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Applications open for RCVS Knowledge Awards 2025
Winners have the chance to work with RCVS Knowledge for QI progression.
This year features new categories for Quality Improvement.

Applications for the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Knowledge Awards have officially opened for its 2025 competition.

Organisations and practices can apply across four different categories, including new categories designed to represent the wide range of Quality Improvement (QI) work in the veterinary sector.

The first category, 'QI in Practice', is set to recognise how veterinary practices have implemented QI techniques into their everyday work. Applicants should demonstrate how it has contributed to better outcomes, better care and better learning.

The 'Antimicrobial Stewardship' (AMS) award highlights practical examples of veterinary teams tackling antimicrobial resistance. It will celebrate where teams have used QI methods to improve responsible prescribing.

'Education in QI' rewards educators and organisations who are able to show how they are teaching recognised QI methods.

Finally, 'QI to Lead Organisational Change' showcases initiatives where organisations have successfully implemented QI methods to improve practices. Applicants will have used these methods to develop and embed new frameworks, which have then resulted in measurable improvement for patients and teams.

Each category will have three winners, awarded a first, second or third place prize. As well as a cash prize and certificates, they will have the opportunity to work with RCVS Knowledge to promote their project.

Other entries may be ‘runners-up’ – which are highly commended for their QI work, but have not yet gained the results or progressed enough to win.

Applications are open for organisations and practice teams across the UK, across all species. The closing date for applications is 10 January 2025.

Katie Mantell, CEO of RCVS Knowledge, said: “We’re really excited to launch the RCVS Knowledge Awards 2025, and to expand the categories we cover to reflect a broader range of QI projects.

“The awards are an opportunity to celebrate and showcase the fantastic work that vet teams across the UK are doing to use recognised QI techniques to drive better clinical and non-clinical outcomes, better care for their patients, and better learning. I can’t wait to see the applications we receive this year.”

Image © Shutterstock

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Birmingham Dogs Home makes urgent appeal

News Story 1
 Birmingham Dogs Home has issued an urgent winter appeal as it faces more challenges over the Christmas period.

The rescue centre has seen a dramatic increase in dogs coming into its care, and is currently caring for over 200 dogs. With rising costs and dropping temperatures, the charity is calling for urgent support.

It costs the charity £6,000 per day to continue its work.

Fi Harrison, head of fundraising and communications, said: "It's heart-breaking for our team to see the conditions some dogs arrive in. We really are their last chance and hope of survival."

More information about the appeal can be found here

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Avian flu confirmed at premises in Cornwall

A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been detected in commercial poultry at a premises near Rosudgeon, Cornwall.

All poultry on the infected site will be humanely culled, and a 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone have been put in place. Poultry and other captive birds in the 3km protection zone must be housed.

The case is the second avian flu case confirmed in commercial poultry this month. The H5N5 strain was detected in a premises near Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire, in early November. Before then, the disease had not been confirmed in captive birds in England since February.

The UK chief veterinary officer has urged bird keepers to remain alert and practise robust biosecurity.

A map of the disease control zones can be found here.