Читать книгу Leadership in Veterinary Medicine - Clive Elwood - Страница 32

To be a veterinary surgeon (veterinarian) or veterinary nurse (in the UK) is to be part of a profession and accept the authority and oversight of a professional regulator. In the United Kingdom, the regulator is the RCVS and the underlying legal status of the profession is the Veterinary Surgeons Act (1966). Much of this Act relates to how individuals are entered into, and maintained on, the Register of practitioners. What the registered professional can actually do is much less proscribed; the Act does say it is unlawful for anyone other than a veterinary surgeon to perform acts of veterinary surgery, whether or not they charge a fee (but the right to charge a fee for services is implicit). The RCVS also maintains a Register of Veterinary Nurses qualified to provide supporting nursing care to animals and, under veterinary direction, to undertake certain treatments and procedures that are also controlled by law under the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966.

The RCVS Codes of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Surgeons and Veterinary Nurses puts ‘meat on the bones’ of professional responsibilities and, with supportive guidance, outlines what is expected of professionals. Furthermore, on admission to the veterinary register we declare that ‘ABOVE ALL, my constant endeavour will be to ensure the health and welfare of animals committed to my care.’