Veterinary Nurses Council election results
2 May 2007
The results of the RCVS Veterinary Nurses Council elections have been announced and those elected include one new face and one re-elected member.
Professor Sheila Crispin will welcome Jennifer Thompson to VN Council at RCVS Day in July this year and will welcome back Elizabeth Branscombe who returns for a second term. Elizabeth was first elected in 2006 for just one year as she filled a place vacated mid-term.
At 584, this year's voting numbers were down on last year's. "This is disappointing, particularly given the huge period of change the veterinary nursing profession is going through. I would have hoped that more veterinary nurses would feel the time was right to engage with their governing body and decide who to elect to VN Council," commented Andrea Jeffery, Chairman of VN Council.
However, an increased percentage of votes was made electronically: 17% compared with 14% last year. Electronic voting was pioneered at the VN Council elections in 2004 and this year was rolled out to the RCVS Council elections for the first time.
The 2007 votes fell as follows:
1) Jennifer Thompson 378 - Elected
2) Elizabeth Branscombe 314 - Elected
3) Angiy Michael 225
Jennifer Thompson is head nurse in a small animal and equine practice in Surrey, while Elizabeth Branscombe is Nurse Training Coordinator at a small animal referral practice in Bedfordshire.
VNC is the interface between veterinary nurses and the RCVS Council and comprises eight elected veterinary nurses, three RCVS Council Members (veterinary surgeons), three non-RCVS Council veterinary surgeons and two lay members, one being the current Lantra (Skills Council) representative. There are also invited observers from BVNA and BVA.
VNC has overall responsibility for all matters concerning post-qualification awards and the regulation of qualified veterinary nurses. The NVQ is the responsibility of the RCVS Awarding Body, a separate body that is accountable to the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority as well as to the RCVS, its parent organisation.