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HRH the Princess Royal opens new Clinical Excellence Centre
HRH the Princess Royal emphasised the importance of lifelong learning to animal healthcare.
The facility is designed to enhance veterinary clinical skills.

Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal has officially opened a new state-of-the-art Clinical Excellence Centre in Swindon.

The facility, owned by Improve Veterinary Education, incorporates the equipment and resources to support veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses to develop their clinical skills.

As part of the visit, the Princess Royal toured the facility and met with delegates and faculty. There was also an opportunity to observe a live demonstration of an abdominal ultrasound.

The Princess Royal unveiled a commemorative plaque, before speaking to attendees about the importance of lifelong learning to animal healthcare.

The event was also attended by Kirsty Williams, RCVS education quality improvement manager, and other guests from the veterinary profession.

Improve Veterinary Education, which is part of the Improve International Group, says that the Clinical Excellence Centre represents a milestone in veterinary training. It says that it forms part of its commitment to provide high standards of animal care through advanced professional development.

The centre is designed to provide a dedicated space for veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses to collaborate for immersive, hands-on learning. It is the largest training centre in Europe for veterinary professionals, spanning 850m2.

The facility includes two surgical wet-lab training theatres, a fully-equipped dentistry lab suite and a custom orthopaedic radiography suite. It will host a range of postgraduate training programmes, including hands-on practical workshops and training sessions.

Improve Veterinary Education says that the site is built with sustainability in mind and is committed to environmental sustainability initiatives.

Heber Alves, CEO of Improve International, said: “We are deeply honoured to welcome HRH to officially open our Clinical Excellence Centre. This facility reflects our dedication to providing veterinary professionals with access to world-class education and resources, ensuring they can deliver the best possible care to their patients.

“Today marks a moment of pride and inspiration for the entire team.”

Image © Improve Veterinary Education

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Equine Disease Surveillance report released for Q4 2025

News Story 1
 The latest Equine Disease Surveillance report has been released, with details on equine disease from Q4 of 2025.

The report, produced by Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance, includes advice on rule changes for equine influenza vaccination.

Statistics and maps detail recent outbreaks of equine herpes virus, equine influenza, equine strangles and equine grass sickness. A series of laboratory reports provides data on virology, bacteriology, parasitology and toxicosis.

This issue also features a case study of orthoflavivus-associated neurological disease in a horse in the UK. 

Click here for more...
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RCVS members invited to question Council candidates

RCVS members have been invited to submit questions to candidates for this year's RCVS Council election.

With 15 candidates standing for three available positions, vets have been invited to submit a question of their choosing before voting starts. These questions will be collated, with each candidate answering one question of their choice.

It is recommended that members read the candidates' biographies and statements before submitting questions. One question per member can be submitted to vetvote26@rcvs.org.uk before Wednesday, 25 February 2026.

The RCVS Council election is due to start in March.

With only two candidates for two positions on the VN Council, there will be no VN Council elections this year. Meghan Conroy RVN and Lauren Hargrave RVN will begin their three year terms at RCVS' AGM in July.