14 Mar 2023
Councillors will debate the amended measures in a meeting later this week, as well as the potential timetable for a review of their impact.
Allister Webb
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Further amendments to the reformed “under care” guidance have been outlined by the RCVS before its council examines the issue again later this week.
The revised rules will say vets must, rather than should, be able to offer physical examination and premises visits 24 hours a day before taking an animal under their care.
Council members will also be asked to consider setting a date for reviewing the guidance, though officials said it should not be for at least two years after it is finally implemented.
The college’s proposals were overwhelmingly approved when council members last met in Nottingham in January.
But papers published ahead of the council’s next meeting this Thursday (16 March) revealed the college’s standards committee have held two further sessions since then in which potential amendments were identified.
One of the main changes relates to the wording of the rule on the provision of physical examination and premises visit capabilities.
Although both were previously included as requirements, concerns were raised at the January meeting that the use of the word “should” rather than “must” was not sufficiently robust.
The latest report said the committee recognised there was good reason for not normally using “must” in guidance.
But it added: “Notwithstanding this, the committee agreed that because of the significance of this provision, an exception should be made in order to achieve a higher level of clarity and to make the provision more powerful.
“Therefore, the recommendation is that ‘must’ should be used in relation to providing a 24/7 follow-up service.”
Among other changes is the inclusion of equines alongside production animals, farmed aquatics and game among settings where a premises visit would be appropriate, and clarity that vets should provide clients with details of their follow-up provision.
A number of case studies, developed in response to concerns about practical implementation of the guidance, have also been published within the agenda papers.
Thursday’s session is further due to reconsider the timing of implementing the new guidance, currently set for sometime between 1 June and the end of the year, following the launch of a consultation on proposed changes to the Veterinary Medicines Regulations (VMRs) last month.
The report said the results of that consultation are likely to be released around the end of June, with changes being implemented within the following six months.
But it argued the changes proposed to the VMRs were moving “in a similar direction” to that of the college and members may find the content of the consultation “reassuring”.
The council paper also asks members to consider setting a review date for the new under care rules once they are in place.
The BVA has led calls for an early examination of the changes’ effects, arguing such a process was necessary to address any negative impacts on animal welfare or veterinary business sustainability.
But the report said: “It is suggested that any review date should be at least two years after implementation to give the guidance time to bed in and to ensure that there is adequate data to draw upon.”
The meeting, which was originally scheduled to take place in London, will now be held virtually because of anticipated disruption from strike action by teachers and railway workers.
