About the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme

About the Scheme

Accreditation of Veterinary Practices

Accredited to Core Standards

Accredited as a General Practice - species/discipline specific

Accredited as a Hospital

About the Scheme

The RCVS Practice Standards Scheme was launched on 1 January 2005.  It is the only scheme representing the veterinary profession and was set up to:-

• Establish a quality assurance framework to promote and maintain the highest standard of veterinary care

• To make more information available about veterinary practices, and so give clients greater choice.

The RCVS Practice Standards Scheme has been embraced by the entire veterinary profession and replaces two schemes, one run by the British Veterinary Hospitals Association (BVHA)/Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and another by the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA).

Under transitional arrangements practices already approved under these schemes may, upon application, be accredited under the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme at either Tier 2 (for practices that were formerly BSAVA approved) or Tier 3 (for practices that were previously BVHA/RCVS approved Veterinary Hospitals). First inspection to the standards provided under the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme will take place in accordance with the inspection schedules operable under the previous schemes, i.e. four years from the date of last inspection. The transitional arrangements also provide that prior to 30th April 2005 an approved Veterinary Nursing Training Practice may on the basis of that approval, apply for accreditation at Tier 2 on a self certification basis. A rolling programme of formal inspection of these practices will commence in 2007.

Over 18 months of hard work by the Practice Standards Working Party and a broad consultation with the veterinary profession in the UK have resulted in the new RCVS Practice Standards Scheme.

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Accreditation of Veterinary Practices

Every accredited practice has volunteered to undergo rigorous inspection by a qualified inspector every four years.  It must meet the criteria appropriate for its type.

Between inspections it must certify annually that it continues to meet the necessary standards, and for further monitoring of standards, it may also be subject to spot checks.

All practice premises will be inspected.  This means that the type of service available in branches, as well as in main premises, will be clearer.

Under the Scheme, a veterinary practice may be:-

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Accredited to Core Standards

These Standards apply to all types of accredited practices and signifies, at least, compliance with legal and health and safety requirements.

To be accredited to Core Standards, a veterinary practice:

• Must put in place arrangements for 24 hour emergency cover for patients.  (This might be done by the practice itself, or through arrangements with another practice or emergency service provider);

• Must have appropriately trained staff for work undertaken (Veterinary qualifications and insurance are checked);

• Must comply with minimum standards of cleanliness and hygiene;

• Must make clients aware of arrangements for checking and monitoring patients if kept in overnight;

• Must ensure clients are given estimates of costs of treatments and consent to procedures undertaken;

• Have basic diagnostic and surgical equipment for the work undertaken.  These must be installed and maintained in accordance with health and safety requirements;

• Must have an effective policy for communication with clients;

The full leaflet describing veterinary practices accredited to Core Standards may be downloaded from the Document Download Area.

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Accredited as a General Practice - species/discipline specific

These practices may be accredited for Small Animals, Farm Animals, Equine Patients or as an Emergency Service Clinic or as a combination of these.

To be accredited as an RCVS General Practice, a veterinary practice:

• Must put in place arrangements to provide 24 hour emergency cover for patients.  This might be done by the practice itself, or through arrangements with another practice or emergency service provider;

• Must make clients aware of arrangements for checking and monitoring of patients kept in overnight;

• Must have a system for monitoring the outcome of treatments;

• Must show ongoing commitment to education and training of staff;

• Must keep premises clean and well maintained;

• Must have a policy for communicating with clients and looking at feedback;

• Must ensure clients are given estimates of the costs of treatments and consent to procedures undertaken;

• Have access to laboratory facilities for diagnostic testing;

• Meet legal and health and safety requirements covering its premises, equipment, clients and employees;

AND Comply with Core standards (see above)

The full leaflet describing RCVS Accredited General Practices (Species/Discipline Specific) may be downloaded from the Document Download Area.

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Accredited as a Hospital

Either for Small Animals or Equine Patients

To be a Hospital accredited under the Scheme, standards to be met are:

• Nursing staff must be present on the premises round the clock, and a veterinary surgeon available 24 hours a day to attend to in-patients if required.  This means that continual nursing and veterinary care for in-patients is available if needed.

• Clinical standards must be maintained and improved by monitoring performance and outcome treatments. 

• The availability and overall quality and range of equipment is checked eg. There must be specific diagnostic equipment such as ECG and Ultrasound.

• The standard of the premises and facilities is rigorously examined, with emphasis on cleanliness and sterility.

• However, it is recognised that the type of care and facilities suitable to meet the needs of small animals is different from that for equine patients.  It is for that reason that hospitals accredited under the Scheme must satisfy the Inspector that they meet the requirements specific to their type of practice.

AND Meet all the requirements of a general practice

AND Comply with Core standards (see above)

The full leaflet describing RCVS Accredited Hospitals may be downloaded from the Document Download Area.

Note: Practices listed as Veterinary Hospitals where no RCVS Practice Standards accreditation logo appears were inspected and approved under the BVHA/RCVS scheme. They have not applied for accreditation under the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme.