Election hint as crunch RCVS governance vote looms

A new report has suggested elections to a prominent RCVS committee could still take place, even if the process is scrapped for its key decision-making bodies.

The idea emerged as the organisation admitted more vets had opposed the move to a fully appointed council and VN council in its consultation than those who supported it.

But officials also insisted there was still majority support, including among vets, for the overall basis of its governance reform proposals.

The picture has emerged from papers published ahead of a key council meeting this Thursday (7 November), where a vote on whether to adopt the plans as formal college policy is due to take place.

The RCVS has rejected calls for a formal separation of regulatory and royal college functions, insisting there could be “no clear division” between the two in most areas.

‘Unique status’

But the report did concede there could be a “clearer” distinction between what it described as “core” functions such as the disciplinary process and “upstream regulation” that focuses on ensuring the profession’s broader fitness.

Policy and public affairs manager Ben Myring wrote: “The latter functions are currently overseen by the college’s advancement of the professions committee, and it is here where an argument could be made for either retaining an elected element on the committee membership, or adding delegates from the representative organisations.

“This would acknowledge the unique status of the RCVS without risking administrative divisions, and allow reform to bring RCVS council closer to the regulatory norm.”

The issue is one of six points that the report indicates council members may wish to vote on, along with the question of whether “options for independent oversight” of the college’s work should be investigated.

Public concern

Ideas such as the development of a veterinary ombudsman have become more prominent in recent months amid more vocal public concern about the effectiveness of current disciplinary procedures.

The report said a system of independent scrutiny “may be beneficial for public assurance”, while warning that any new measures were likely to come with costs to the consumer.

More than 730 responses were submitted during the consultation process in June and July, with around two-thirds (484) coming from individual vets.

Although no actual figures were given, the report said an “absolute or relative majority” of respondents had broadly supported the overall rationale for reform.

Proposals opposed

The move to appointed councils was also said to have been strongly supported among veterinary nurses, other professionals and members of the public.

But the paper continued: “Views among veterinary surgeons were more evenly distributed, with slightly more opposing than supporting the proposal.

“The support for an appointed system by all other groups, and key representative bodies including the BVA, adds further weight to [the] case for change.

“However, the concerns of the veterinary profession may strengthen the argument that elections might be retained elsewhere in the college’s governance structure, distant from any core regulatory functions.”