BVA: sector ‘likely to face scrutiny’ over governance

The RCVS has been urged to support external scrutiny of the veterinary sector as part of current plans to reform the organisation’s governance.

The move has been proposed by the BVA, which warned the current regulatory structure could be questioned amid the widespread demand for new legislation.

The college said the issue would be considered, though it had not responded to the proposal in detail as Vet Times went to press.

Although a consultation exercise closed on 22 July, debate about the college’s proposals has intensified recently, with responses including calls for professionals to be given a vote on the suggested measures.

In its formal response to the process, published on 1 August, the BVA insisted that it “strongly” supported the college’s aim to modernise its governance structures.

‘Attention’

But, amid widespread backing within the sector for the implementation of a new Veterinary Surgeons Act, the BVA argued it was “likely that attention will be drawn to the current absence of independent oversight of the veterinary professions” as part of the process of developing a new law.

It warned: “The trend away from autonomous self-regulation towards independent oversight should not be ignored, with the public perception being that self-regulation is insufficiently robust.”

The paper highlighted the role of the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA), which is accountable to Parliament and whose functions include reviewing the work of regulators and accrediting registering organisations.

It called for the college to commit itself to external scrutiny based on similar standards to the PSA and to “publish the outcomes of that assessment in full”.

In response, a college spokesperson thanked the association for its contribution to the consultation process and said all the submissions would be reviewed by its council “in due course”. But the institution’s leadership has consistently argued that its plans would bring its procedures into closer alignment with standard regulatory practices.

While much of the controversy surrounding the college’s proposals to date has focused on the plan to abolish elections to its council and VN council, the BVA has given its backing to the plan for a fully appointed body to oversee regulatory matters.

Its president, Anna Judson, said the association recognised the issue had caused debate within the profession, but felt it was “the right step for the college’s regulatory function”, following deliberations by a working group set up to consider the subject last year. But she also cautioned that the measure ought not to be implemented on its own and should be introduced as part of a “holistic package” of measures that the association believes would provide greater clarity around the college’s work.

Separate councils

The recommendations include the establishment of a separate and fully elected council to oversee royal college functions, as well as separate councils for allied professions similar to the existing VN council and potentially including the establishment of separate royal colleges if required.

The BVA also argued greater clarity was needed in communication about the college’s purpose, structure and governance, as well as on which of its current functions are considered to fall under the regulatory or royal college remits respectively.

Dr Judson said: “It is essential that our recommendations are implemented as an integrated package, including a separate elected royal college council, otherwise this will be a missed opportunity to put in place a modern and effective governance framework for RCVS.”