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News & Reports
Feature RCVS
Playing a part in the future of the profession Following recent changes to its governance structure, the RCVS has adopted a new strategy (VR, November 23, 2013, vol 173, p 484). Luke Bishop, from the communications team at the College, argues that there is no better time for vets from all backgrounds to stand for election to the RCVS Council.
Luke Bishop, RCVS, Belgravia House, 62-64 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 2AF e-mail: [email protected]
Photograph: I. Holloway/RCVS
With a new three-year strategic plan now in place to guide the direction of the RCVS, there is no better time for veterinary surgeons from all backgrounds to stand for Council and help bring the RCVS closer to its vision of enhancing society through improved animal health and welfare. A number of changes to the Council and its committees were instituted in 2013. These included the creation of an Operational Board comprising the President, vice-presidents, treasurer, chief executive, Registrar and chairmen of the main RCVS committees (Standards, Education and the Veterinary Nurses Council). The Operational Board has taken over the more routine aspects of running the College. The change to the governance structure means that Council members now have a much more strategic role to play, making major decisions about both the College and the regulation of the profession at large. Council members, for example, approve the annual budget for the RCVS; elect the President, vice-presidents and the main committee chairmen; create committees and set their terms of reference; appoint the chief executive and Registrar; and make major policy decisions. The main standing committees – where much of Council members’ work takes place – have also undergone some changes, with the Advisory Committee being renamed as the Standards Committee. This was to clarify its role in developing the Code of Professional Conduct and setting standards for the profession, and to include registration issues in its remit. At the November 2013 meeting of the RCVS Council, committees
The RCVS Council meets three times a year – in March, June and November, but much of the council members’ work is done between times in various standing committees and subcommittees
were also given powers to elect their own vice-chairmen, with committee membership being decided by the Operational Board. Through these committees – and their associated subcommittees – Council members will play a vital role by discussing policy recommendations put forward by the College secretariat and working parties and deciding whether to recommend these to a full Council meeting, where the decision to approve or reject them will be made. So, for example, members of the Education Committee will, in 2014, be drawing up the guidelines for Advanced Practitioner status – a middle tier accreditation for vets between the basic qualification and Specialist status – as well as undertaking visitations to monitor the standard of degrees offered at UK vet schools. Through the Standards Committee, members of the Council also play a vital role in upholding and advancing standards within the profession by making decisions on the Code of Professional Conduct and its supporting guidance. For example, the committee is currently calling for evidence from the profession and the public on the provision of 24-hour emergency first aid and pain relief, to help it understand the expectations of all involved and how these might best be met.
Neil Smith, the current RCVS President, has been involved with the Council since 2004 and so knows first-hand how important the decisions made by Council members can be. He explains: ‘Council is important because we are responsible for setting, upholding and advancing veterinary standards. Most of the actual work from a councillor’s point of view takes place in committees. People come from all over the UK to be members of Council – it is not something you have to be in the south east of England to be able to do. ‘RCVS Council is there to regulate the profession and to help build public confidence in veterinary medicine. But we always have to keep at the forefront of what we do that this is about animal health and welfare.’
A roadmap for the future
A major decision made by the Council at its November 2013 meeting was the approval of the RCVS Strategic Plan 2014-2016, which sets out how the College will meet its challenge to become a first-rate regulator over the next three years, while remaining a respected Royal College. The plan sets out the general objectives for the College over the three-year period – including clarifying its purpose; continuing January 25, 2014 | Veterinary Record | 83
Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on June 21, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
News & Reports to advance veterinary standards; providing a high-quality service to the profession and public; improving its functions and strengthening its foundations – as well as some of the specific measures that will be taken to meet these. Nick Stace, the RCVS’s chief executive and architect of the three-year strategic plan, explains: ‘The past year has been about getting Council involved in big strategic discussions and getting agreement on our purpose and direction; now the hard work really begins! Over the next year, Council will be making decisions on issues that will help to shape the profession for years to come. ‘For example, Council will be heavily involved in the creation of a revised Royal Charter which will, among other things, clarify our aims and objectives; officially recognise the College as the regulator for veterinary nurses and underpin their regulation; and underpin the activities we engage in to improve standards – such as the Practice Standards Scheme.’ As well as revising the Royal Charter, other measures in the strategic plan include further development and promotion of the Practice Standards Scheme; the development of the Advanced Practitioner status for vets; a review of the complaints procedure in order to improve communication between vets and complainants; and the review of disciplinary rules.
Broadening Council membership Although the RCVS does not represent the profession in the same way as the BVA does, it is important that its Council broadly reflects the make-up of the profession. The College is therefore encouraging more women to come forward and stand for
84 | Veterinary Record | January 25, 2014
Jacqui Molyneux, a former RCVS president, describes some aspects of being a member of the RCVS Council in a YouTube video produced by the College (www.youtube. com/RCVSvideos)
Council in the 2014 elections as well as younger vets and vets in practice. To encourage a wider range of people to come forward, the RCVS has produced a video highlighting some of the benefits of being on Council and that this can fit around personal and professional life (www.youtube.com/RCVSvideos). For example, the video points out that a loss of earnings allowance for taking part in Council business is reimbursed to a Council member’s employer by the RCVS or, if they are self-employed, to the member directly, and also that reasonable expenses are paid to councillors, including overnight accommodation where necessary.
Getting involved
With such big plans afoot for the next few years, now is the perfect time for vets of all backgrounds to have their say. However, time is running short for those considering standing for election this year, with all the paperwork needing to be with the RCVS by January 31. Anyone who is still undecided can speak to a current member of the Council to find out more about what
is involved (telephone 020 7222 2001 or e-mail: [email protected]). Candidates need to secure nomination from two individuals who must be veterinary surgeons registered with the RCVS, but not current Council members. Non-practising and overseas members are eligible as both candidates and proposers. There is paperwork for both the candidate and proposers to fill in and sign, which can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/ rcvscouncil14. Candidates are asked to write a short (200 word maximum) biography and personal statement which, combined, should not exceed 500 words. This information will be publicly available for the electorate to view. Those not standing for election can have their say by voting for the candidates they believe will represent their views on the Council. The elections will be run independently by Electoral Reform Services and voting papers will be distributed to all members around March 12. The voting period ends at 17.00 on April 25. Those elected will start their four-year term on the Council from the RCVS’s AGM in July 2014. doi: 10.1136/vr.g297
Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on June 21, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
Playing a part in the future of the profession Luke Bishop Veterinary Record 2014 174: 83-84
doi: 10.1136/vr.g297 Updated information and services can be found at: http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/174/4/83
These include:
Email alerting service
Receive free email alerts when new articles cite this article. Sign up in the box at the top right corner of the online article.
Notes
To request permissions go to: http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions To order reprints go to: http://journals.bmj.com/cgi/reprintform To subscribe to BMJ go to: http://group.bmj.com/subscribe/
News & Reports
Feature RCVS
Playing a part in the future of the profession Following recent changes to its governance structure, the RCVS has adopted a new strategy (VR, November 23, 2013, vol 173, p 484). Luke Bishop, from the communications team at the College, argues that there is no better time for vets from all backgrounds to stand for election to the RCVS Council.
Luke Bishop, RCVS, Belgravia House, 62-64 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 2AF e-mail: [email protected]
Photograph: I. Holloway/RCVS
With a new three-year strategic plan now in place to guide the direction of the RCVS, there is no better time for veterinary surgeons from all backgrounds to stand for Council and help bring the RCVS closer to its vision of enhancing society through improved animal health and welfare. A number of changes to the Council and its committees were instituted in 2013. These included the creation of an Operational Board comprising the President, vice-presidents, treasurer, chief executive, Registrar and chairmen of the main RCVS committees (Standards, Education and the Veterinary Nurses Council). The Operational Board has taken over the more routine aspects of running the College. The change to the governance structure means that Council members now have a much more strategic role to play, making major decisions about both the College and the regulation of the profession at large. Council members, for example, approve the annual budget for the RCVS; elect the President, vice-presidents and the main committee chairmen; create committees and set their terms of reference; appoint the chief executive and Registrar; and make major policy decisions. The main standing committees – where much of Council members’ work takes place – have also undergone some changes, with the Advisory Committee being renamed as the Standards Committee. This was to clarify its role in developing the Code of Professional Conduct and setting standards for the profession, and to include registration issues in its remit. At the November 2013 meeting of the RCVS Council, committees
The RCVS Council meets three times a year – in March, June and November, but much of the council members’ work is done between times in various standing committees and subcommittees
were also given powers to elect their own vice-chairmen, with committee membership being decided by the Operational Board. Through these committees – and their associated subcommittees – Council members will play a vital role by discussing policy recommendations put forward by the College secretariat and working parties and deciding whether to recommend these to a full Council meeting, where the decision to approve or reject them will be made. So, for example, members of the Education Committee will, in 2014, be drawing up the guidelines for Advanced Practitioner status – a middle tier accreditation for vets between the basic qualification and Specialist status – as well as undertaking visitations to monitor the standard of degrees offered at UK vet schools. Through the Standards Committee, members of the Council also play a vital role in upholding and advancing standards within the profession by making decisions on the Code of Professional Conduct and its supporting guidance. For example, the committee is currently calling for evidence from the profession and the public on the provision of 24-hour emergency first aid and pain relief, to help it understand the expectations of all involved and how these might best be met.
Neil Smith, the current RCVS President, has been involved with the Council since 2004 and so knows first-hand how important the decisions made by Council members can be. He explains: ‘Council is important because we are responsible for setting, upholding and advancing veterinary standards. Most of the actual work from a councillor’s point of view takes place in committees. People come from all over the UK to be members of Council – it is not something you have to be in the south east of England to be able to do. ‘RCVS Council is there to regulate the profession and to help build public confidence in veterinary medicine. But we always have to keep at the forefront of what we do that this is about animal health and welfare.’
A roadmap for the future
A major decision made by the Council at its November 2013 meeting was the approval of the RCVS Strategic Plan 2014-2016, which sets out how the College will meet its challenge to become a first-rate regulator over the next three years, while remaining a respected Royal College. The plan sets out the general objectives for the College over the three-year period – including clarifying its purpose; continuing January 25, 2014 | Veterinary Record | 83
Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on June 21, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
News & Reports to advance veterinary standards; providing a high-quality service to the profession and public; improving its functions and strengthening its foundations – as well as some of the specific measures that will be taken to meet these. Nick Stace, the RCVS’s chief executive and architect of the three-year strategic plan, explains: ‘The past year has been about getting Council involved in big strategic discussions and getting agreement on our purpose and direction; now the hard work really begins! Over the next year, Council will be making decisions on issues that will help to shape the profession for years to come. ‘For example, Council will be heavily involved in the creation of a revised Royal Charter which will, among other things, clarify our aims and objectives; officially recognise the College as the regulator for veterinary nurses and underpin their regulation; and underpin the activities we engage in to improve standards – such as the Practice Standards Scheme.’ As well as revising the Royal Charter, other measures in the strategic plan include further development and promotion of the Practice Standards Scheme; the development of the Advanced Practitioner status for vets; a review of the complaints procedure in order to improve communication between vets and complainants; and the review of disciplinary rules.
Broadening Council membership Although the RCVS does not represent the profession in the same way as the BVA does, it is important that its Council broadly reflects the make-up of the profession. The College is therefore encouraging more women to come forward and stand for
84 | Veterinary Record | January 25, 2014
Jacqui Molyneux, a former RCVS president, describes some aspects of being a member of the RCVS Council in a YouTube video produced by the College (www.youtube. com/RCVSvideos)
Council in the 2014 elections as well as younger vets and vets in practice. To encourage a wider range of people to come forward, the RCVS has produced a video highlighting some of the benefits of being on Council and that this can fit around personal and professional life (www.youtube.com/RCVSvideos). For example, the video points out that a loss of earnings allowance for taking part in Council business is reimbursed to a Council member’s employer by the RCVS or, if they are self-employed, to the member directly, and also that reasonable expenses are paid to councillors, including overnight accommodation where necessary.
Getting involved
With such big plans afoot for the next few years, now is the perfect time for vets of all backgrounds to have their say. However, time is running short for those considering standing for election this year, with all the paperwork needing to be with the RCVS by January 31. Anyone who is still undecided can speak to a current member of the Council to find out more about what
is involved (telephone 020 7222 2001 or e-mail: [email protected]). Candidates need to secure nomination from two individuals who must be veterinary surgeons registered with the RCVS, but not current Council members. Non-practising and overseas members are eligible as both candidates and proposers. There is paperwork for both the candidate and proposers to fill in and sign, which can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/ rcvscouncil14. Candidates are asked to write a short (200 word maximum) biography and personal statement which, combined, should not exceed 500 words. This information will be publicly available for the electorate to view. Those not standing for election can have their say by voting for the candidates they believe will represent their views on the Council. The elections will be run independently by Electoral Reform Services and voting papers will be distributed to all members around March 12. The voting period ends at 17.00 on April 25. Those elected will start their four-year term on the Council from the RCVS’s AGM in July 2014. doi: 10.1136/vr.g297
Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on June 21, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
Playing a part in the future of the profession Luke Bishop Veterinary Record 2014 174: 83-84
doi: 10.1136/vr.g297 Updated information and services can be found at: http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/174/4/83
These include:
Email alerting service
Receive free email alerts when new articles cite this article. Sign up in the box at the top right corner of the online article.
Notes
To request permissions go to: http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions To order reprints go to: http://journals.bmj.com/cgi/reprintform To subscribe to BMJ go to: http://group.bmj.com/subscribe/
