FAQs

Veterinary surgeons are required to store CDs securely and appropriately in a suitable cabinet to prevent unauthorised access. The following CDs are legally required to be stored in a locked container which is compliant with the Misuse of Drugs (Safe Custody) Regulations 1973:

• All CDs in Schedule 2 (with the exception of quinalbarbitone)
• CDs in Schedule 3 containing buprenorphine, diethylpropion, flunitrazepam and temazepam

The RCVS considers it advisable for all CDs in Schedule 3 to be stored in the CD cabinet. The Safe Custody Regulations describe the requirements for CD cabinets, safes and rooms and the standards to which they must be manufactured or built.

If your programme was accredited when you graduated, your degree will carry the same value as any other RCVS-accredited veterinary degree.

While the programme has conditional accreditation, students successfully graduating from the programme will remain eligible to automatically register with the RCVS, and this will continue if the degree programme remains accredited after the October 2026 visit.

If, following the accreditation event in October 2026, the programme is awarded ‘terminal accreditation’ the Department will no longer be able to enrol new students onto the programme, and they must ensure that the standards needed to allow all currently enrolled students to complete the programme and graduate are maintained.

Please get in touch with your college who should be able to help you. If they cannot assist then they will get in touch with us or the awarding organisation on your behalf to resolve the issue. 

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/

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.

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 the school is unable to ensure the relevant standards are met, the RCVS may ask Privy Council to suspend or revoke the Recognition Order (RO) for the programme. If the RO is suspended or revoked, students graduating from the programme will not be automatically eligible to register as an MRCVS and would need to pass the RCVS Statutory Membership Examination after they have graduated.

The detailed work of the College is already delegated to a series of committees and working groups. In some areas, they are empowered to make decisions themselves, in others to make recommendations to Council.

In addition to including Council members, committee and working party membership can already include those selected by co-option of people with the appropriate expertise.

This would continue under the new proposed model to ensure high levels of veterinary input at the appropriate stages.

If you are on a vocational programme (Level 3 Diploma) your college will apply to your Awarding Organisation for your final certification. The Awarding Organisations send us a list of all students who have completed the Diploma, usually once a fortnight. We will then send you an email inviting you to apply to register as a veterinary nurse.

In the meantime, you will remain on the student database, provided you are still working in your approved training practice. You need to ensure that your email address details are up to date so that your registration link is sent to the correct address.

If you are a higher education (degree) student, your university will make arrangements to send us the pass list.  Once the RCVS receives the pass list from the university, your student status is changed to graduand, that means you are no longer a student, and not yet registered, therefore cannot undertake delegated schedule 3 procedures.   However, if you have found employment, you can apply for temporary registration which allows you to work under the supervision of a named veterinary surgeon.

Temporary registration will normally be considered where there is an interval of more than four weeks between the publication of the pass list and your graduation event. Temporary registration ends on the date of the graduation event regardless of whether you have applied for full registration with the RCVS or not.

Your university will be very familiar with the process and should be able to advise you appropriately.