This year's awards have been refreshed to provide greater recognition for different areas of QI.

The awards celebrate creativity, courage and dedication.

Veterinary charity RCVS Knowledge has announced that its 2027 Quality Improvement (QI) Awards are open for applications.

While previously focused on clinical audit, this year’s awards have been refreshed to provide greater recognition for different areas of QI. The award categories include:

Improving patient outcomes:  open to projects that  have  improved  the safety, health and welfare or quality of life of veterinary patients.  

Improving veterinary teamwork:  open to initiatives that have strengthened communication, collaboration, psychological safety,  leadership  or workplace culture within veterinary teams. 

Improving service delivery:  open to  projects that  have  enhanced the efficiency, accessibility,  reliability  or overall experience of veterinary services  to those that use them.  

Improving antimicrobial stewardship:  open to practical examples  where teams are improving antimicrobial stewardship using recognised quality improvement methods. 

Julie Gibson, quality improvement clinical lead at RCVS Knowledge, said:  “For me, the  awards have  always  recognised  the excellence of  locally led  projects  and  provided a platform  to  showcase  the  very best. In that respect, this year is no different. However,  to better reflect the  wide range  of quality improvement projects,  we’ve  restructured our award  categories.  

“The heart of the awards  remains; a belief that veterinary care is safer,  kinder  and more effective for animals, the people who care for them and the environment when those delivering it are empowered  to  work collaboratively on improvements.  We very  much look forward to receiving your team’s entry!” 

All members of the veterinary practice team are encouraged to apply, with projects involving any species. Projects can span a diverse range of settings including first opinion referral and peripatetic services, higher education facilities and both clinic-based and ambulatory practices. 

Successful applicants in each category will receive one of three awards — Champion, Second and Third Place, and Commended — marking them out as one of the very best practitioners of QI in the veterinary profession. 

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