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Voting opens for 2025 RCVS and VN elections
This year's council elections are online-only.
Members can cast their votes until Friday, 25 April.

Voting has officially opened for this year’s RCVS Council and Veterinary Nurses (VN) Council elections.

Veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses now have until 5pm on Friday, 25 April 2025 to vote online in their respective elections.

Emails were sent to those eligible to vote on Wednesday, 12 March by Civica Election Systems, which is running the elections on RCVS’ behalf. Veterinary surgeons will have received an email from vetvote@cesvotes.com, while veterinary nurses will have received their voting email from vnvote@cesvotes.com.

The email contains a secure link to the voting website, which contains a pre-filled code unique to each voting veterinary surgeon and veterinary nurse.

This year’s election is online-only, after the Privy Council approved amendments to the RCVS Election Scheme. Veterinary surgeon and veterinary nurses who have not got a registered email address with RCVS will be sent their voting instructions by post.

Those who do not receive a voting email should contact support@cesvotes.com and state which election they believe they are eligible to vote in.

There are a record 20 candidates standing in the RCVS Council election, with four spaces available on the council. Veterinary surgeons can vote for up to four candidates, with the candidates with the most votes earning a four-year term on the council.

The candidates are: Louise Allum, Sam Bescoby, Andrew Clemence, Tshidi Gardiner, Reginald Godwin, Paddy Gordon, Danielle Greenberg, Gerard Henry, Richard Hillman, Benjamin Kennedy, Tom Lonsdale, Darren Partridge, Martin Peaty, Alison Price, Peter Robinson, Jennifer Simmons, Sadie Spencer, Mary Thomas, William Wilkinson and Lara Wilson.

Each candidate has shared a full biography and statement on the RCVS Election website. They also each answered a question of their choice submitted by members of the profession.

There are three candidates standing in the VN Council elections, with two spaces available on the council. Veterinary nurses can vote for up to two candidates, with the candidates with the most votes earning a three-year term on the council.

The candidates are: Bethan Pinhey, Hannah Welsman and Lauren Whittaker. Their profiles are available on the VN Council election webpage, as well as their answers to their selected questions.

All of the successful candidates in each election will join their respective councils at RCVS’ Annual General Meeting in July.

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Equine Disease Surveillance report released for Q4 2025

News Story 1
 The latest Equine Disease Surveillance report has been released, with details on equine disease from Q4 of 2025.

The report, produced by Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance, includes advice on rule changes for equine influenza vaccination.

Statistics and maps detail recent outbreaks of equine herpes virus, equine influenza, equine strangles and equine grass sickness. A series of laboratory reports provides data on virology, bacteriology, parasitology and toxicosis.

This issue also features a case study of orthoflavivus-associated neurological disease in a horse in the UK. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
RCVS annual renewal fee for vets due

RCVS' annual renewal fee for veterinary surgeons is now due. Vets must pay their renewal fee before Wednesday, 1 April 2026.

This year's standard annual fee has increased to 431 from last year's 418. This is an approximately three per cent increase, as approved by RCVS Council and the Privy Council.

Tshidi Gardner, RCVS treasurer, said: "The small fee increase will be used to help deliver both our everyday activities and our new ambitious Strategic Plan, which includes aims such as achieving new legislation, reviewing the Codes of Professional Conduct and supporting guidance, and continuing to support the professions through activities such as the Mind Matters Initiative, RCVS Academy and career development."

A full breakdown of the new fees is on the RCVS website. Information about tax relief is available on the UK government website.