Dumfries-based veterinary nurse educator elected as new RCVS VN Council Chair
The Acting Registrar at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) has been elected as the new Chair of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Veterinary Nurses (VN) Council, which governs veterinary nurse training, post-qualification awards and the registration of qualified veterinary nurses.
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Kirsty Young RVN has been an elected member of VN Council since 2024, having qualified as a veterinary nurse in 1999. She has worked in veterinary nursing education for over 20 years in areas such as curriculum development and programme validation and accreditation, including chairing veterinary nursing accreditation panels for the RCVS.
She was elected as the new Chair of VN Council at its meeting on Wednesday 13 May 2026 and will take up the three-year post from the RCVS Annual General Meeting on Friday 3 July 2026. She replaces Belinda Andrews-Jones RVN who was elected to the position of Vice-Chair of VN Council, which she will also hold for three years.
Kirsty (pictured with her dog Islay) said: “It's an honour to have been elected by my fellow Council members as Chair of the RCVS Veterinary Nurses Council. After more than 25 years in veterinary nursing across clinical practice, education and governance, I’m very proud to take on this role at such an important time for the profession.
“My time on VN Council has been both rewarding and inspiring, and I have valued the opportunity to work alongside dedicated colleagues committed to supporting veterinary nurses and advancing the profession. These experiences have reinforced the importance of collaboration, inclusivity and strengthening the veterinary nursing voice.
“As Chair, I look forward to supporting the continued development, recognition and wellbeing of veterinary nurses, while helping to shape the future of the profession through ongoing legislative reform. I am committed to driving positive progress and championing the vital contribution veterinary nurses make to animal health and welfare every day.”
As Chair, Kirsty will be responsible for leading VN Council which meets four times a year to make decisions and hear reports on issues such as the accreditation of veterinary nursing qualifications, student enrolments and international veterinary nurse registrants.
More information about VN Council can be found on the dedicated RCVS webpage.