23 May 2025
The college has set out its ambitions for its work over the next five years.
Allister Webb
Job Title
RCVS chief executive Lizzie Lockett.
The RCVS has published its latest five-year Strategic Plan, covering the period up to the end of 2029.
Bosses say the paper, which was released on Wednesday (21 May), sets out how it will work both with and for key animal health and welfare stakeholders during the rest of this decade.
The document outlines a range of objectives the college aims to pursue under a broader “stronger together” theme with veterinary professionals, animal owners, college staff and wider society.
Those aims include legislative reform, reviewing its RCVS Code of Professional Conduct and continuing work to ensure career pathways and education standards are appropriate.
The document also confirms the college’s previously stated intention to explore the potential of offering pet bereavement counselling as part of its complaint resolution processes, as well as public health and infrastructure priorities.
Chief executive Lizzie Lockett thanked all the organisations and individuals who contributed to the development of the plan, which was first approved by the college’s council in March.
She said: “The overall theme of the plan recognises that there are many other individuals and organisations that have a stake in our mission to inspire confidence in veterinary care and protect the public interest by ensuring animal health and welfare, and public health, are advanced through thriving world-class veterinary professions.
“This is where the ‘stronger together’ comes in, recognising that, in our role as a royal college that regulates, we are very well placed to bring people and organisations together to meet our common purpose of improved animal health and welfare and public health in a collaborative, proactive way.”
The full document is available via the RCVS website.
