The College of Animal Welfare is delighted to announce a brand new event for 2015 – the Head Nurse Congress on 16 and 17 May.

Aimed at current and aspiring head nurses, this new two day congress – believed to the first of its kind – is set to provide valuable CPD that is truly relevant to the role of the head nurse in today’s modern veterinary practice.

Packed full of exciting speakers, delegates will have the opportunity to listen to a wide variety of lectures including communication and leadership skills, managing conflict and bullying, increasing client and employee loyalty, maximising the use and talent of veterinary nurses in practice, influencing people, effective decision making and managing cash flow.

Marketing and Development Director, Leslie Heaton-Smith, said “Veterinary nurse training is very intense and prepares nurses for the technical and professional capabilities that the profession demands. However, alongside technical skills, effective leadership and management plays a key role in maximising team performance, which ultimately benefits patient and client care”. He continued “We hope that this new two day congress will allow those working in a head nurse role to return to practice feeling empowered to make positive changes”.

This year’s congress will be held at the College’s centre in Cambridgeshire and is available at the special introductory rate of just £99+VAT for the both days! Limited spaces are available.

An agenda and further information can be found at www.caw.ac.uk/hnc or by calling 01480 422060.

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) new Royal Charter came into effect yesterday (Tuesday 17 February 2015), meaning that the whole of the veterinary nursing profession in the UK is now regulated.

Under the changes instituted in the new Charter there are no longer listed veterinary nurses and all those formerly on the List have effectively been moved to the Register and will be able to use the postnominals RVN.

As a result they will now be expected to undertake the minimum requirement for continuing professional development (CPD) of 45 hours over a three-year period, will be responsible for adhering to the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Nurses and will be subject to the College’s disciplinary system in cases of serious professional misconduct. Any veterinary nurse removed or suspended from the Register will not be entitled to give medical treatment or carry out minor surgery.

The new Charter received the Great Seal of the Realm and was collected from the House of Lords by RCVS Registrar Gordon Hockey and Policy Consultant Jeff Gill. It had previously been approved at a meeting of the Privy Council on 5 November 2014.

Gordon Hockey said: “This is a proud day for us and an important day for the profession as a whole. We worked very hard to get to this point and I would like to thank all those who helped us along the way including RCVS and VN Council members, College staff and the members of the profession and representative organisations, in particular the BVA and BVNA, that responded to our consultation on the proposed Charter last year.

“This Charter clarifies the role of the College and its aims and objectives while also modernising many of our regulatory functions. This represents another significant step towards the College becoming a first rate regulator.

“Critically, this Charter fulfils one of our long-term ambitions to create a coherent regulatory system for veterinary nurses and to recognise them as true professionals, dedicated to their vocation, their development and proper conduct.”

During this year’s renewal period for veterinary nurses (in the autumn), those formerly on the List will be expected to confirm that they are undertaking CPD and will also need to disclose any criminal convictions, cautions or adverse findings when they renew their registration. The annual renewal fee for veterinary nurses remains unchanged.

A detailed set of frequently asked questions for former listed veterinary nurses can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/rvn.