Council agrees establishment of new Registration Committee

At its September meeting, RCVS Council voted to establish a new Registration Committee to make decisions on policies and processes relating to the registration of veterinary professionals.

Members of RCVS Council voted unanimously on Thursday 3 September for the establishment of the new committee. Among its terms of reference will be:

• Reviewing and monitoring the registration rules, policies and procedures relating to the Registers of Veterinary Surgeons and Veterinary Nurses
• Advising RCVS Council in relation to the creation of new categories of associate members of the RCVS
• Keeping under review data for the Find a Vet service
• Monitoring registration activities and trends
• Considering applications for temporary registration
• Monitoring reports from the Registration and Exams Appeal Committees

Speaking of the establishment of the Committee, Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS Registrar (pictured), commented: “Since the introduction of our 2015 Royal Charter, we have had powers to make new categories of associate membership of the RCVS for those members of the vet-led team (for example, veterinary technicians) who are not currently within our regulatory remit.

“We envisage that a key role of the Registration Committee will be to make recommendations to Council on the formal mechanisms and processes by which these allied paraprofessionals can be brought ‘on board’ as associates.

“Furthermore, with the transition period ending on 31 December this year, it is likely that the registration rules that have hitherto applied for EU graduates will change and the Registration Committee will have a role in developing new registration policy for these EU graduates.”

Members of Council will now be appointed to the Committee, which is expected to start formally meeting from the beginning of 2021.