We Are Accredited by the RCVS

19/11/2018

What does this mean for you and your pet?

The RCVS is the professional regulator for veterinary services in the UK. In 2005 they set up the Practice Standards Scheme (PSS). The scheme strives to achieve and maintain high standards of clinical care in participating practices. Participation in the scheme is voluntary, and currently, about 59% of UK practices are accredited. We are proud that all Village Vet practices have achieved RCVS accreditation. To receive our accreditation we are inspected every four years with any number of random spot checks in between. During the inspections, both our staff and our premises must be judged to meet the high standards of care set out by the Practice Standards Scheme.

There are several types of accreditation, the main ones being:

  • Core Standards
  • General Practice
  • Emergency Services Clinic
  • Veterinary Hospital

All practices must meet core standards and then meet further requirements for more specific accreditations.

The core standards cover but are not limited to:

  • Staff training-all veterinary personnel must have appropriate qualifications and meet the required hours of continued professional development (CPD) every year. Insurance must
    also be in place.
  • The practice and staff must meet minimum standards of hygiene.
  • Surgical and diagnostic equipment must be available and maintained according to health and safety guidelines.
  • Provisions must be made for any out of hours emergencies and inpatient care. This may be on the premises or in partnership with another practice.
  • The clients must be aware of the level of treatments and monitoring available to inpatients overnight.

In London, only seven practices currently hold the small animal veterinary hospital award and six hold the award for emergency services clinic. In Hertfordshire, there are only seven practices accredited with the award small animal veterinary hospital and three with emergency services clinic. We are proud that Village Vet St. Albans and Village Vet Hampstead have been awarded both these accreditations.

To achieve these awards we have met both the core standards and the general practice standards. On top of this, both of these practices have among other things: Registered nurses and veterinary surgeons on the premises to care for inpatients and receive emergencies 24/7.

We have specialist equipment to diagnose and monitor our patients. This includes ECG and ultrasound.

The standards of practice and staff hygiene are exceptional.

As all Village Vet practices have achieved RCVS accreditation, you can rest assured that in our hands your pets will receive the highest standards of care. You can check for RCVS accreditation of your vet by visiting https://findavet.rcvs.org.uk. The RCVS accreditation logo may also be displayed at your practice.