Our service promise

At the RCVS, we're committed to delivering high-quality service to both the veterinary profession and the public. Our service promise sets out the standards you can expect when contacting us, taking part in the Practice Standards Scheme, or registering as a veterinary professional.

Whether you have a question, need guidance, or wish to raise a concern, we aim to respond quickly, clearly, and respectfully, using your feedback to continually improve our work.

The following Charter outlines our service commitment - and how you can help us deliver the best possible service.

Our service agenda is about treating the public and the profession with the highest standards of customer care. We achieve this through our committed, caring and compassionate team, and a working culture that liberates our people to look for, and act on, constant improvement.

What you can expect

A helpful response to any query from a named person who listens carefully and keeps you informed
A response to verbal enquiries within two working days, and to written enquiries within one week
An apology and corrective action if we make a mistake.
Your feedback will be used to improve our service

Our approach is always:

Fair
Open
Understanding
Forward-thinking
Accountable
Consistent

Feedback or concerns about the RCVS

If we haven’t met the service standard you expect, we want to hear from you.

Find out how to share feedback or raise a concern about the RCVS .

The RCVS Practice Standards Scheme

The RCVS Practice Standards Scheme promotes and maintains the highest standards of veterinary care. Participation is voluntary, yet around 70% of UK practices have joined, demonstrating their commitment to top-quality care.

We hold ourselves to the same high standards and will:

Notify practices three months before an inspection
Share inspection outcomes within six weeks (or eight weeks if referred to the Practice Standards Review Group)
Respond to any evidence provided within two weeks
Send your accreditation pack within seven working days of confirming your compliance

Raising a concern about a veterinary professional or practice

If you’re a member of the public and want to raise a concern about a veterinary professional or practice, this page provides detailed information about the concerns process.

When a concern is raised, we will:

Acknowledge it within two working days
Provide clear information about the process to both the person raising the concern and the professional or practice involved
Appoint a named contact to assess the concern and get in touch with you within two weeks

Concerns go through several stages until they are resolved. Our target timescales are:

Stage 1: Assessment and Investigation - within six months
Stage 2: Preliminary Investigation Committee - within seven months (simple cases) or 12 months (complex cases)
Stage 3: Disciplinary Committee - within ten months (simple cases) or 15 months (complex cases)

We will keep all parties updated throughout the process.

Our registration standards: veterinary surgeons

Veterinary surgeons: UK graduates

If you qualified in the UK, here’s what to expect when applying to register with the RCVS as a veterinary professional.

We will:

Give you at least six weeks to complete your application
Provide a named contact to help with any queries
Provide helpful and accurate information about your registration, the RCVS and the profession
Confirm your application within three working days of receiving your form and fee

Overseas veterinary surgeons

If you qualified outside the UK, you can register with the RCVS to work as a veterinary surgeon in the UK.

Please contact us as early as possible to avoid delays in starting work and carefully read all guidance to ensure you understand the registration process and timescales.

We will:

Provide clear, accurate information about your registration application early in the process
Confirm your application within one working week of receiving your documentation and provide information about next steps
Keep you informed about any updates to your application
Complete the application process and confirm your registration appointment within four weeks of receiving all your documentation

Our registration standards: veterinary nurses

UK veterinary nurses

If you qualified as a vet nurse in the UK, you must register with us to practise. We will:

Acknowledge receipt of your application within three working days
Process your registration within four weeks of receiving your completed application form, record of training, and payment
Notify you within two weeks of receiving your paperwork if any details are missing, or if there’s anything else that could delay your registration
Invite students to apply for registration: within seven working days if you have completed a further education qualification; six weeks before graduation if you have completed a higher education qualification

Overseas veterinary nurses

Vet nurses who qualified overseas can apply to register with the RCVS if they want to work in the UK. We will:

Acknowledge receipt of your application within three working days
Notify you within two weeks if any details are missing or incorrect in your application
Process your application within eight weeks of receiving all your correctly completed paperwork