20 Jan 2026
Officials have stressed clinicians’ views will still be sought on the reforms, once an ongoing research project is completed.
Allister Webb
Job Title
Plans to seek clinicians’ views on the impact of reforms to the veterinary profession’s “under care” guidance have been put on hold while research into the topic continues.
Findings from the initial phase of a review commissioned by the RCVS are now expected to be published later this year.
But the college has delayed a consultation of professionals that officials had originally hoped to run alongside the present analysis.
A spokesperson confirmed its standards committee had “decided to wait until the completion of the ongoing research” before entering the phase where professionals’ views would be gathered.
He added: “As such, we will have a better idea of timings once the independent research project is completed.”
So far, the college has not confirmed exactly when the decision was taken or the reasons for it.
However, published papers from the latest standards committee meeting in early December showed the under care issue was due to be discussed in that session, together with a presentation by the VetCompass team that is carrying out the present research.
The college confirmed last March that it intended to work with the RVC-led scheme to analyse changes to prescribing behaviours following changes to the rules around POM-V products.
At that stage, RCVS officials indicated a preference for that project and the consultation to run “concurrently” so their findings could be reported together, although no firm timescale was given for the latter.
But the college’s current operational plan for the period up to the end of 2027, as published in papers for its council meeting this Thursday, 22 January, including a commitment to continuing the review of under care.
The document indicated the work’s progress would be measured by the production of “final guidance/code”, with a due date in the third quarter of 2026.
The college spokesperson said its current “aim” was to publish the results of the review in that period.
Although the rule changes were first approved by the college’s council in 2023, implementation of the POM-V measures was subsequently delayed until the following year.
