Evidence sought on 24-hour emergency care
The RCVS is seeking the views of veterinary surgeons, nurses and animal owners on the provision of 24-hour emergency veterinary care (24/7), due to concerns raised over a disconnect between public expectations and veterinary capacity.
In an open letter published on the college's website yesterday (December 23), the chairman of the RCVS Standards Committee, Clare Tapsfield-Wright invited the public and members of the profession to submit their views and explained the reasoning behind the call for evidence.
According to Mrs Tapsfield-Wright, a number of questions regarding 24/7 have been raised over the past two years by lay observers – non-veterinary appointees – sitting with the RCVS Preliminary Investigation Committee (PIC).
She says: “Lay people working with the RCVS have raised questions about the veterinary profession's ability to provide 24/7 to the extent required by the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct, and said there is a disconnect between the public's expectations and the profession's capacity to meet those expectations.”
Paragraph 1.4 of the Code states: “Veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses in practice must take steps to provide 24-hour emergency first-aid and pain relief to animals according to their skills and the specific situation.”
Mrs Tapsfield-Wright also refers to a recent RCVS Disciplinary Committee (DC) inquiry in June 2013, which received much attention in the press and raised a number of concerns relating to home visits by veterinary surgeons.
Documents relating to this case are included on the college's website along with the letter and other background information, such as reports by lay observers to the PIC and Working Party reports from the RCVS' 2009 consultation on 24-hour emergency cover.
The college says questions on 24/7 will be included in next year's Survey of the Professions, while focus group research will aim to gather information from animal owners. Once the responses have been collated, the college says it will invite a number of individuals and organisations to air their views at a Standards Committee meeting. The date of this meeting is yet to be confirmed.
Written responses must be emailed to 24-7@rcvs.org.uk or sent by post to the Professional Conduct Department, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, Belgravia House, 62-64 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 2AF.
Responses to the call for evidence must be received by 5pm on Monday, February 17, 2014.
To download Mrs Tapsfield Wright's letter and the supporting documents, click here: https://www.rcvs.org.uk/document-library/meeting-expectations-on-the-provision-of-247-a-call-for-evidence/
Veterinary practices are being urged to help owners safely dispose of any unused and expired pet medicines - not just antibiotics - during November's Animal Medicines Amnesty. 
