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New data protection rules set to come into force
The risk of security breaches has increased dramatically since rapid advances in technology.
Special online supplement helps practices comply with GDPR

Businesses must soon be compliant with new EU rules on data protection, as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force tomorrow (25 May).

The regulation applies to those with a day-to-day responsibility for data protection.

GDPR aims to minimise the risk of security breaches, which have increased dramatically since rapid advances in technology have allowed public and private companies to make use of personal data.

Since the new rules were announced last year, veterinary practices and other businesses will have had to review the way they collect personal data and update their terms and conditions to inform clients about their data processing activities. Privacy impact assessments (PIAs) should also have been carried out on products and systems to ensure they protect data adequately.

Key changes include:
  • organisations must disclose any data breaches within 72 hours
  • individuals must give explicit consent for their personal data to be processed - implied consent is no longer acceptable
  • individuals have the right to retract consent and request that data be erased
  • individuals have the right to request data in a readable format.

Those who fail to comply with the new rules will face fines of up to €20 million, or four per cent of global turnover, depending on which is greater. This will apply for serious ‘tier one’ breaches. For lesser, ‘tier two’ breaches, businesses could be fined up to €10 million or two per cent of global turnover.

To help veterinary practices ensure they are compliant with GDPR, now and in the future, a special supplement has been published online by the journal Veterinary Practice Today, in conjunction with leading IT provider, AT Veterinary Systems: http://vetpracticetoday.com/vpt-en/index_gdpr.html.

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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."