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RCVS awarding body officially closes
certificates
With the closure of RCVS awards, centres approved by Central Qualifications and City & Guilds now deliver the diplomas in veterinary nursing.
Resolving a conflict of interest
 
A ceremony held at RCVS headquarters in London last week marked the official closure of RCVS Awards, the former awarding body for veterinary nursing qualifications.

The college has been winding down its awarding activities over the past few years due to a potential conflict of interest.

As a professional regulator, the college's role includes the regulation of education and training leading up to the registration of veterinary surgeons and nurses.

With the closure of RCVS awards, centres approved by Central Qualifications and City & Guilds now deliver the diplomas in veterinary nursing.

Speaking at the closing ceremony last week (1 December), Virginia Pott, a former external verifier for RCVS Awards, commented: "I think it was always difficult for the RCVS to have two roles and so the closure of RCVS Awards has brought clarity to the college as a regulator".

Despite the closure of RCVS Awards, the college continues to provide the Nursing Progress Log (NPL). Whilst the closure of its awarding arm has been welcomed as a positive step, some still feel the NPL presents a conflict of interest and competes with awarding bodies that develop their own skill logs.

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Applications open for MMI research grants

News Story 1
 RCVS' Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has launched round two of its veterinary mental health research grants.

Researchers have until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 to apply for a grant for research which reflects MMI's 2025 focus areas.

Only one Impact Grant was awarded last year, and so this year there are two Discovery Grants and one Impact Grants available. Each Discovery Grant is worth £5,000 and the Impact Grant is worth £15,000.

For more information or to apply, email researchgrants@rcvs.org.uk to contact the MMI team.

 

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News Shorts
BBC Radio 4 documentary addresses corporate fees

BBC Radio 4's File on 4 Investigates has released a documentary exploring how corporate-owned veterinary practices may be inflating bills to increase profit.

Released on 15 April, 'What's Happening To Your Vet Bills?' revealed the policies which many corporate groups have in place to increase their profits. This included targets and upgrades which veterinary teams are tasked with meeting on a regular basis.

It also features Anrich Vets, an independently-owned practice based in Wigan. Following the case of Staffordshire terrier Benjy, who is diagnosed with a tumour, the documentary shares how the team were able to offer contextualised care and advice to make the procedure as affordable as possible for his owners.

The documentary can be heard on demand on BBC iPlayer.