Vets who are currently not registered as practising in the UK are being urged to review their status following the publication of new guidance from the RCVS.

Although the updated requirements will not be formally implemented until next April, officials say the measures have been released now to enable affected clinicians to review their status before the next annual renewal period.

The reforms are intended to clarify areas of work-based activity that are defined as the “sole preserve” of vets that would require UK practising status.

New guidance

Under the new guidance, which was endorsed by college council members in the spring, such activities “may include non-clinical work undertaken in the capacity as a veterinary surgeon”, such as work for government agencies, in academia or industry.

It goes on: “In other words, ‘practising’ is not limited to those in clinical practice, but includes veterinary surgeons using their professional qualification where the role is only open to those with a veterinary medicine qualification.”

Assistant registrar Simon Wiklund said the college hoped the changes would resolve what he described as “significant areas of ambiguity” arising from the previous regulations.

Registration status

He added: “We ask that all registrants not currently in the ‘UK practising’ category check their registration status alongside the information we have provided, to ensure that they are in the correct registration category.

“We are formulating further guidance to help those who are unsure of their current status to understand which category they fall into.”

The college said the additional guidance would be made available on its website “in the near future”.