Skip to content

Veterinary Nursing Diamond Jubilee

2021 is the Diamond Jubilee for veterinary nursing!

Veterinary Nursing 60: 1961 - 2021 logo and Matthew Rendle"This year marks 60 years since the launch of the first RCVS-approved Animal Nursing Auxiliary (ANA) training scheme, and it’s a huge milestone. It’s very fitting that this year is an amazing year of firsts for our profession:

  • We will award the first certificates under our new Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Nursing Programme.
  • It should also be the year the profession will reach and hold 20,000 VNs on the register.
  • We will see new apprenticeships undertaking end-point assessments and entering the VN register.
  • All being well, we will introduce a new ‘Advanced Practitioner' status for VNs.
  • And finally, vet nurses will be able to apply to become Assessors in the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme for the first time. 

These are tremendous advances for our profession!

On a personal note, I feel honoured to be the first male veterinary nurse to chair VN Council. I’m pleased that this year is our time to celebrate our profession by reflecting on the past, considering our present and looking forward to the future. So look out for the activities taking place, including webinars and podcasts from members of our profession, and don't forget to tag us into any posts on social media by using #VNdiamonds."

Matthew Rendle, Chair Veterinary Nurses Council