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Record number of candidates for RCVS elections
Members are invited to submit questions to the candidates.
RCVS members are invited to ‘quiz the candidates’.

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) has announced the largest number of candidates for its Council election in more than 25 years.

This year there are 20 veterinary surgeons vying for four available elected places on the RCVS Council.

Each of the candidates has shared a full biography and election statement, which are available on the election website. Candidates with the most votes will sit a four-year term on the RCVS Council.

The RCVS Council is the governing body which makes decisions relating to the regulation of the veterinary profession. This includes strategy, professional standards, education, registration and any other projects that might advance the professions.

There are also three candidates standing for two elected spaces on RCVS’ Veterinary Nurse (VN) Council.

These candidates have also supplied biographies and election statements, which have been published on the VN Council election page. The two candidates with the most votes will sit a three-year term on the VN Council.

The VN Council is responsible for matters including veterinary nurse training, post-qualification awards and the registration of qualified veterinary nurses.

All of the successful candidates will begin their terms at RCVS’ Annual General Meeting on Friday, 4 July 2025.

Ahead of voting, RCVS will be inviting members to ‘Quiz the candidates’. Veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses can submit a questions to learn more about the candidates standing in their respective elections.

Due to the updated information in the candidates’ biographies, each candidate will answer one question of their choice. Members of the professions have until Friday, 28 February to submit their questions.

Simon Wiklund, assistant registrar and returning officer for both elections, said: “We are glad to see such a large number of veterinary professionals putting themselves forward as candidates for this year’s elections.

“It is worth noting that any future governance changes, including RCVS and VN Councils becoming all-appointed bodies, are contingent on new legislation and, until that happens, we will continue to hold our annual elections.”

Image © Shutterstock

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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.

 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Wales licenses Bluetongue vaccines for voluntary use

The Welsh government has approved three Bluetongue vaccines for emergency use in Wales.

From 1 March an online general licence will become available for the vaccines' use. They will then be obtainable on prescription and can be sold by veterinary practices.

After appropriate guidance, livestock keepers will be permitted to administer the vaccines themselves. The vaccines must be prescribed by a veterinary surgeon and detailed vaccination records must be kept for five years.

The decision comes as Bluetongue virus (BTV-3) continues to spread across England. The three vaccines are already licensed for use in England.

Richard Irvine, CVO for Wales, said: "This decision to licence these vaccines was informed by our recent risk assessment indicating that Wales is now at high risk of experiencing an incursion of Bluetongue this year.

"Our primary aim is to keep Bluetongue out of Wales through biosecurity, vigilance and safe sourcing of livestock."