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Voting now open for RCVS and VN Council elections
Successful candidates will commence their term at the RCVS AGM in July.

Vets and vet nurses have until Friday 21 April to cast their votes.

The RCVS Council and VN Council elections are now open. Veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses have until 5pm on Friday 21 April to cast their votes in their respective elections. Voting is entirely online, and instruction emails were sent on Friday 17 March.

For veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses that have not registered a unique email address with RCVS, an instruction letter will be sent in the post.

There are 10 candidates in the RCVS Council election. They are:

  • Professor David Barrett FRCVS
  • Linda Belton MRCVS
  • Dr Martin Chamberlain MRCVS
  • Daniel Doherty MRCVS
  • James Gartside MRCVS
  • Steven Howard MRCVS
  • Tim Hutchinson MRCVS
  • Dr Alice McLeish MRCVS
  • Professor Chris Proudman FRCVS
  • Dr Peter Robinson MRCVS

Candidates’ full biographies and and statements are available to read on the RCVS website. Each candidate has also answered two questions of their choice from those that were submitted by members of the profession.

The three candidates who receive the most votes will commence their four-year term at the RCVS Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Friday 7 July.

There are five candidates in the VN Council election. They are:

  • Sarah Jane Batt-Williams RVN
  • Heather Jane Mathieson Kirkness RVN
  • Katherine Ann Mortimer RVN
  • Matthew Edwin Rendle RVN
  • Simon Peter Williams RVN

The two candidates with the most votes will also commence their three-year term at the RCVS AGM.

Candidates’ profiles are available to read on the RCVS website, as well as the answers to their chosen two questions, from those that were submitted by the profession.

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Equine Disease Surveillance report released for Q4 2025

News Story 1
 The latest Equine Disease Surveillance report has been released, with details on equine disease from Q4 of 2025.

The report, produced by Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance, includes advice on rule changes for equine influenza vaccination.

Statistics and maps detail recent outbreaks of equine herpes virus, equine influenza, equine strangles and equine grass sickness. A series of laboratory reports provides data on virology, bacteriology, parasitology and toxicosis.

This issue also features a case study of orthoflavivus-associated neurological disease in a horse in the UK. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NSA webinar explores sheep tailing and castration

The National Sheep Association (NSA) is to host a free webinar on the castration and tail docking of lambs.

The webinar, 'Understanding the tailing and castration consultation: A guide for sheep farmers', will be hosted online on Monday, 2 March 2026 at 7.30pm.

It comes during a government consultation into the methods used for these procedures. Farmers are encouraged to engage before the consultation period closes on Monday, 9 March 2026.

The webinar offers clear and actionable guidance to support farmers to contribute meaningfully to the consultation and prepare for potential changes.

On the panel will be former SVS president Kate Hovers, farmer and vet Ann Van Eetvelt and SRUC professor in Animal Health and Veterinary Sciences Cathy Dwyer. Each panel member will utilise their own specialism and expertise to evaluate risks and outcomes to sheep farming.

Find out more about the webinar on the NSA website.