7 Aug 2020
“The task force recognises the need for more flexibility in our temporary guidance, so that veterinary surgeons can use their professional judgement to decide what is the most suitable approach in each individual case” – RCVS president Mandisa Greene.
James Westgate
Job Title
The RCVS has extended the right of veterinary surgeons to prescribe POM-Vs remotely until the end of September.
Guidance was changed on 25 March following the imposition of Government coronavirus restrictions to allow vets to prescribe POM-Vs without first having physically examined the animal, and allow more room for individual professional judgement in each case.
In June, an RCVS task force decided to extend the guidance for a further eight weeks, with another review to be held no later than 6 August.
At its meeting on 30 July, the task force considered the temporary guidance on remote prescribing should remain for the time being, but with a small change to step three of its coronavirus guidance flowchart – removing the words “in the first instance”.
RCVS president Mandisa Greene, who chairs the task force, said: “While lockdown measures have been eased and matters have improved, we are far from being back to business as usual and the threat of returning to more severe lockdown measures, whether locally or nationally, is still very much alive.
“Nevertheless, with practices currently able to return to more routine treatments, the task force recognises the need for more flexibility in our temporary guidance, so that veterinary surgeons can use their professional judgement to decide what is the most suitable approach in each individual case.”
