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CQ appoint OSCE expert
Professor of Medical Education to advise qualifications body

Professor Ronald Harden, leading international authority in medical education, has been appointed by Central Qualifications (CQ) to provide independent advice on the structure of their practical examinations.

Harden pioneered the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) process in the 1970s, which has since been adopted as a standard clinical assessment approach across the health sciences, including veterinary nursing.

OSCEs require students to perform a series of standardised clinical tasks within a circuit of short stations, which allow better fairness in assessing each student's competencies.

Before becoming a Professor of Medical Education, Harden worked as an endocrinologist. He went on to become teaching Dean and Director of the Centre of Medical Education at the University of Dundee, and Consultant Physician and Director of the Educational Development Unit of the Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education.

The numerous recognitions Harden has received for his services to medical education include; the Hubbard Award by the National Board of Examiners in the USA, an OBE by the Queen, and the AMEE 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award.

A spokesperson for CQ commented: "We, at Central Qualifications, are delighted that [Harden's] expertise will be used to benefit the veterinary nursing profession."

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FIVP launches CMA remedies survey

News Story 1
 FIVP has shared a survey, inviting those working in independent practice to share their views on the CMA's proposed remedies.

The Impact Assessment will help inform the group's response to the CMA, as it prepares to submit further evidence to the Inquiry Group. FIVP will also be attending a hearing in November.

Data will be anonymised and used solely for FIVP's response to the CMA. The survey will close on Friday, 31 October 2025. 

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News Shorts
CMA to host webinar exploring provisional decisions

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is to host a webinar for veterinary professionals to explain the details of its provisional decisions, released on 15 October 2025.

The webinar will take place on Wednesday, 29 October 2025 from 1.00pm to 2.00pm.

Officials will discuss the changes which those in practice may need to make if the provisional remedies go ahead. They will also share what happens next with the investigation.

The CMA will be answering questions from the main parties of the investigation, as well as other questions submitted ahead of the webinar.

Attendees can register here before Wednesday, 29 October at 11am. Questions must be submitted before 10am on 27 October.

A recording of the webinar will be accessible after the event.