Quality Improvement to Lead Organisational Change Award

The RCVS Knowledge Quality Improvement (QI) to Lead Organisational Change Award celebrates practical examples where organisations are working with their local practice teams, using recognised QI theory to develop and embed measurable improvements.

"We’re absolutely delighted to win this award! Our team are passionate about supporting our practices in learning from error and using the insights from this to drive change at both practice and organisational level. It’s great to see the hard work of the team and organisation recognised by our peers and colleagues, and we hope this will inspire teams across our profession to engage with and learn from patient safety events using the platforms available to them.”

Aarti Hogan on behalf of the Linnaeus Medical Team - 2025 Knowledge Award Champion

On this page:

• About the award
• How to apply
• Closing dates
• Previous winners

About the award

What is this award for?

The RCVS Knowledge QI to Lead Organisational Change Award celebrate organisations making a real difference in veterinary care by using clinical audit and QI to support their teams across practices, groups, or regions to make changes that lead to better outcomes, improved care, and an improved culture of continuous learning.

Applications should show how clinical audit has been used to make measurable improvements, especially in line with the Domains of Quality Veterinary Healthcare.

Tip: Not finished a full audit cycle yet? No problem. Promising projects can still be recognised with a ‘Highly Commended One to Watch’ award. Just make sure your work is rooted in solid QI methods.

Who is eligible for this award?

This award is open to any veterinary organisation that is using clinical audit and recognised QI theory to support organisation-wide improvements for patients and teams.

Applications can be submitted by any team member representing their practice or organisation. This includes veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses, practice managers, administrative staff, and other support roles, regardless of seniority or job title.

Projects involving any species are welcome, including farm, equine, companion animal, exotics, zoo, and wildlife.

How will my application be assessed?

Your application will undergo a thorough evaluation process designed to recognise the very best in QI. Applications are assessed using a blinded peer-review assessing framework.

Here's how it works:

• Initial review: Your application will first be reviewed by the RCVS Knowledge Quality Improvement Team to ensure it meets the basic criteria and showcases a commitment to QI.
• Detailed evaluation: If your application passes the initial review, it will move on to a more detailed evaluation. Here, a panel of reviewers will dive deep into the details of your project, assessing the quality, impact and innovation of your work.
• Final judging: In the final stage, a panel of judges will conduct a review of the top applications. This review builds on the detailed evaluations and determines the final rankings, including the selection of first, second, and third-place award recipients.

 

What are we looking for?

Your application will be evaluated based on several key criteria:

• Use of RCVS Knowledge resources and recognised QI methods: Demonstrate how you've applied RCVS Knowledge resources and recognised QI techniques to achieve measurable progress in your organisation.
• Impact and innovation: Demonstrate the real-world benefits of your project and its role in driving positive change. This can be illustrated through measurable improvements in workflows and patient safety, as well as a positive practice culture, and systems to enhance team communication and support team wellbeing.
• Comprehensive audit cycle: Applications must demonstrate a full audit cycle to be awarded first, second or third place. Promising projects in progress are also welcome, but will only be considered as a potential ‘Highly Commended One to watch'.
• Teamwork: Demonstrate how you are working with, listening to, and supporting your teams; adapting your approach to achieve the best chance of sustained improvements. 

Tip: These awards focus on using clinical audit to monitor and improve the quality of care through data collection and analysis. They are not intended for conducting Clinical Veterinary Research. To learn more about the difference, check out this document: Clinical Audit – addressing ethical concerns - RCVS Knowledge

 

Supporting evidence

You can enhance your application with supporting evidence such as team presentations and updates.

Please note, any supporting evidence may be published in its entirety along with your case example. Ensure you have permission from your practice leadership and management teams to provide such evidence.

To maintain a fair and unbiased review process, all additional documents must be anonymised. If your application or supporting documents contain prominent branding (including logos, colours, and job titles that are specific to your organisation) or details that have been previously published, we may not be able to anonymise them effectively. In such cases, these documents will not be included in the materials reviewed by the judging panel, which may affect your overall score.

Tip: Keep personal and identifiable details to a minimum. Make sure all critical information is clearly presented within the main body of your application to maximise your chances of success!

The journey to becoming a champion

Only the most outstanding applications will progress through each round, leading to the selection of our Champions and Highly Commended runners-up. This rigorous process helps ensure the winners represent the culmination of excellence in QI.

What happens if my application is selected as a winner?

• Champion Award

The Champion Award is the pinnacle of recognition in the RCVS Knowledge Awards, celebrating the very best in QI within the veterinary profession. This prestigious award recognises the highest level of commitment to driving improvement that leads to better outcomes, care, and learning.

Three practices/organisations will be awarded as champions:

• First Place: £300 prize and an invitation for your practice representative and guests to attend an award ceremony.
• Second Place: £250 prize
• Third Place: £200 prize

Champion Award winning practices will be awarded plaques, certificates, and badges for their teams - tangible symbols of your achievement, proudly displaying your team's success.

As a Champion, your practice will be a role model, inspiring others to strive for excellence.

A representative from champion practices or organisations will be invited to share experiences and learnings from the project through podcasts and interviews. The practice or organisation may also be invited to take part in further promotional opportunities, such as presenting at conferences and publishing their findings in a journal such as Veterinary Evidence.

• Highly Commended Award

The Highly Commended Award is a prestigious recognition for practices or organisations that have demonstrated exceptional progress in QI. This award celebrates teams that are dedicated to driving continuous improvement in veterinary care. This award highlights the collective efforts of your team and serves as an encouragement to continue your journey towards completing a full audit cycle and achieving even greater milestones.

As a Highly Commended Award winner, your practice or organisation will be highlighted as a leader in QI, inspiring others in the veterinary community.

A certificate for your practice and badges for your team will be awarded, providing tangible recognition of your achievements.

• One to Watch Award

The One to Watch Award is a special recognition for practices or organisations that are on the path to excellence in QI. This Award acknowledges your practice's promising efforts and dedication to improvement, and encourages you to continue your journey towards completing a full audit cycle. Being named One to Watch highlights your practice as an up-and-coming leader in the veterinary profession.

As a One to Watch Award winner, your practice or organisation will be showcased as a rising star in the veterinary community, inspiring others to follow your example.

A certificate will be awarded for your practice or organisation, providing tangible recognition of your achievements.