Practice Standards Scheme introduces remote assessment
Practice Standards Scheme assessments will now be conducted remotely.
The RCVS has announced that it is introducing remote assessments for veterinary practices accredited to the Practice Standards Scheme (PSS).
The move, designed to protect public health during the coronavirus pandemic, was approved by representatives from all the major veterinary and nursing organisations in the UK, and subsequently by the RCVS' COVID-19 Taskforce.
It will mean that RCVS PSS assessors will be able to ensure that RCVS-accredited practices are meeting the Veterinary Medicines Regulations, the Core Standards of the PSS and other key standards relating to the practice's accreditation type and level.
Dr Mandisa Greene, RCVS president and chair of the Practice Standards Group, said: “We have introduced these remote assessments as a means of being able to quality assure veterinary practices that are either in the Scheme or who wish to join it, while still making sure that public health is safeguarded and that the burden our face-to-face assessments may place on practices is reduced.
“All our Practice Standards Scheme Assessors will be trained in carrying out remote assessments, and practices that are due an assessment will be given the full details of how it will work in advance, just like if a physical assessment of the premises were taking place.
“In the immediate-term, we will be prioritising those practices that were due assessment visits in March, April and May this year which were cancelled due to the nationwide lockdown and they are currently being contacted to make arrangements. We will then start a rolling programme of visits for the other delayed assessments over the next few months. We will aim to give all practices at least one month’s notice before a visit takes place.”
Veterinary practices are being urged to help owners safely dispose of any unused and expired pet medicines - not just antibiotics - during November's Animal Medicines Amnesty. 
