Your data on MRCVSonline
The nature of the services provided by Vision Media means that we might obtain certain information about you.
Please read our Data Protection and Privacy Policy for details.

In addition, (with your consent) some parts of our website may store a 'cookie' in your browser for the purposes of
functionality or performance monitoring.
Click here to manage your settings.
If you would like to forward this story on to a friend, simply fill in the form below and click send.

Your friend's email:
Your email:
Your name:
 
 
Send Cancel

RCVS publishes recording of ‘under care’ webinar
The RCVS is making available a range of resources explaining the new 'under care' guidance.
A second webinar is also planned on the topic.

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) has published a recording of its recent webinar on the new ‘under care’ guidance to help explain what the changes will mean for veterinary professionals.

The webinar, which took place on Thursday, 15 June, gave an overview of the key changes. It also looked at how the guidance will be enforced and explored issues around prescribing prescription-only veterinary medicines (POM-Vs) to animals ‘under care’ remotely.

To further explain the changes, the RCVS has also published a collection of practice-based scenarios to help veterinary professionals understand how to apply the new guidance in a variety of different circumstances.

Under the new rules, it will no longer be a requirement for a veterinary surgeon to conduct a physical examination before prescribing POM-Vs to an animal under their care. The changes will come into force from 1 September 2023.

RCVS president Melissa Donald chaired the webinar, and was joined by a panel comprising standards committee chair Linda Belton, RCVS registrar Eleanor Ferguson, and RCVS head of standards Gemma Kingswell. 

The webinar proved so popular that it was over-subscribed. A second webinar on the topic is planned for Monday, 17 July, with priority for attendance being given to those who wished to attend the June webinar but were unable to get a place in the audience.

Ms Ferguson said: “Thank you to all those members of the professions who took part in this very well-attended event in order to find out more about the new under care guidance and its implications in terms of the remote prescribing of POM-Vs ahead of its implementation from 1 September this year.
 
“We have also now published a range of practice-based scenarios to help explain how the new guidance should be followed in various circumstances, and in relation to different species. These scenarios cover a variety of different situations, including how the guidance applies to two or more practices with mutual clients, consultancy services and the prescription of long-term controlled drugs.”

Both the recording of the webinar and the scenarios are available to view on the RCVS website.

Become a member or log in to add this story to your CPD history

Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
New guidance for antibiotic use in rabbits

New best practice guidance on the responsible use of antibiotics in rabbits has been published by the BSAVA in collaboration with the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWA&F).

The guidance is free and has been produced to help veterinary practitioners select the most appropriate antibiotic for rabbits. It covers active substance, dose and route of administration all of which are crucial factors when treating rabbits owing to the risk of enterotoxaemia.

For more information and to access the guide, visit the BSAVALibrary.