RCVS remains committed to statutory regulatory framework for VNs

We would like to address some recent concerns that have arisen over our continuing efforts to update the Veterinary Surgeons Act (VSA) – in particular, our commitment to introduce a statutory regulatory framework for the veterinary nursing profession – and reassure everyone that nothing has changed.

Our review of the VSA has been underway for some years and seeks:

• a proper separation of the current functions of RCVS Council, so that the ‘rule-makers’ do not also sit in judgment on the ‘rule-breakers’;
• wider jurisdiction and more flexible powers for the Preliminary Investigation and Disciplinary Committees;
• to modify the composition of the RCVS Council, one aim being to increase the proportion of lay membership; and,
• to secure statutory regulation for veterinary nurses, with full recognition of veterinary nursing as a profession.

There have been no decisions to change any of these objectives and we remain fully committed to achieving them. However, most of them, including the statutory regulatory framework for VNs, would require Defra to introduce substantially new legislation – something they stated (in 2007) that they had no resources to do.

In the meantime, therefore, we are having to prioritise our ‘wish-list’ and make alternative arrangements under our existing powers. The main reform we are currently pushing for is to make the membership of the Preliminary Investigation and Disciplinary Committees independent of Council. This might be achievable via a less complicated form of legislation called a Legislative Reform Order (LRO) and we hope to discuss this further with Defra soon.

Although statutory VN regulation could not be achieved in the same way, we are instead using our Charter powers to put in place a regulatory framework for veterinary nurses. This began in 2007 with the introduction of the Register of Veterinary Nurses and the RCVS Guide to Professional Conduct for Veterinary Nurses and will be completed by the introduction of disciplinary procedures, hopefully in 2011.

A statutory framework for regulating VNs would be the best solution in the long term, and would hopefully also serve to protect the title of ‘veterinary nurse’. That remains our objective, which we will continue to work hard to achieve.