What is RCVS accreditation?
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) regulates the veterinary profession - this includes individual veterinary surgeons and, more recently, veterinary practices.
The Practice Standards Scheme is a voluntary initiative - not all practices are part of it yet.
As a client of a RCVS accredited practice you can be sure your pet is receiving the very best veterinary care and that the practice is regularly inspected by the RCVS to ensure that the required standards are met.
This practice is proud to be an RCVS Accredited Veterinary Hospital, the highest practice standard.
This means that we have been rigorously inspected by the RCVS and found to meet all the specific requirements to be an accredited veterinary hospital, plus all the requirements of a general practice (including legal and health and safety).
The specific hospital requirements include:
- Nursing staff present on the premises round the clock and a veterinary surgeon available at all times to attend in-patients
- A system for checking that clinical standards are maintained and improved by monitoring performance and outcome of treatments
- A high quality and broad range of available equipment, for example, diagnostic equipment such as ECG and ultrasound
- Premises and facilities that have been rigorously examined, with the emphasis on cleanliness and sterility.
The requirements of a general practice include:
- Having a policy for communicating with clients and looking at feedback
- Having procedures to give estimates for treatment costs and obtain consent to procedures undertaken
- Having access to laboratory facilities for diagnostic testing
- Having an ongoing commitment to education and training of staff.
We are fully inspected every four years, and may be subject to spot-checks in between.
As a client of our practice, you can be sure that we are providing the highest levels of veterinary care for your pet.
