RCVS Council approves pathway for nurses to become Practice Standards Scheme Assessors

RCVS Council approves pathway for nurses to become Practice Standards Scheme Assessors

Registered veterinary nurses are now as step closer to becoming Assessors for the Practice Standards Scheme after Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Council, members approved a pathway for them to do so.

The change to the Practice Standards rules means that RVNs, as with veterinary surgeons, with at least five years’ experience, are eligible to apply to become PSS Assessors. As such they would then be responsible for conducting visits to practices that wish to join the scheme.

The decision had previously been approved by both the Practice Standards Group, the steering committee for the scheme comprising representatives from all of the major veterinary and veterinary nursing organisations in the UK, and the RCVS Standards Committee.

Chair of VN Council Matthew Rendle, who also sits as a member of RCVS Council, said: “I am delighted to see that there is now a pathway to recruit veterinary nurses as PSS Assessors and hope that many of my VN colleagues will take up this opportunity to apply to join the excellent team responsible for ensuring that the scheme’s stringent standards are met.

‘Crucial role’

“We know that, on a practice-by-practice basis, veterinary nurses often play a big role in helping to coordinate and ensure that the requirements of the Practice Standards Scheme are met, for example, by preparing their team for the assessment, liaising with the RCVS and the Assessor and making sure all standards are complied with in advance. It is great to see that the crucial role they often play in meeting standards is reflected in opening up the ability to become PSS Assessors.”

Mandisa Greene, RCVS President and Chair of the Practice Standards Group, added: “This is such an important development for the veterinary nursing profession whose role in the Practice Standards Scheme has long been recognised as invaluable. This decision also opens up new career advancement opportunities for the profession as well, which I’m sure is very welcome.”

RVNs will be welcome to apply to join the roster of Assessors.when the next recruitment round  of recruitment takes place and more information is available at.www.rcvs.org.uk/pss.