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Finalists announced for Petplan Veterinary Awards
Pictured: The Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, where the award ceremony will be held.
The finalists were selected from over 22,000 nominees.

The finalists have been announced for the 23rd annual Petplan Veterinary Awards, which celebrates the commitment and hard work of veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses, practices, practice managers and support staff.

Head of sales and partnerships at Petplan, James Barnes, said: “We’re delighted to announce the finalists for this year’s Veterinary Awards. The awards celebrate the dedication and brilliant work carried out by some of the UK’s very best veterinary professionals.”

Over 22,000 nominations were made for this year's awards, with the finalists for each award as follows:

Practice Support Staff of the Year
Lucy Ellis, Hafren Veterinary Group’s Hafren Surgery, Newtown, Powys
Olivia Scott, Rathgael Veterinary Clinic Ltd, Bangor, County Down
Rachel Gregory, Park Veterinary Clinic, Prestwich, Greater Manchester

Practice Manager of the Year
Claire Mycock, Little Rock Equine Vets Ltd, Endon, Staffordshire
Helen Helme, Leadon Vale Veterinary Centre, Ledbury, Herefordshire
Jon Barnes, Manor Veterinary Clinic, Folkstone, Kent

Practice of the Year
East Barnet Veterinary Surgery, East Barnet, Hertfordshire
Irlam Animal Clinic, Irlam, Greater Manchester
Pinfold Vets East Leake, Loughborough, Leicestershire

Vet Nurse of the Year
Barbara Millar, Millburn Veterinary Practice, Coleraine, Londonderry
Christine Fairbairn, Orchard House Veterinary Centres Ltd, Stocksfield, Northumberland
Felicity Caldwell, The Sheffield College, Hillsborough, South Yorkshire

Vet of the Year
David Hodges, Stellar Vets, Littlehampton, Anchor Springs, Littlehampton
Emma Green, Grazely Vets, Farnborough, Hampshire
Mark Lowrie, Dovecote Veterinary Hospital, Castle Donington, Derby

“Congratulations to all the 2022 finalists on this fantastic achievement,” James continued. Having been virtual for the last couple of years, the 2022 Awards provides an opportunity to physically say thank you to our veterinary professionals for going the extra mile in their devotion to the care of pets. 

“We’re looking forward to celebrating with them all at the awards ceremony in Manchester this March.”

The Ceremony will take place at the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel in Manchester on 24 March 2022, and will be a special black-tie occasion to celebrate the finalists' dedication. 

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Annual submission deadline small pet animal exemptions

News Story 1
 Companies marketing medicines for small pets exempt from authorisation must submit their annual return to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) by 30 November 2026.

Submitting this annual return ensures continued compliance with regulatory requirements for products marketed without a full Marketing Authorisation. The exemption specifically applies to products intended for animals, cage birds, terrarium animals, small rodents, ferrets and rabbits.

For further details and submission guidelines, visit the gov.uk website.  

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Bluetongue RZ extended across Scotland

The Scottish Government has announced an extension to a Bluetongue Restricted Zone that is in place in south-west Scotland.

From 3 October, the Restricted Zone will be extended to cover the whole of Scotland. The Animal, Plant and Health Agency (APHA) says this is in response to further disease spread, as well as simplify trading conditions ahead of the autumn.

Since the whole country will share a disease status, it will no longer be necessary to have a movement license to move susceptible livestock around the country. Restrictions on germinal products remain.

As of 1 October 2026, there were 1,979 cases of BTV-3 in England, 389 cases in Wales and 40 cases in Scotland.