Disciplinary hearings

Disciplinary Hearings are the culmination of the RCVS complaints procedure.

The RCVS Disciplinary Committee (DC) follows court procedures and complaints must be proved to the highest civil standard of proof - 'so as to be sure'. The 'Disciplinary Committee Procedure Guidance' was re-issued in January 2010 and is used as an aid to decision making at Disciplinary Hearings. This guidance document should be read in conjunction with the 'Disciplinary Committee Manual,' also issued in January 2010.

A new Case Management Protocol has been adopted for cases referred to the DC from 1 November 2011. The Protocol can be downloaded from the 'Related documents' section on the right.

If you are attending a hearing as a witness, or would like an overview of the procedure of a Disciplinary Hearing you can download and read the 'Witness Information Pack' for further information.

If found guilty of serious professional misconduct and ordered to be suspended or struck off the Register, a veterinary surgeon may appeal to the Privy Council within 28 days. If appealed, the order does not take effect unless and until it is upheld by the Privy Council.

The press is notified of any hearings due to take place and an official announcement appears in The Veterinary Record. The hearings are generally conducted in public and reported by the press.

The outcomes of disciplinary hearings are also recorded in the RCVS Annual Report. Veterinary surgeons who have appeared before the DC during the last three years are as follows:

2009   2010   2011  2012

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