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Vets reinstated on the Shortage Occupation List
About 95 per cent of vets carrying out critical public health work and animal welfare monitoring in abattoirs come from overseas - predominantly the EU.

Decision is a ‘huge win’ for animal welfare, says BVA

The Home Office has announced that vets will be reinstated on the Shortage Occupation List, following a long and sustained campaign by veterinary organisations.

In a written statement earlier this week, Sajid Javid, who was Home Secretary at the time, said the government was accepting the recommendations of the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC).

The BVA, working with the RCVS and Defra, ran a campaign to restore vets to the list, amid concerns that an already stretched veterinary workforce may struggle to cope with increased demand for some of its services after Brexit.

About 95 per cent of vets carrying out critical public health work and animal welfare monitoring in abattoirs come from overseas - predominantly the EU.

Both the BVA and the RCVS raised concerns that an existing shortfall in the profession could be made worse after Brexit. The BVA has also warned that demand for veterinary certification and health trading services could see a dramatic increase if we leave the EU without a deal.

The concerns were laid out to the MAC in a submission produced jointly by the BVA and the RCVS. Defra supported the recommendation in a separate submission to the committee.

BVA president Simon Doherty said the decision is a “huge win for animal welfare and a resounding vote of confidence in the veterinary community”.

He added: “This decisive move by the Government will make it easier to recruit into the profession and we now look forward to working with the new Defra Secretary of State Theresa Villiers to ensure we have a flexible, skilled and robust veterinary workforce that meets the UK’s needs for both the immediate future and in the longer term.

“Alongside this welcome boost, the profession itself will continue to undertake work to understand and address recruitment and retention challenges both now and into the future.”

RCVS president Niall Connell said he was "delighted" that the MAC's proposals had been accepted.

“Both the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and the British Veterinary Association (BVA) worked together to ensure this outcome, which will see a lowering of the immigration barriers, for example, in terms of visa requirements, for overseas veterinary surgeons who wish to live and work in the UK.

“We also considered this a vital piece of preparation for the UK leaving the EU, as around half of those registering as veterinary surgeons with the RCVS in a given year are non-UK EU nationals and we would not want to see this vital supply of veterinary talent immediately dry up should ‘freedom of movement’ end when the UK leaves the EU."

The necessary amendments will be made in the Autumn Immigration Rules changes.

 

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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.