We are delighted to announce that applications for our two, full time, animal care programmes at our Huntingdon centre are now open.
The Level 2 Diploma in Animal Care is a one year programme
The Level 3 Extended Diploma in Animal Management is a two year programme
Further details on each course can be found using the links above.
To apply please visit our website.
We are delighted that City & Guilds have now been given full approval to offer the Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing.
This means that students registered for the qualification will be able to apply for entry to the RCVS register once they have been certificated and have met the VN By-Laws Requirements in relation to hours of training.
Veterinary nurses who wish to remain on the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) List/Register of Veterinary Nurses are reminded that their renewal fees need to be paid by 31 December 2013 or they will be removed from the List/Register.
Some 7,180 veterinary nurses paid their fees by the annual deadline date of 1 November 2013. Another 2,161 have made payments since then and the remaining 1,468 veterinary nurses who have still not paid their fees have been sent a letter reminding them that their fees need to be paid – and cleared – by the end of the year.
The renewal fee can be paid online via using the individual log-in numbers on the fee renewal letters sent in September and the overdue payment letters sent in December. Veterinary nurses who have mislaid their log-in numbers can email webadmin@rcvs.org.uk with their full name, date of birth, address on the Register or List and the badge number engraved on the back of their VN badge. Payment can also be made by bank transfer – details are on the renewal letter.
For payments made by cheque, the name of the veterinary nurse and their List/Register number needs to be written on the back. Cheques need to be received by the RCVS before Friday 20 December and the payment to have cleared by 31 December.
For any queries about registration or annual renewals, veterinary nurses should contact the RCVS Registration Department on 020 7202 0707 or email membership@rcvs.org.uk
We are pleased to announce that applications for the Full Time Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing programme are now open. This is one of our most popular and oversubscribed courses, and therefore this year we are working to a new application timetable as follows:
30 April 2014 Closing date for completed applications
30 June 2014 Offers will be made to students by this date (both conditional and unconditional)
1 August 2014 All course places will be confirmed to students by this date (providing any offer conditions have been met). Any student with a conditional offer who has not met their conditions will be informed they have been unsuccessful in securing their place and will be advised on alternative course options.
Please note, if you applied for this programme last year and were unsuccessful, you will need to submit a new application.
We are looking for students who have a passion for veterinary nursing. You must be able to demonstrate your commitment to achieving the qualification and your desire to join a thriving profession where you can really make a difference.
To start your application, please fill in our online form.
The Council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) approved a new Strategic Plan at its 7 November meeting that will, over the next three years, bring the College closer to its vision of enhancing society through improved animal health and welfare.
The Strategic Plan is founded on feedback from the profession and the public about what the College does well and where it could do better, and an analysis of how other leading regulators operate. It will take the College on a journey towards becoming a first-rate regulator.
The ambitious Plan includes 35 actions, clustered under five themes, all centred on the purpose of setting, upholding and advancing veterinary standards.
For example, the College aims to introduce a service charter – for the public and the profession – of rights, expectations and responsibilities for each of its functions.
“This drive for excellent service lies at the heart of our focus on improvement,” says Nick Stace, CEO.
“The concept of veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses, as well as the public, being our ‘customers’, was one that unsettled the profession when it was first mooted. But I believe that only by ensuring that we focus relentlessly on improving how we interact with our customers will we deliver a service for the profession, the public, and, ultimately, the UK’s animals, which is worthy of the name first-rate regulator.”
Amongst other things, the Plan also commits to:
• Reduce the time it takes for a complaint to be concluded in a fair and transparent manner
• Improve the advice line for the public and the profession
• Establish statutory powers to conduct language testing for those from the EU for whom English is not their first language
• Cost and design a trial for a new consumer dispute resolution service
• Develop communications with the profession and the public in plain English
The Strategic Plan can be downloaded here.
Also at its November meeting, Council approved:
• A new draft Charter, which will be open to consultation soon
• The 2014 budget, which includes no fee increases for the fourth year running
• Arrangements for the introduction of the new Advanced Practitioner status, which will be finalised and launched during the second half of 2014
• A motion to reaffirm its commitment to a transparent and fair disciplinary process
More information on all of these topics will be available in the November issue of RCVS News, which is posted to all veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses, and will be available online shortly.
You can also hear direct from the CEO via his post-Council video update.
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) is calling for veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses to supply up-to-date email addresses for its Survey of the Professions, which will take place early next year.
The survey is carried out every four years and, for the first time, next year’s will be online only. It will ask questions about how vets and veterinary nurses are using their qualifications, how they carry out continuing professional development, what kind of practices they work in and their views on the profession, amongst other things.
The surveys will be sent via email so correct addresses are needed to make sure that veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses can have their say. Email addresses should also be unique, rather than being a generic practice email address, for example, so that the survey is sent to an individual rather than a whole team. This is also important for other emails from the College, such as personal fee or deadline reminders.
The RCVS also needs up-to-date contact details in order to offer members a better range of online services, such as the ability to better manage their Register details.
In order to check and update their contact details veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses should visit the log in area. Alternatively, they can contact the College’s Registration Department on 020 7202 0707 or membership@rcvs.org.uk
Well done to our Level 2 Certificate in Accounting students who all passed their first exam this week!
This is a great start to the programme and we wish them all the best of luck as they now move onto their next unit!
A huge thank you to all our students who supported out fundraising efforts during Children in Need week.
Huntingdon raised a total of £185.08 (to be spilt between Children in Need and Medi-Detection Dogs). With a special mention to VN students Jilly and Anna for raising £11.50 by selling their own cakes to staff and students, they were yummy!
Potters Bar and Leeds raised £25 and £115 respectively with their cake sales.
Edinburgh raised an incredible £264.65 with QAS Allison doing a sponsored silence and Centre Manager Karen Hibell dressed as Minnie Mouse .
Well done all!
The nominations period for candidates wishing to stand in the 2014 RCVS and VN Council Elections has now opened! The RCVS have stated they are keen to encourage all members of both professions to consider putting their names forward.
Six seats are available on RCVS Council, and two on VN Council, each for a four-year tenure. Existing RCVS Council Members David Catlow, Jacqui Molyneux, Bob Partridge, Christine Shield, Neil Smith and Clare Tapsfield-Wright are due to retire from Council next year, but are all eligible for re-election. Suzanne May and Hilary Orpet will be retiring from VN Council, but will be similarly eligible to stand again in 2014.
Last year, for the first time in over a decade, no women candidates stood for election to RCVS Council, and therefore they are determined to widen participation in Council amongst the whole profession.
To help veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses learn more about what’s involved in being a Council Member, the benefits it can bring and the amount of time it requires, the RCVS have produced two short videos featuring the experiences of some existing members of both Councils and their reasons for standing.
“We have chosen the theme ‘People like you’ for these videos because people on the Councils really are no different to their colleagues across all aspects of the veterinary and veterinary nursing professions. The thoughts and experiences they describe on camera will sound very familiar to many of their colleagues and peers!” says Gordon Hockey, RCVS Registrar, adding: “We need people of all ages and of varying experiences and professional backgrounds to ensure there is a healthy and diverse range of views available.”
RCVS will also be hosting a special ‘Meet the RCVS’ day on Tuesday, 10 December for anyone considering standing for election but wanting to find out more first. Further information and bookings are available from Fiona Harcourt, Communications Officer (020 7202 0773 / f.harcourt@rcvs.org.uk).
Nominations are open until 5pm on Friday, 31 January 2014, allowing plenty of time to find out more about what’s involved and to find two proposers.
For futher information about how to stand in either election click the following:
Are you looking to train as a veterinary nurse? If so, did you know that there is no need to wait until next September!
We are recruiting now for students to join our Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing day release programme starting the week commencing 6 January 2014 at our Huntingdon, Potters Bar and Leeds centres.
This is a two year programme, completion of which will allow you to apply to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) to join the Register of Veterinary Nurses.
To enrol onto this two year programme you must have a minimum of five GCSEs at grade C or above, including Maths, English Language and a Science Subject (or equivalent acceptable qualifications) and be either employed in an RCVS approved Training Practice or have secured a placement in one.
As well as the option of paying course fees up front, we now also offer a Pay as Your Learn payment scheme, making it possible to spread the cost of training out by paying on a monthly direct debit basis and, if you are 16 to 18 years of age at the start of the programme you will not be required to pay any course fees.
To find out more please visit our website or call our administration team on 01480 422060.