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RCVS Council candidates announced
Voting for the RCVS Council election will commence the week beginning 15 March 2021.

This year's election will take place entirely online.

The candidates for this year's RCVS Council election have been announced.

This year will see 14 veterinary surgeons competing for the four available places. In previous years there have only been three available places, but this has been changed to ensure that elected RCVS Council members remain in the majority.

The 14 candidates are:

  • Dr Louise Allum MRCVS 
  • Dr Danny Chambers MRCVS (incumbent) 
  • John Davies MRCVS 
  • Dr Matshidiso (Tshidi) Gardiner MRCVS 
  • Dr Grant Hampson MRCVS 
  • Elizabeth Law-Bartle MRCVS 
  • Dr Philip Lhermette FRCVS 
  • Peter Robinson MRCVS 
  • Dr Ian Sayers MRCVS 
  • Dr Huw Stacey MRCVS 
  • Dr Kit Sturgess FRCVS 
  • Dr Samantha Webster MRCVS 
  • Dr Colin Whiting MRCVS 
  • Will Wilkinson MRCVS.

In light of the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on the postal service, the RCVS has gained permission from the Privy Council to allow the election to take place entirely online this year. The change means that veterinary surgeons will not receive physical ballots and will instead receive a letter with instructions on how to vote online. 

Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS registrar and returning officer for the election explained: “The small number of veterinary surgeons for whom we do not hold an email address will receive a letter with instructions on how to vote online, in addition to their security code to allow them access to their unique voting website. If they need further help there will also be the opportunity for them to call Civica Election Services, which runs the election on our behalf, who will assist them with casting their vote.”

Voting will commence the week beginning 15 March 2021 when eligible members of the profession will receive an email from Civica Election Services.

Ahead of the elections, members of the profession may submit their questions to candidates. The candidates will then pick two of these questions to answer in a short video that will be subsequently uploaded to the RCVS website.

Questions (one per member) can be submitted by emailing vetvote21@rcvs.org.uk or via the RCVS Twitter account (@theRCVS) using the hashtag #vetvote21. Full candidate biographies and manifestos are available to view on the RCVS website. 

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Reporting service for dead wild birds updated

News Story 1
 The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has updated its online reporting service for dead wild birds.

The new version allows those reporting a dead bird to drop a pin on a map when reporting the location. It also includes a wider range of wild bird species groups to select from when describing the bird.

The online service, which helps APHA to monitor the spread of diseases such as avian influenza, can be accessed here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NI chief vet urges bluetongue vigilance

Northern Ireland's chief veterinary officer (CVO) has urged farmers to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue, after the Animal and Plant Health Agency warned there was a very high probability of further cases in Great Britain.

There have been 126 confirmed cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 in England since November 2023, with no cases reported in Northern Ireland. The movement of live ruminants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is currently suspended.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the virus is most likely to enter Northern Ireland through infected animals or germplasm (semen or ova) being imported.

Brian Dooher, Northern Ireland's CVO, said: "Surveillance for this disease within Northern Ireland has been increased to assist with detection at the earliest opportunity which will facilitate more effective control measures."

Farmers should report any suspicions of the disease to their private veterinary practitioner, the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or their local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.