VN Council

Terms of Reference

The RCVS Veterinary Nurses Council was established in 2002 and replaced the Veterinary Nurses Committee.

It has overall responsibility for all matters concerning veterinary nurse training, post-qualification awards and the registration (listing) of qualified veterinary nurses. (View full terms of reference)

Members

The VN Council comprises veterinary nurses, veterinary surgeons, lay people and industry group representatives - details of whom are provided below. The veterinary surgeons are drawn both from RCVS Council and appointments made by the VN Council.

Veterinary Nurses

• Elizabeth Branscombe RVN - Vice-Chairman

• Elizabeth Cox RVN

• Elizabeth Figg REVN

• Louise Glysen RVN

• Andrea Jeffery RVN

• Katherine Kissick RVN - Chairman

• Suzanne May RVN

• Hilary Orpet RVN

Veterinary Surgeons

• Elizabeth Armitage-Chan MRCVS (non-RCVS Council)

• Victoria Aspinall MRCVS (non-RCVS Council)

• Richard Hooker MRCVS (non-RCVS Council)

• Christopher House MRCVS (Lantra Industry Group (Veterinary Activities Industry Group))

• Jill Nute MRCVS

• Neil Smith MRCVS

• Bradley Viner MRCVS

Lay members

• Tony Birbeck MBE

• Penny Swindlehurst

Committee Secretary

Annette Amato (T 020 7202 0713, E a.amato@rcvs.org.uk)

Meeting dates and papers

View the VN Council meetings page for meeting dates and links to VN Council agendas and papers.

VN Council membership of other Committees and Sub-committees

Members of VN Council also sit on a number of other RCVS Committees and Sub-committees.

The full terms of reference of the Veterinary Nurses' Council are as follows:

1. To maintain the list of veterinary nurses referred to in Schedule 3 to the Veterinary Surgeons Act (1966).
2. To establish and keep under review standards of proficiency for safe and effective veterinary nursing practice, including requirements for admission to the list referred to in 1). and the training and examinations to be undertaken.
3. To ensure compliance with the requirements of the SQA and QCA (or their successor bodies) relating to S/NVQ awards in veterinary nursing.
4. To establish and keep under review standards of good character and conduct required for listed veterinary nurses and to develop a voluntary system of regulation.
5. To establish and keep under review schemes for post-qualification training and continuing professional development for veterinary nurses, and the outcomes to be achieved, with a view to recording an additional entry in the list referred to in 1).
6. To recommend to the Planning and Resources Committee a budget and levels of fees to be charged for awarding body functions, qualification, listing and post qualification diplomas.
7. To recommend to the Council amendments to the Veterinary Nursing Bye-Laws and Advanced Veterinary Nursing Bye-Laws.
8. To oversee the work of the Awarding Body Management Group, which will be responsible for the detailed administration of the Veterinary Nurse Training Scheme.
9. In exercising its functions, the Veterinary Nurses’ Council shall ensure that the welfare of animals and good veterinary practice are central to its work.

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