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RCVS Council members vote on governance reforms
RCVS president Linda Belton speaking at the RCVS Council meeting.

The agreed proposals include an all-appointed RCVS Governing Council.

Members of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Council have voted on a number of proposed changes to the college's governance structure.

The agreed proposals include an all-appointed RCVS Governing Council, which will form part of the RCVS submission to the government on replacing the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966.

During its meeting on Thursday (7 November), council members voted to retain an elected veterinary element on a future council or committee, which will report to the RCVS Council. They also agreed on a move towards greater parity between professional and lay RCVS Council members and to remove VSC appointees from the council. 

It was decided that further discussion would take place concerning the future composition of the RCVS Education Committee.

Linda Belton, RCVS president, said council's decision to explore retaining an elected component within a future veterinary council or committee 'gives a clear indication of the value of our ‘Royal College that regulates’ model.'

“We have also made a further commitment to public assurance by agreeing to explore independent oversight of the RCVS,” she said. “Any future appointments process developed by the RCVS will be committed to adhering to the Public Standards Authority’s principles on appointments; these are merit; fairness; transparency and openness; and inspiring confidence.”

Voting was conducted in response to an RCVS 'Good Governance' consultation, in which a series of reform proposals were put to members of the professions and the public for comment. It received 734 responses, including 28 on behalf of representative veterinary bodies, companies, and other groups.

Council also discussed a number of alternative governance arrangement suggestions arising from submissions to the consultation, which had received varying levels of support from respondents. Two such proposals were for independent oversight of the college and to review term limits across all appointed positions. It was decided that these would both be investigated further.

Image (C) RCVS/Flickr.

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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."