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Nominations open for VN Educator of the Year Awards 2026
“I put a lot of myself into this role and it is nice to have the validation that they think I’m doing something worth awarding." - Matt Badham
The awards celebrate inspiring teachers of vet nursing students.

Central Qualifications (CQ) has officially opened nominations for its Veterinary Nurse Educator of the Year Awards 2026.

Students and colleagues have until Friday, 6 February 2026 to nominate a member of staff whom they feel is committed to supporting veterinary nursing students.

The award, which is now in its ninth year, is open to anyone involved with training or educating veterinary nurses in the UK. It seeks to recognise the talent, skill and dedication of veterinary nursing educators.

Last year’s winner was Matt Badham, a veterinary nursing lecturer at Plumpton College.

Mr Badham was nominated for the award by his students and fellow professionals, in recognition of his ‘innovative’ teaching style and ‘engaging’ lessons. His nominators described him as an ‘excellent lecturer’ who ‘shares happiness and enthusiasm in everything he does’.

Mr Badham says his career was inspired by his own teacher, former CQ VN Educator of the Year Nicola Newman.

He said: “I put a lot of myself into this role and it is nice to have the validation that they think I’m doing something worth awarding. I will continue to learn and grow to ensure I always put everything I can into their education and in to the veterinary industry”.

This year’s award will be presented at the CQ Graduation and Awards Ceremony at Central Hall, Westminster, on Saturday, 28 March 2026. The ceremony will also see the latest cohort of veterinary nurses receive their diplomas, and will include a keynote speech from wildlife photographer and filmmaker Gordon Buchanan.

Jacqui Garrett, CQ director, said: “We’re delighted to celebrate the Veterinary Nurse Educator of the Year Awards once again.

“The awards are a wonderful opportunity to shine a spotlight on the individuals who go above and beyond in training the next generation of veterinary nurses.

“I would encourage anyone who has been inspired by their tutor or colleague to submit a nomination and help us recognise their contribution to the veterinary nursing profession”.

For more information and to submit a nomination, visit cqual.org/awards-nomination. Nominations close Friday, 6 February 2026.

Image © Central Qualifications

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Update to TB Advice services

News Story 1
 Vets wishing to access TB Advice services can now use a digital contact form, following updates announced by the APHA.

This new, streamlined service allows customers to provide all necessary information upfront, minimising additional contact between the APHA and the customer. It also ensures questions are directed to the right team, significantly reducing response times.

More contact forms are expected to be announced in the coming months. For more information, visit Gov.uk  

Click here for more...
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New form for online veterinary medicines retailers

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) has produced a new online form for retailers wishing to sell veterinary medicines on the internet.

The form replace the previous Word version and is part of the VMD's ongoing commitment to digitise its processes. Anyone retailing prescription medicines online, including POM-V, POM-VPS and NFA-VPS categories, is lawfully required to register with the VMD before trading.

The change only applies to new applicants. Retailers already listed on the VMD's Register of Online Retailers or registered under the Accredited Internet Retailer Scheme (AIRS) do not need to do anything.