Your data on MRCVSonline
The nature of the services provided by Vision Media means that we might obtain certain information about you.
Please read our Data Protection and Privacy Policy for details.

In addition, (with your consent) some parts of our website may store a 'cookie' in your browser for the purposes of
functionality or performance monitoring.
Click here to manage your settings.
EmailIphone Application    Posted: 30th April 2025
If you would like to forward this story on to a friend, simply fill in the form below and click send.
Your friend's email:
Your email:
Your name:
 
 
Send Cancel

RCVS and VN Council election results revealed
The successful candidates will formally take up their seats at the College's AGM in July.
The successful candidates will officially take up their roles in July.

The 2025 RCVS Council and VN Council election results have been announced, with four veterinary surgeons and two veterinary nurses elected by their peers.

There were a record 20 veterinary surgeon candidates standing for the four available elected places on Council this year. A total of 7,352 veterinary surgeons cast a vote, representing 19 per cent of those eligible.

The four candidates elected to stand for a four-year term on RCVS Council are:

Dr Tshidi Gardiner MRCVS – 2,037 votes
Dr Sam Bescoby MRVCS – 1,774 votes 
Paddy Gordon MRCVS – 1,639 votes
Dr Danielle Greenberg MRCVS – 1,597 votes 

For this year’s VN Council election, three candidates stood for the two available elected places. A total of 1,598 veterinary nurses cast their vote, representing 6.4 per cent of those eligible.

The two candidates elected to stand for a three-year term on VN Council are:

Bethan Pinhey RVN – 934 votes 
Hannah Welsman – 844 votes 

The successful candidates will formally take up their seats at the College’s Annual General Meeting on Friday, 4 July.

RCVS assistant registrar and returning officer for the elections, Simon Wiklund, said: “Thank you to all the candidates who stood for election this year – including the record number standing for RCVS Council – and all those who cast their votes.

“Members of the professions who spare their time to serve on our councils and committees are the backbone of our governance and decision-making structures. By bringing their experiences and their ideas to the fore they provide that invaluable professional input and insight into the decisions we make, and we look forward to working with those who have been elected.”

He added: “As part of the election process, we make considerable efforts to ensure that members of the professions are able to have their say during the election period and this year, in addition to the initial voting email, seven reminder emails were sent to veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses who hadn’t yet voted. 

“We also did a series of social media posts asking veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses to check their emails for reminders and, for the very few members of the professions for whom we hold no email address, we sent them instructions via post on how to vote online.”

Visit the RCVS Council election and the VN Council election webpages for the full voting report.

Become a member or log in to add this story to your CPD history

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."