Professor Stuart Reid takes up his role as RCVS president.

Busy RCVS Day sees charter approved and new faces on the council

During an eventful RCVS Day last week, the college welcomed a new president, approved its Royal Charter, appointed new council members and presented a number of prestigious awards.

It has been a year of “ups and downs” for the college, said outgoing president Neil Smith. The debate on 24-hour emergency care and which post-nominals to include in the register, provoked particularly strong feelings during his presidential year.

Col. Smith praised the college's “comprehensive and detailed approach” to a review of 24-hour cover, leading to the development of new guidance that was introduced at the June council meeting.

“It has been almost 25 years to the day since I was admitted to this college, and 10 since I first came on RCVS Council,” he said during the event in London on July 11.

“In the last couple of years I have felt a real change in the way the RCVS does business. We continue to try to engage with the profession, which can be like wading through treacle – and perhaps the feeling is mutual.

“The profession faces challenges, but I am confident that, with the commitment of council members, the hard work of RCVS staff, and constructive contributions from the profession and public, we will continue to develop.”

The presidency was handed over to Professor Stuart Reid, principal of the Royal Veterinary College (RVC). After graduating from the University of Glasgow in 1987, Prof Reid worked in practice in Aberdeenshire, completing in PhD five years later.

Having worked in Africa, Australia and the USA, Prof Reid went on to become dean at Glasgow's School of Veterinary Medicine, spending six years in the position before becoming principal at RVC in 2011.

In his year as president, he hopes to further the college's work on a global scale, exploring the possibility of setting standards of veterinary education outside the UK. The option of allowing veterinary graduates to use the title “Doctor” based on their registrable degree will also be discussed.

Finally, Prof Reid aims to push forward with improvements to RCVS governance.

Col. Smith will now step into Jacqui Molyneux's role of vice-president after she stood down at the AGM. Dr Bradley Viner was welcomed as second vice-president, while Amanda Boag replaced him as RCVS treasurer.

The AGM also saw a number of changes on the council, with newly elected members David Bartram, Mandisa Greene and Susan Paterson officially taking up their seats. Re-elected members David Catlow, Jacqui Molyneux and Neil Smith will also serve another four-year term on council.

During the meeting, members of the college also voted unanimously to adopt a new Royal Charter, which clarifies the objects of the college and formally recognises the RCVS as a regulator of veterinary nurses. The proposed charter has been delivered to the Privy Council for approval, which is expected later this year or early in 2015.

Following the meeting, veterinary surgeon Des Thompson OBE was awarded the Queen's Medal for his outstanding contributions to the profession. He will visit Buckingham Palace later this year, where Her Majesty the Queen will officially present him with the medal.

Outgoing president Neil Smith also presented several honorary fellowships – to Mr Andrew Holliman, the UK's longest serving Veterinary Investigation Officer; Maxwell Murray, emeritus professor of veterinary medicine and honorary senior research fellow at the University of Glasgow; and Mr Donald Rutty, “an exemplary scientist” and former president of the Laboratory Animal Veterinary Association.

Image courtesy of RCVS