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VN Council approves advanced nursing qualifications
It is hoped that once enough members of the profession have completed the certificate, it could act as a pathway to formal Advanced Veterinary Nurse status.
New certificate to offer ‘significant opportunities’ for VNs 

VN Council has approved two advanced veterinary nursing qualifications, following a VN Futures recommendation to open up new career paths for veterinary nurses.

Proposals for the new qualifications were developed by a working group and consulted on last year, after the 2016 VN Futures report concluded that the RCVS and BVNA should canvas opinion on post-qualification awards for nurses.

The final stage of the process saw VN Council approve the two new qualifications; the Level 6 Graduate Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Nursing and a Level 7 Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Nursing.

VN Council chair Rachael Marshall described the move as a “fantastic development for veterinary nursing”.

The RCVS said the qualifications differ from the previous Diploma in Advanced Veterinary Nursing, in that they are more focused and specific to a veterinary nurse’s subject of choice. In addition, each is a 60 credit qualification rather than 120 credits.

Rachael Marshall added: “By allowing greater focus on particular designated areas of practice I think these courses will really open up some significant opportunities for VNs, who can choose to go down a designated path, whether that is in, for example, anaesthesia, emergency & critical care, pharmacology or even non-clinical routes such as education and teaching, research skills and leadership.

“This is a great step forward for the profession and we look forward to working to develop the first Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Nursing courses and seeing the first cohort of veterinary nurses sign-up to it.”

It is hoped that once enough members of the profession have completed the certificate, it could act as a pathway to formal Advanced Veterinary Nurse status.

Further information can be found in the VN Council committee papers. Any veterinary nurses or higher further education institutions who are interested in the certificate should contact vetnursing@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0788.

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Applications open for MMI research grants

News Story 1
 RCVS' Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has launched round two of its veterinary mental health research grants.

Researchers have until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 to apply for a grant for research which reflects MMI's 2025 focus areas.

Only one Impact Grant was awarded last year, and so this year there are two Discovery Grants and one Impact Grants available. Each Discovery Grant is worth £5,000 and the Impact Grant is worth £15,000.

For more information or to apply, email researchgrants@rcvs.org.uk to contact the MMI team.

 

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News Shorts
Germany livestock import ban lifted

The UK government has amended its ban on the import of livestock, meat and dairy products from Germany.

Defra said the decision follows 'rigorous technical assessment' of the measures applied and the current situation. "If the situation changes, we will not hesitate to take necessary action in response to the FMD outbreaks in the European Union to protect our domestic biosecurity," it said.

The ban was implemented in January following an outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) near Berlin. Personal imports of meat, milk and dairy products will remain in place at a country level.