The new RCVS Royal Charter would see the college formally recognised as a regulator of the veterinary nursing profession.

College hosts a webinar on proposals to regulate the nursing profession

The deadline for consultation on the draft of the RCVS Royal Charter is 5pm today. You can email your views to Ben Myring at b.myring@rcvs.org.uk

After the RCVS recently announced plans to introduce a new Royal Charter, a webinar was held to provide more information on the proposed changes – the most far-reaching of which gives the college formal recognition as a regulator of the veterinary nursing profession.

The proposed charter would involve combining the List and Register of Veterinary Nurses, meaning the 1,100 listed nurses will join the 10,500 on the register. As a result, they will be required to complete an average of 15 hours CPD each year, follow the Code of Professional Conduct and will be subject to RCVS disciplinary procedures.

Speaking during the webinar, chair of the Veterinary Nurses Council, Kathy Kissick, referred to the move as a “huge step forward”, but acknowledged: “I know there's been a little bit of concern from veterinary nurses about what it's going to mean to them, what difference it will make.”

Some of the concerns noted relate to the financial impact of CPD requirements and anxiety over RCVS disciplinary procedures. According to the college, the webinar aimed to raise awareness of the consultation on the new charter, and what the proposed changes will mean for the profession.

Alongside concerns about the combination of the list and the register, Kathy cites “apathy” as the reason behind listed veterinary nurses failing to move over to the register.

She said: “What we're finding is that a lot of it is almost apathy – they're on the list and they've always been on the list and haven't really thought about moving to the register. By speaking to these nurses about the charter, about the need to be recognised as a profession, they're actually taking their own initiatives now and moving across to the register.”

The webinar also offered an opportunity for delegates to ask questions about the proposed changes. According to one delegate, apathy is not just a problem among listed veterinary nurses, but the profession as a whole. When asked how this could be addressed, Kathy said: “We only have to look at [the number of people] standing for the Veterinary Nurses Council, and the low numbers that will actually vote in BVNA Council elections.

“I don't think that's anything to do with salaries or being listed, I think that's just because we're a young profession.”

Another delegate questioned Gordon Hockey, head of legal services and registrar for the RCVS, as to whether apathy was leading to the new form of industry regulation.

“Could Gordon clarify his basis for claiming acceptance equates to wanting to be regulated by the royal college? What mandate underpins this? Is perhaps apathy being confused as acceptance?” the delegate asked.

Mr Hockey replied: “We wouldn't necessarily presume people are for it if they don't say, and we want them to say.”

Col Neil Smith, RCVS president, said: “This hasn't been done in isolation...the Veterinary Nurses Legislation Working Party includes representatives across the profession, such as the BVNA and BVA...there has been significant input from representative bodies across the profession."

The RCVS hopes a report from the consultation will be available to put to the council in March, and the new charter may be sealed by March 2015.

Let us know your thoughts on the Royal Charter via our Twitter page @VetNurseOnline #vetnurse