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RCVS and VN Councils elections get underway
Eligible veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses can place their vote either by post or online.
Votes must be cast online or by post by Friday 24 April

Voting for the 2020 RCVS and VN Councils elections has got underway, with eligible veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses able to vote either online or by postal ballot.

In a press release, RCVS Registrar Eleanor Ferguson, said: “With all that is happening currently, we are glad to say that we have been able to continue with business as usual as far as the RCVS and VN Councils elections are concerned, albeit with some minor delays on publishing the candidate videos.”

This year there are 13 candidates standing in the VN Council elections, including two existing VN Council members eligible for re-election and 11 members not currently on Council. They are as follows:

  • Samantha Anderson
  • Jessica Beckett
  • Kirsten Cavill
  • Rebecca Clark
  • Dorothy (Dot) Creighton
  • Lindsey Dodd
  • Emma Foreman
  • Racheal Marshall
  • Megan Oakey
  • Susannah Phillips
  • Matthew Rendle
  • Claire Roberts
  • Cathy Woodlands

In this year's RCVS Council election there are eight members standing, including three existing Council members and five members not currently on Council. They are:

  • John Davies
  • Dr Melissa Donald
  • Dr Tom Lonsdale
  • Professor Stephen May
  • Dr Kate Richards
  • Peter Robinson
  • Dr Richard Stephenson
  • Dr Kit Sturgess

Details of all the above candidates together with ballot papers have been posted to all veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses who are eligible to vote. Emails containing links to the secure election voting sites have also been sent to each member of the electorate by Civica Election Services.

Eleanor added: “It is very encouraging that, after a two-year absence, the VN Council elections have come back stronger with a field of 13 candidates, and we hope that this will translate into increased turnout. Likewise with the RCVS Council election, we hope that the year-on-year trend for increased turnout will continue.”

All votes, either by online or by post, must be cast by 5pm on Friday 24 April 2020. Contact details, biographies and manifestos for each candidate can be found at rcvs.org.uk/vetvote20 and rcvs.org.uk/vnvote20

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
New guidance for antibiotic use in rabbits

New best practice guidance on the responsible use of antibiotics in rabbits has been published by the BSAVA in collaboration with the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWA&F).

The guidance is free and has been produced to help veterinary practitioners select the most appropriate antibiotic for rabbits. It covers active substance, dose and route of administration all of which are crucial factors when treating rabbits owing to the risk of enterotoxaemia.

For more information and to access the guide, visit the BSAVALibrary.