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RCVS Council votes for temporary OV registration
Defra expects a 'severe shortage' of OV capacity in abattiors in England and Wales.
The FSA requested a further year of the scheme to protect abattoirs. 

At an RCVS Council meeting yesterday (9 June), the Council unanimously voted to continue temporary registration of non-UK European veterinary surgeons as Official Veterinarians (OVs).

The request to allow the temporary registration came from the Food Standards Agency (FSA), who submitted a similar request in March 2021, allowing non-UK European veterinary surgeons to fulfil meat hygiene tasks in abattoirs for a year. 

Requesting the temporary registration for a further year, the FSA proposed: “We ask that the RCVS admit to its temporary register, vets who (i) have a contract of employment to work as an OV providing meat hygiene controls in England and Wales; (ii) have the necessary skilled worker visa including IELTS at level 5; and (iii) hold European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education (EAEVE) accredited veterinary degrees and iv) have completed and passed the meat OV training course. 

“The FSA would then authorise them as an OV on confirmation of their status as a temporary registrant.”

At the meeting, director of veterinary services at the FSA, Jane Clark assured the Council that standards are high, and that 104 temporary registrants are currently working as OVs, with most of them on track to achieve full RCVS registration within a year.

Voting on the motion, the RCVS Council agreed to an extension of 12 months, after which it will be subject to another council vote. Under the agreement, the temporary registration will be reviewed jointly by Defra, the Welsh government, the FSA and the RCVS after six months. 

Speaking on its Twitter platform, the FSA said: “We are delighted that the RCVS agreed to extend Temporary Registration.

“This decision will continue to allow appropriately qualified veterinarians with Level 5 English to temporarily register (TR) with the RCVS and work as Temporary Registered Novice Official Veterinarians (TRNOV).

“This will allow them to help carry out meat controls in abattoirs, whilst further developing their English language skills.”

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Cold-water dip to raise funds for Vetlife

News Story 1
 The veterinary mental health charity Vetlife is inviting the veterinary community to join it for a sponsored cold-water dip.

The event will take place at Walpole Bay, Margate, on 17 May during Mental Health Awareness Week. Participants of all abilities can join in the challenge and are advised to bring a towel, a hot drink, a snack, and warm clothes to get changed into afterwards.

Those taking part are being asked to try to raise £100 each to support the work of the charity.

Details about how to take part can be found here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Bluetongue low vector period ends

In an update to its bluetongue guidance, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that the seasonal low vector period for the disease has ended.

With winter over, Defra is planning for a possible increase in cases as midges become more active. It has warned that farms along the east coast of England from Norfolk to Kent, and along the south coast from Kent to Devon, are at highest risk from infected midges blown over from northern Europe.

Since the virus was detected in England in November 2023, there have been 126 confirmed cases. The most recent case to be confirmed was on 1 March 2024.

Farmers are asked to continue to frequently monitor their livestock and ensure their animals and land are registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency.