Post-nominals decision pushed back
Council members voted to discuss a compromise at the next meeting.
RCVS Council members have voted almost unanimously to leave post-nominals on the register of veterinary surgeons until the November meeting, when a compromise will be debated.
Earlier this year, the college announced it would no longer list certain post-nominals in the register, prompting fierce criticism from the profession.
At yesterday's council meeting, an overwhelming majority of members voted in favour of reaching a compromise, while only one member voted to remove post-nominals. Continuing to display all post-nominals received no votes.
As a result, a further decision will not be made until the matter is discussed again at the November council meeting.
Councillor Professor Crispin said she was not present at the 2012 meeting when members voted to remove post-nominals, and referred to the decision as “rather perverse”. She added that it would be “a retrograde step” if post-nominals were removed.
Commenting on the meeting in 2012, Christine Shield said she believed the council was voting for the rationalisation of post-nominals, not their removal. She claimed: “ I have no recollection of discussing the removal of post-nominals and I certainly wouldn't have voted in favour of it.”
It is “hugely important”, she said, for the public to have a verifiable source of qualifications and including post-nominals on the RCVS website gives them credence.
Similarly, Lord Trees said a “certain gravitas” that comes with recognition on the RCVS website, but it is not possible to quality assure every post-nominal entered.
As a result, he proposed that post-nominals be included and the register split into three categories – Specialists, General Practitioners and the new Advanced Practitioners' status.
Another possible compromise is to add a page to the RCVS website explaining each of the post-nominals, which Ms Webb said was of “critical importance”.
A consultation on post-nominals was held in 2011 and council agreed to their removal the following year.
Despite this, many of the profession say they were unaware of the decision until a petition was launched this year calling for the RCVS to keep post-nominals on the register. The petition has now reached nearly 1,700 signatures.
Councillor Prof May said he feels increasingly that “sticking something in RCVS News is not enough” and quoted “when you think you have communicated enough, you should communicate 10 times more.”
Some of the negative comments received on post-nominals were “sadly misinformed”, he said, while the odd one or two were even “offensive”. Prof May said he is “saddened to think the profession believe council come to decisions randomly” and has “some concerns about how we have got to this point.”
According to the council meeting papers, it is also possible that non-veterinary degrees will be removed from the register, while those approved for Advanced Practitioner and Specialist status will remain. These include: RCVS certificates, diplomas, European and American diplomas, doctorates, Fellows of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists and member of the Royal College of Pathologists.
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
