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VMD and RCVS Knowledge launch medication safety course
"30 per cent of errors reported to the VDS's VetSafe system are due to medication errors" - Chris Gush, RCVS Knowledge.

The course is freely available to anyone in the veterinary profession.

A free online course has been launched to help veterinary teams improve their medication safety in practice.

The course, Managing Veterinary Medicines: Staying legal and promoting safety, has been jointly launched by RCVS Knowledge and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate to provide knowledge on the safe and responsible use of veterinary medicines and medicine regulations. 

Delivering more than six hours of CPD, course users can expect to learn how to put systems in place that will reduce errors, improve patient outcomes and improve practice systems. 

RCVS Knowledge executive director, Chris Gush, said: “In England alone, more than 1,700 people die yearly because of medication errors. While we don't know the true figures in veterinary medicine, we do know that 30 per cent of errors reported to the VDS's VetSafe system are due to medication errors.

“That's why we think it's vital to have good robust systems in place in the practice dispensary and to use QI tools like guidelines, protocols, and checklists. We are pleased to have worked alongside the VMD to produce this fantastic course that will help veterinary teams improve their medication safety and ultimately save lives.”

The course will be delivered through podcasts, webinars and articles, and will help practices prepare for a VMD inspection or an RCVS Practice Standards Scheme assessment. 

CEO of the VMD, Abi Seager added: “Managing Veterinary Medicines will help teams comply with legislation as well as keep patients, team members and clients safe when prescribing and dispensing medicine. Both RCVS Knowledge and the VMD are committed to supporting veterinary teams to use and store medicines correctly to benefit patients, veterinary teams and practices.”

The course is open to everyone in the veterinary profession. For more information and to access the course, visit rcvsknowledge.org

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FIVP launches CMA remedies survey

News Story 1
 FIVP has shared a survey, inviting those working in independent practice to share their views on the CMA's proposed remedies.

The Impact Assessment will help inform the group's response to the CMA, as it prepares to submit further evidence to the Inquiry Group. FIVP will also be attending a hearing in November.

Data will be anonymised and used solely for FIVP's response to the CMA. The survey will close on Friday, 31 October 2025. 

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News Shorts
CMA to host webinar exploring provisional decisions

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is to host a webinar for veterinary professionals to explain the details of its provisional decisions, released on 15 October 2025.

The webinar will take place on Wednesday, 29 October 2025 from 1.00pm to 2.00pm.

Officials will discuss the changes which those in practice may need to make if the provisional remedies go ahead. They will also share what happens next with the investigation.

The CMA will be answering questions from the main parties of the investigation, as well as other questions submitted ahead of the webinar.

Attendees can register here before Wednesday, 29 October at 11am. Questions must be submitted before 10am on 27 October.

A recording of the webinar will be accessible after the event.