RCVS brings VN Vision project to BVNA Congress 2025

This year, we're once again attending the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA) Congress in Telford, taking place from Friday 10 to Sunday 12 October, with our VN Vision project taking centre stage. 

With workshops taking place throughout the year across the country, we're bringing our 'A vision or a necessity: strengthening the role of veterinary nurses in team-based veterinary healthcare' initiative, part of the wider VN Vision project, to the congress. The initiative aims to inspire a cultural shift in how veterinary nurses can be more effectively integrated within multidisciplinary veterinary teams, and explore why doing so is essential for the future of veterinary healthcare.

The profession’s voice is central to shaping bold, practical ways to embed veterinary nurses more deeply and meaningfully into multidisciplinary teams and to co-create a new forward-thinking model for veterinary practice. The congress session will offer delegates a valuable opportunity to contribute their perspectives and experiences. 

RCVS Veterinary Nursing Progression and Development Lead, Jill Macdonald (pictured), said: "Despite years of discussion, recent data shows that the effective utilisation of veterinary nurses remains an untapped opportunity in the UK. Yet veterinary nursing skills, expertise and compassion are essential to delivering high-quality, team-based veterinary care. 

"We’re proud to be bringing this vital conversation to the UK’s only veterinary nurse specific conference and we would encourage anyone attending to come along to our workshop. This is your chance to influence real change so come armed with ideas, experiences and insights – your voice is key to designing a stronger more sustainable future for veterinary care."

In addition to the VN Vision workshop, the RCVS will also be holding a session on supporting clinical supervisors. Timings and dates of the sessions are as follows: 

• Supporting clinical supervisors - Friday 10 October, 10.30am to 11.30am, Pattingham 1 
• Your insight is needed! Strengthening the role of RVNs in team-based veterinary healthcare (VN Vision session) – Sunday 12 October, 10.30am to 11.30am, Beckbury 3 

In addition to the BVNA Congress VN Vision session, there are still a number of workshops available to attend across the country outside of the congress. They are free to attend and are open to all members of the veterinary team – all voices are needed, not just those of RVNs, to empower nurses to play a more central role in the sector within a collaborative team-based setting. 

Remaining sessions are as follows:

• London – morning session (Hardwick Street) - Wednesday 10 September, 9.30am to 1.45pm 
• London – afternoon session (Hardwick Street) - Wednesday 10 September, 12.30pm to 4.30pm  
• Dorset (Lynwood School of Veterinary Nursing, Dorchester) – Wednesday 24 September, 6.15pm to 9.30pm 
• Birmingham (Blaise Veterinary Referral Hospital) - Wednesday 12 November, 6.15pm to 9.30pm 

Places are available to book via our dedicated VN Vision Eventbrite collection page. Please note, spaces are limited and will be filled on a first come first served basis. For those wishing to attend the BVNA session, please just turn up on the day. 

The snapshot report of the VN Vision work carried out last year, upon which this new initiative has been developed, is available to download in our publications area. 

For more information on BVNA Congress, please visit the BVNA Congress page.