RCVS Academy launches new series of client support courses for veterinary professionals

Accessibility in veterinary settings removes barriers and promotes inclusivity for clients and their animals. These courses encourage veterinary professionals to reflect on the needs of clients with hearing loss and their assistance dogs and provide practical guidance on supporting those clients to access high-quality veterinary care.

The ‘Hearing loss’ and ‘Assistance dogs’ courses were developed with the British Deaf Association and Assistance Dogs UK (ADUK), alongside RCVS Project Lead, Catherine Hemingway.

Ash Robertson, Head of Learning and Allyship at ADUK, said: “We’re delighted to have contributed to this course, helping the RCVS raise awareness of assistance dog partnerships and handler access rights. We hope it will support veterinary professionals to make their services accessible and ensure handlers feel welcomed and supported when accessing the veterinary care their dogs need.

“We’re also incredibly grateful to the ADUK Welfare Working Group and our ambassadors for sharing their knowledge and lived experience to support this work. A huge thank you to the RCVS.” 

Each course takes one hour to complete and can be accessed at any time, allowing learners to work through the series at their convenience. All RCVS Academy courses are free to access for RCVS registrants who can log in to the RCVS Academy using their MyRCVS details. 

Those with any questions or difficulty accessing the Academy can email [email protected].

For those keen to chat in person, the RCVS Academy Team will be attending London Vet Show and will be available to answer queries on the RCVS stand.