8 Oct 2020
Full meeting of RCVS council votes through a motion to continue remote prescribing of POM-Vs with enhanced safeguards “involving a 24/7 follow-up service involving physical examination”.
Paul Imrie
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Image © Stanislau_V / Adobe Stock
The RCVS has voted to continue the right for vets to prescribe POM-V products remotely – but with added safeguards requiring a follow-up physical examination.
The college’s COVID-19 task force last week extended a measure, put in place in March at the start of the pandemic, to allow vets to prescribe prescription-only medications without first seeing an animal.
Today (8 October), at a full meeting of council, councillors voted to “enhance the protection of animal welfare” by adding requirements for a follow-up examination and, if necessary, further investigations to be conducted.
The latest decision by the college to extend remote prescribing was criticised by the BVA and others concerned that vets could effectively continue to prescribe medicines to new clients without seeing their animals.
In a motion put forward to the full council by council member Joanna Dyer – and seconded by Neil Smith, Danny Chambers, Martin Peaty and Richard Stephenson – members of council were asked to “enhance protection of animal welfare” by amending the guidance.
In its notice of motion, tabled ahead of the meeting, it was stated: “Emergency measures have allowed vets to prescribe prescription-only medications remotely, both to animals already under their care and to new clients/animals where circumstances dictate.”
It continued: “Prescribing can be a pragmatic solution to the problem of clients and vets having to shield or living in lockdown areas, to minimise face-to-face interaction. However, [two reports in front of the council] refer to telemedicine and remote prescribing within the context of veterinary practices where a physical examination and further investigation can be carried out if necessary – that is, it is being used as a way of minimising physical contact, not eliminating it.
“This makes sense because animal welfare requires that physical examination will always be necessary in a percentage of consultations to make an accurate diagnosis and for the animal to be under the care of the veterinary surgeon or the practice.
“Not providing this follow-up care when necessary, or arranging for it to be provided, represents an abdication of the responsibility and accountability expected and required by RCVS of its members and the animal-owning public.”
Speaking during the meeting to second the motion, Dr Smith said: “This is about giving an additional clarification, because the way we read FAQ4 [guidance on the temporary permission of remote prescribing], we believe it gives a loophole for people to do remote prescribing without providing 24/7 backup.”
“This isn’t changing the intent of what the task force meant when it reviewed FAQ4, but now this decision is being endorsed by council, which means if there is an issue of a judicial review challenge or a disciplinary issue relating to this, it has the full backup of a council decision and not one made just by the task force.”
Resolving to enhance welfare protections, they backed the resolution: “Remote prescribing of POM-Vs should only be carried out by veterinary surgeons who can provide a 24/7 follow-up service involving physical examination, plus or minus further investigation, if required; for example, in the case where the animal does not improve, or suffers an adverse reaction, or deteriorates, subsequent to the prescription of said medicines.
“This follow-up service can be provided personally by the veterinary surgeon or practice, or by written agreement with a veterinary services provider which is local to the client (as with the current situation for 24/7 care provision).”
The resolution is effective from 1 November 2020.
