Revised RCVS complaints procedure published online

A year ago this week, the RCVS Preliminary Investigation Committee first started to consider a revision of our procedure for handling complaints made against veterinary surgeons. Twelve months of drafting, discussions, and re-drafting later, the revised complaints procedure has been recently published.

One of the aims of the revised procedure is to make the decision-making processes within it more transparent. There are now protocols for the three main decision-making stages:

• Assessment - where we decide if there is the potential for a case;
• Case Examination - where we decide if there is an arguable case; and,
• PI Committee - where we decide if there is a realistic prospect of proving a case.

There are four information packs about the complaints procedure that are available, all of which are available on RCVSonline. These are for complainants, veterinary surgeons who are complained about, those involved in decision-making at the RCVS and additional guidance for Lay Observers who provide independent, lay input to the process.

The revised complaints procedure will apply to all complaints we consider, including current complaints.