The RCVS Impact Award

Who can be nominated?

RCVS Members (MRCVS) or Registered Veterinary Nurses (RVNs) who have made an impact through any veterinary field including clinical practice, research, education or veterinary politics.

How to make nomination

Nominations can be made by any MRCVS or RVN, excluding current RCVS Council and VN Council members.

This award is also open to self-nomination. If you are nominating yourself, please be sure to complete the form in the third person using your own name and preferred pronouns in place of 'I' to avoid bias.

You can nominate any veterinary professional whose work has created meaningful impact in:

• Clinical practice
• Research
• Education
• Veterinary politics
• Animal welfare
• Public health

When do nominations open?

Nominations for the 2027 awards open in autumn 2026 - keep an eye out for updates.
 

Past recipients  

2025

Professor John Innes FRCVS

John was honoured for spending 20 years developing, validating and promoting the use of client-reported outcomes measures in canine orthopaedics and chronic musculoskeletal pain. His method - Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs - is now widely used internationally by researchers and practitioners.

Dr Dan O'Neill FRCVS

Dan was recognised for his critical role in the development of VetCompass. VetCompass is a search engine that indexes millions of clinical records collected from primary practices and referral centres, allowing researchers to create an evidence-base that can be used by veterinary professionals in clinical practice.

2024

Dr Eve Hanks MRCVS
Eve received the award in recognition of her entrepreneurship and innovation in veterinary diagnostics. She developed a platform technology capable of diagnosing pre-clinical disease and predicting disease progression and response to treatment.

Thom Jenkins MRCVS
Thom was honoured for his role as CEO and co-founder of PetsApp, a veterinary engagement and communication platform. PetsApp supports veterinary practices and their clients with tasks such as appointment booking, reminders, payments, and chat functions.

Mark Morton MRCVS
Mark received the award for his work as the initiator and clinical lead of the Canine Cruciate Registry (CCR). CCR is a database designed to improve outcomes for dogs with cranial cruciate ligament ruptures, one of the most common causes of lameness in dogs.

2023

Dr Mark Little MRCVS
Mark received this award for his work as president of the British Veterinary Association’s (BVA) Northern Ireland branch and the Northern Ireland Veterinary Association (NIVA) 2021/2022. During his tenure, he identified and led the response to the critical issue of veterinary medicine supply to Northern Ireland at the end of the Brexit “grace period” in December 2022.

Dr Collin Willson MRCVS
Collin was honoured for his long and impactful career in veterinary public health and food safety, providing expertise and policy guidance to the BVA and its divisions. His work with the Halal meat industry, ensuring a balance between animal welfare concerns and respect for religious and cultural practices, was particularly recognised.

2022

Dr Liz Barton MRCVS
Liz received the award for championing women leaders within the veterinary professions. She has enhanced wellbeing across the profession through the WellVet Initiative she co-founded, and has used social media to provide professional and personal support to working mothers in veterinary careers.

Professor Clare Rusbridge FRCVS
Clare was honoured for her research and clinical work on Chiari-like malformation and syringomyelia (CMSM). She discovered CMSM in King Charles Spaniels in 1997 and has since published extensively, developed a treatment algorithm, and translated it into multiple languages, enabling optimal care for dogs even in areas without access to veterinary neurologists.

2021

Alison Lambert MRCVS
Alison received this award as the founder and owner of Onswitch, a veterinary consultancy that helps practices create customer-centred care, ensuring pets, horses, and livestock receive the best possible treatment.

Dr Gwenllian Rees MRCVS
Gwenllian was honoured for her role in the Arwain Vet Cymru (AVC) project, a national antimicrobial stewardship programme for farm vets in Wales. She has also trained a network of Veterinary Prescribing Champions (VPCs), promoting responsible medicine use and implementing antimicrobial stewardship policies on farms.

2020

Dr Rosie Allister MRCVS
Rosie was recognised as a leading advocate and researcher in veterinary mental health. Her roles include veterinary educator, manager of the Vetlife Helpline, and member of the RCVS Mind Matters Initiative Taskforce. Through these positions, she has made substantial contributions to research, awareness, and stigma reduction surrounding mental health in the profession.

Hannah Capon MRCVS
Hannah, co-founder and director of Canine Arthritis Management (CAM), received the award for raising awareness of canine arthritis among veterinary professionals and the public. CAM is a self-funded social enterprise providing guidance on the treatment and management of arthritis in dogs.

2019

Professor Sarah Louise Freeman FRCVS
Sarah was honoured for developing the ‘REACT now to prevent colic’ educational programme with The British Horse Society, significantly impacting equine welfare, public awareness, and the veterinary profession.

Professor Paul Damien McGreevy FRCVS
Paul received this award for demonstrating how veterinary education can have remarkable international impact on animal health and welfare.

2018

Jade Statt MRCVS
Jade was recognised for co-founding the charity StreetVet, which provides free and accessible veterinary care to homeless pet owners. She has discussed the impact of StreetVet on the homeless community and their companion animals on the RCVS Podcast.