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RCVS Academy course to address unconscious bias
It will consider strategies to encourage equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
The course aims to improve self-awareness in the workplace.

A new course from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons’ (RCVS) digital learning platform has launched to support veterinary professionals with recognising, challenging and addressing unconscious bias.

The course, on RCVS Academy, will consider strategies to increase self-awareness, reduce bias, and encourage equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

It is free to access, incorporating interactive audio, video and scenarios as part of the learning experience. The course takes approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes to complete.

RCVS leadership and inclusion manager Gurpreet Gill, who helped develop the course, said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the Academy to create this course for the veterinary professions.

“Unconscious bias is an area that some within the professions may not be familiar with and so this course provides an overview of unconscious bias and its impact in the workplace.”

RCVS Academy has also announced a bespoke course for Fellowship Credential Panel members, who assess applications to the Fellowship.

This course, developed with the RCVS Fellowship, will give panel members the essential skills to evaluate applications. It will build on principles from the unconscious bias course to ensure decisions are fair and objective.

This includes insights on best practice, such as reviewing applications, offering constructive feedback, and identifying the potential biases that could influence decision making.

Dr Niall Connell, acting chair of the Fellowship Board, said: “By completing this course, participants will gain a heightened proficiency in assessing applications and managing bias, enabling them to support the RCVS’ mission of fostering equity, diversity and inclusion within the Fellowship.”

RCVS Academy also includes courses on topics such as career development and client communications, alongside advice for students and recently qualified veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses.

The platform enables users to plan and track learning, including links to record and reflect on learning. Registered members must use the RCVS 1CPD platform to meet RCVS CPD requirements.

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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...
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