The RCVS
introduced their three tier Practice Standards Scheme in January 2005. The
Veterinary Hospital standard has been incorporated into this scheme as Tier
Three.
Click here to download a copy of the Standard. Please note
that although all efforts are made to ensure that this copy is up to date, the
definitive version of the Standard at any time is the one to be found on the
RCVS web site.
Hospital inspections
are carried out by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), the
governing body of the veterinary profession in the UK.
For established
Veterinary Hospitals inspections are carried out every four years. For all new
Veterinary Hospitals the first main re-inspection is carried out after two
years, only then is the normal four year inspection cycle started.
The
RCVS gives hospitals plenty of notice of the inspection and sends a form to be
completed and returned to them. The RCVS then allocates an inspector to carry
out the inspection. The veterinary hospital can request a different inspector,
but the RCVS has usually already taken care to make sure that the inspector is
not involved in a competitor practice.
The Inspector’s report is
submitted to the RCVS Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee meets six
times a year. It is the decision of the Advisory Committee as to whether a
Hospital is approved or not. Practices may be passed as a Veterinary Hospital
subject to certain conditions within set time frames. Depending upon the
requirements the Hospital may be required to certify that the work has been
undertaken (perhaps supporting this with photographic evidence), or a
re-inspection may be required.
On confirmation of Veterinary Hospital
status a certificate is issued by the RCVS.
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