An update on the VN Vision project

A vision or a necessity? Strengthening the role of veterinary nurses in team-based veterinary healthcare

By Jill MacDonald, RCVS Veterinary Nursing Progression and Development Lead (pictured)

In summer 2025, we launched the second phase of our VN Vision project – running a range of workshops exploring how we can develop systems within practice that empower veterinary nurses to work to their full professional potential. In doing so, we aimed to enhance team-based healthcare, improve client experience, increase accessibility to veterinary care, and support practice efficiency.

Project aims

But how can veterinary nurses be more fully integrated into multidisciplinary teams, and what steps are needed to achieve this change?

The project aims to:

• define long-term goals for VN integration,
• identify practical, context-sensitive steps to achieve them, and
• establish measurable indicators of success that are meaningful to the profession and the public.

Key insights from workshops

The workshops are now nearing completion with consistent themes emerging across events involving veterinary professionals and support teams from across the UK. This marks an important milestone, as it gives us confidence that the insights gathered reflect a broad and representative range of perspectives from the profession.

VN Vision background

You can read more about the foundations of this work in our VN Vision report, published in June 2025.

A paper on the VN Vision work was also published in 'The Veterinary Nurse' in December 2025:

Dugmore, J., and Macdonald, J. (2025) ‘The future of veterinary nursing: challenges, opportunities and a vision for progress.’ The Veterinary Nurse. Vol.16 (10), pp 228-234. 

Strengthening the role

The workshops have focused on a key question: how can we move beyond the concept of ‘utilisation’ of veterinary nurses, and instead support genuinely effective, collaborative team-based care?

Discussions have reinforced that while there is strong appetite for change, achieving this will require not only practical adjustments, but also meaningful cultural change within practices.

Emerging themes

Several key themes have consistently emerged from the events:

Impact

Participants identified a wide range of potential benefits, including improved efficiency in care delivery, better patient outcomes through a holistic team-based approach, increased job satisfaction across all roles, enhanced career progression opportunities, improved access to veterinary care, and better wellbeing within the profession.

Potential impacts of the project include:

• Cohesive collaborative teams
• More effective use of skills and more efficient practice
• More opportunities for development
• Increased role satisfaction - nurses, vets and support staff
• Great client experience, supported by the whole team
• Increased accessibility to veterinary case and improved patient outcomes
• Less stress, improved mental health
• Easier recruitment, greater retention

Culture

Culture has been central to many discussions, including team dynamics, hierarchy, communication, trust in delegation, psychological safety, and valuing the contribution of all team members.

Interprofessional education (IPE)

There is a clear need for greater understanding of roles within the veterinary team. This goes beyond shared learning environments and includes clarity around scope of practice, delegation, and how different roles contribute to patient care.

Guidance on Schedule 3 and delegation

Clarity around legislation remains a key issue. While professional judgement is essential, participants highlighted the need for more practical guidance or examples of ‘good practice’ to support confident and consistent delegation.

What happens next?

We are now using these insights to further develop a theory of change that will underpin the long-term implementation of the project. This will outline the intended impact, the outcomes required to achieve it, and the enablers and barriers that may influence success.

The next phase of the project will involve engaging with a wider range of stakeholders to gather feedback and refine our approach. We anticipate launching a formal consultation in early 2027 to ensure the final strategy reflects the needs and perspectives of the professions.

To find out more, contact the VN Vision Team at [email protected].