24 Jan 2024
Interim accreditation arrangements will remain in place for the time being, subject to annual review, following a vote of the college’s council.
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Plans to enable direct RCVS accreditation of some European vet schools are still awaiting a Defra decision nearly a year after they were proposed, a new report has revealed.
Interim arrangements will remain in place for the time being, subject to annual review, following a vote of the college’s council.
But the lack of Government engagement was criticised during the 18 January session, amid wider frustration at a lack of progress towards a longer-term system.
Temporary arrangements, which make graduates from vet schools approved or accredited by the European Association for Establishments of Veterinary Education (EAEVE) eligible for RCVS registration, have been in place since 2019.
Latest figures, contained in the report, showed the number of EU vets registered with the college rose by almost 10% last year to 527.
There has also been rapid growth in the number of overseas vets registering to take the college’s Statutory Membership Exam, from 12 in 2019 to 124 last year and around 200 this year.
But the document also confirmed that concerns persist about a divergence in accreditation standards between the RCVS and EAEVE.
With negotiation of mutual recognition agreements with individual countries felt to be unrealistic, the college has been pursuing the development of a direct accreditation scheme and sought financial support from Defra to waive the fees for “a targeted number of EU schools”. The exact number has not been disclosed.
However, the report went on: “The proposal was first submitted in February 2023, and currently still rests with Defra for decision.”
The meeting was told that the department had asked the college to resubmit its proposals with different options, but that no further response had been forthcoming.
A Defra spokesperson told Vet Times it was working with the veterinary community, including the college, to enable the continuing exchange of skills, information and knowledge with vet schools in Europe and the rest of the world.
However, she added: “While we will continue to provide support where possible, accreditation is a matter for the RCVS.”
While college chief executive Lizzie Lockett argued the department should not be blamed for the present impasse, and urged members to present alternative solutions, VSC-appointed member James Wood said he felt the body was being “taken for granted”.
He said: “I can understand how a decision hasn’t been taken here but, as a regulator, I don’t think it’s good enough not to have an answer.”
Fellow VSC appointee Matt Jones also highlighted broader implications relating to EMS requirements and the desire to widen participation arising from the lack of progress.
But education committee chairperson Kate Richards warned that any move to halt the temporary arrangements immediately would necessitate the re-opening of an earlier decision to allow the Food Standards Agency temporary registrations to fill OV roles.
Although council members were initially asked for a decision on whether to extend the present arrangements for a further year, an amended proposal allowing the scheme to continue for a maximum of five years, with no extension beyond that, was passed instead by 10 votes to 8.
The proposal, tabled by Will Wilkinson, retained the provision for an annual review and allows the college to terminate the arrangement early if it chooses to do so.
Supporters argued a longer time period would provide an incentive for work towards alternative future solutions to be undertaken, while it was also highlighted that some students from the UK who had chosen to study abroad could be affected by any earlier changes.
A wider paper on direct accreditation is set to be presented at a future meeting, and elected member Olivia Cook suggested the college could fund accreditation visits itself for a limited period to help provide an incentive for schools to apply.
Clinical Assist