

Next year’s RCVS Council election will have three elected veterinary surgeon places available, while VN Council will have two elected veterinary nurse places available.

RCVS Council is our governing body and its members are responsible for approving major policy decisions concerning both the regulation and advancement of the professions, in addition to approving strategic and financial plans as well as annual budgets. Council members also sit on a number of committees and subcommittees responsible for areas such as standards, education, registration, finance, and the advancement of the professions, as well as ad hoc working groups set up to look at particular issues in detail.

VN Council and its members are responsible for all matters concerning veterinary nurse education and training standards, post-qualification awards and the registration of qualified veterinary nurses. In addition, VN Council has oversight over the joint British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA) and RCVS VN Futures project and its members may also be asked to sit on the VN Education Committee, other RCVS committees/ subcommittees or ad hoc working groups.

This year, we have put together downloadable information packs for prospective candidates to either RCVS Council or VN Council. Each pack sets out further information about the role of an RCVS Council or VN Council member and the candidate nomination process, as well as containing the candidate nomination and candidate information forms.

Prior to the time of publication, we have asked the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to approve some amendments to the RCVS Council Election Scheme. Once approved there may be some minor changes to the candidate nomination process, but this will not impact any candidate nominations submitted beforehand.

The RCVS Council pack is available to download from the dedicated RCVS Council election page, while the VN Council equivalent is available on its dedicated election page.

Eleanor Ferguson (pictured), our Registrar and Returning Officer for both elections, said: “The annual RCVS and VN Councils elections are a significant opportunity for veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses to have their say over the future of veterinary regulation.

“At the RCVS, we go to considerable efforts to make sure the professions are involved in this process – whether as candidates or voters – so veterinary professionals can play a significant role in determining the professions’ future both through decision-making and feeding into various RCVS policies, plans and projects.

“RCVS-registered veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses of all backgrounds, at all career stages, and with all levels of experience are eligible to stand in their respective elections. So, if you want to help shape the future of veterinary regulation and our Royal College initiatives and activities, please consider standing in next year’s elections.”

Veterinary surgeons who are interested in standing for RCVS Council and who have any further queries should contact Dawn Wiggins, RCVS Council Secretary, on [email protected]

Veterinary nurses who are interested in standing for VN Council and who have further queries about the candidacy and election process should contact Annette Amato, VN Council Secretary, on [email protected]