FAQs

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You will log in using the same details as for your My Account and 1CPD. If you have forgotten your password, you can reset it from the login page. Please note the username is CASE SENSITIVE.

Whilst perhaps small, your role does have a clinical aspect. Here are some suggestions of which EPAs may be appropriate for your role. It is not an exhaustive list. Relevant EPAs will differ depending on role and should be discussed with the employer.

EPA 11 – Welfare assessments of animals arriving for slaughter are a common scenario to which this could be applied

EPA 12 – A veterinary risk assessment could be performed in a number of different aspects of the role relating to food safety/public health/animal welfare

EPA 13 – Audit activities in terms of the daily supervision of a factory are a requirement of the role. The OV may not be performing the annual FSA audit of the whole premises but their activities monitoring compliance through supervision contribute to that process

EPA 14 - OV may be asked to do export activities as part of their role

EPA 9 - OV would be expected to perform a Post Mortem Investigation following sudden deaths at an abattoir and may be expected to collect samples. This would only require a minor adjustment since collection of samples would only be required in certain cases.

EPA 10 - An OV is likely to be involved in, even if not lead epidemiological investigations of diseases which are identified at an abattoir. They have an important front-line role to play in identifying notifiable diseases. Beyond their initial training, they are more likely to take a leading role

The RCVS solicitor managing the matter will always have a call with you before the hearing so you can learn more about the process and ask any questions you might have.  Additionally, if you work within the veterinary community, you may also wish to contact:

• Your professional indemnity insurer
• ProfCon Investigation Support (PCIS) which is a free confidential listening and support service designed to support those going through the professional conduct investigation process https://vetsupport.me/profcon/
• VetLife who offer independent and confidential support 24/7 265 days a year: https://www.vetlife.org.uk/

Yes; the charity/business premises are likely to be considered veterinary practice premises for the purposes of supplies of those veterinary medicines to the charity/business, for animals owned by the charity. (You or the charity may register the premises with the RCVS).

NB. The Veterinary Medicines Regulations provide that a veterinary surgeon may supply veterinary medicines (for example, POM-Vs after the clinical assessment of an animal under his or her care) ‘irrespective of who owns [those medicines].’ (Schedule 3 paragraph (6) (b))

If you authorise supplies of medicines to the charity/business, you are responsible for the medicines, for example, correct storage and annual audit; responsibility may be shared with the charity/business.

If you completed your qualification via distance learning your qualification will be carefully scrutinised, especially if the qualification was completed while you lived outside of the country where the college is based. We may contact your course provider for further information. If we believe that your qualification was achieved without the necessary quality checks then your application may be rejected.

Due to strict legislation in the UK it is not possible for you to complete your veterinary nurse education in the UK unless the qualification is accredited by the RCVS. In some circumstances you may be able to complete a short period of work experience in the UK while completing your studies. You are advised to contact us to discuss the training that you have undertaken so that we can advise you further.

This will depend upon the entry requirements for each programme, however, the CertAVN should be available to all RVNs and your previous experience will also be taken into account.

A PSS-accredited practice will not be inspected by VMD inspectors, unless there is an investigation for enforcement purposes. Veterinary practices within the PSS must comply with key aspects of the Veterinary Medicines Regulations and are inspected routinely by RCVS PSS inspectors.

Only RCVS Approved Graduate Development Practices can employ a new graduate. As such, your VetGDP Adviser must have completed their training and made their declaration before you begin your role. They may offer you a role before the training is complete, but you cannot join the practice until the training is complete.

If you ask a practice if they are willing to become an RCVS Approved Graduate Development Practice and they say no, there may be reasons why they feel they can’t and we will try to offer support. Our Education team can be contacted by emailing [email protected].

If your role does not require you to be MRCVS, then you can apply for an exemption. However, if your role includes areas which require the knowledge that you have gained in your veterinary degree, then it is likely that the VetGDP can be adapted to support you.

You will need to participate in the VetGDP if you are in a Government veterinary role, working for the food standards agency, working as an OV, working for the APHA, in animal welfare, as an inspector, in veterinary audit, meat hygiene inspectors, policy writers, epidemiologists, research roles, and so on.

If you need assistance in finding EPAs to suit your role, or in crafting your own EPA to suit your role, then please do contact us at [email protected].