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Veterinary nurses to receive advanced critical care training
cat
The Sir Hamish McTavish Memorial Fund aims to improve veterinary care for animals.
Scholarships made available for up to three nurses

Veterinary nurses at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies will have the opportunity to received advanced training in emergency and critical care, guiding them towards the leading qualification in the field.

Until now there has been no formal programme to help nurses prepare for the Veterinary Technician Specialist (Emergency and Critical Care) certification exam.

The exam can only be taken in the US where the awarding body is based and there are currently fewer than 10 veterinary nurses in the UK with this specialised qualification.

Initially the structured training programme will only be open to nurses practising at the school’s Hospital for Small Animals, but it is hoped it could be rolled out more widely in future.

Nurses will have the opportunity to share their training with others outside of the hospital, with a view to improving critical care nursing across the UK.

The cost of training and certification for up to three nurses will be covered by a scholarship fund supported by the Sir Hamish McTavish Memorial Fund, which aims to improve veterinary care for animals. It was founded by Ken and Emilia Cook in memory of their beloved West Highland white terrier, named Sir Hamish.

Mr Cook said: “We are delighted to be associated with this remarkable milestone in the history of the University of Edinburgh’s Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies Training Programmes. We are certainly aware of the enormous value to be gained in the field of Veterinary, Emergency and Critical Care in the UK and overseas and the need for such a specialty.”

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
RCVS pays tribute to well-loved equine vet

The RCVS and the Riding Establishments Subcommittee has paid tribute to well-loved veterinary surgeon and riding establishment inspector, Rebecca Hamilton-Fletcher MRCVS.

Linda Belton MRCVS, RCVS President, said: "I, along with my colleagues on the RESC, RCVS Council, RCVS Standards Committee, as well as RCVS staff, was very saddened to hear of the sudden death of Rebecca, or Becca as we knew her, last week.

"She was a true advocate for equine welfare and in her many years on the RESC worked to continually improve the quality and consistency of riding establishment inspections, all in the interests of enhanced horse welfare and rider safety."