12 Feb 2021
Practice Standards Scheme assessments were suspended during last year’s lockdown, but despite the UK being back under similar restrictions, the RCVS is continuing to undertake inspections of those practices in the scheme, albeit remotely.
James Westgate
Job TitleThe RCVS has been slammed for being “out of touch” for its decision to press ahead with Practice Standards Scheme (PSS) assessments through lockdown.
Assessments were suspended during last year’s lockdown, but despite the UK being back under similar restrictions, the regulator is continuing to undertake inspections of those practices in the scheme, albeit remotely.
Now Vet Times has been contacted by the owner of a three-site independent practice in the midlands (name and address provided) who has branded the decision “ridiculous” after being given just a week to prepare for an RCVS assessment.
She said: “When my practice manager received the email from RCVS practice standards [about the assessment], she had a complete meltdown. They sent it on 20 January, and it informed us that one of our three sites would be inspected the following week, and we needed to upload the relevant documents before then and do a Microsoft Teams meeting on the day itself.
“This would be difficult at the best of times, but right now is nigh-on impossible, as I’m a working vet, slotting in wherever necessary when team members are off self-isolating etc.
“My practice manager is also picking up the never-ending phone calls to help a stretched reception team for the same reasons. Needless to say, I got her to email back saying absolutely no way – we are in COVID lockdown, staffing is by no means a certainty day to day and we really cannot accommodate this during a global pandemic; it is ridiculous.
“One week’s notice would seem unfair at any time, but with the UK in the middle of a pandemic lockdown, this makes the RCVS seem incredibly out of touch with GP vets, who are struggling just to meet client demand right now.”
The RCVS has since been back to the practice to arrange inspections of all three practice sites in March – an offer that has since been refused by the exasperated vet and practice owner.
She added: “Perhaps they think they’ve made sufficient provision by turning inspections from in-person to remote? I’m also sure they will try to justify it by hiding behind the argument of needing to ‘maintain standards’ within the profession.
“However, I am unaware of any other regulatory body pursuing such routine matters right now, and it’s not like we’ve had major or even minor issues when we’ve been inspected in the past either – and we’ve been a member of the PSS since it started.
“Frankly, even though we pride ourselves on being a proactive and forward-looking practice, going through the process of a practice re-inspection would require many hours of admin time that we simply do not have right now, and won’t have for the foreseeable.”
There have been moves in recent years to make the scheme compulsory, but as it stands, membership of the PSS remains voluntary, with approximately 60% of UK practices now signed up.
Under its terms of membership, all practices must be checked for compliance with the Veterinary Medicines Regulations (VMR) – a point raised by the college when defending its position on lockdown assessments.
A spokesman said: “We would like to reassure all those in the PSS that we understand and sympathise with the pressures that veterinary practices are currently operating under.
“As to why we are continuing to undertake remote PSS assessments in the current lockdown, a key reason is that we need to fulfil our legal obligations to ensure that practices within the scheme are compliant with the VMR.
“We have an agreement with the VMD, which is also continuing to check VMR compliance for practices not in the scheme, that these are assessed for a minimum of once every four years. These checks are generally carried out as part of our regular PSS reaccreditation visits.”
The college also pointed out that it has put in place a number of mitigations to help ease some of the pressure, including remote checks.
The spokesman added: “The key change is that assessments are currently carried out remotely, but we have made other adjustments including a reduction in the number of staff required to be present on the day of the assessment, shorter assessment times, the granting of requests for extensions (as we did in this case), and a lighter touch overall in terms of the scheme requirements by concentrating on priority areas such as the practice team, client safety and animal welfare, with practices having the option to self-declare that they meet the standards in certain areas.
“We would also like to clarify that, as far as we are aware, other regulators including the VMD, General Pharmaceutical Council, Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, and others are currently carrying out assessments and inspections of premises within their regulatory remit, whether that is remotely, face to face or a mix of the two.”
