Dedicated pet owners know that finding a vet that you can trust to look after your beloved pet is of paramount importance. Our pets are our family, our best friends and a huge part of our lives. Knowing that we have a fully trained vet there if we need them is a necessity, both for our pet’s health and for our own peace of mind. Pet owners need to be able to place their full trust in their vet, so that they know that they are always doing the best thing when it comes to their pet’s health.
So how do we go about finding a vet that we can rely on? How do you know that your vet is properly trained? Here are our top tips to find a vet you can rely on to always do their very best for your pet.
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What does being a ‘qualified vet’ actually mean?
You may hazard a guess that being a vet means that you have been through veterinary school and received your degree. But did you know that the term ‘veterinary surgeon’ is protected by law? The Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 states that activities of veterinary surgery can only be undertaken by qualified veterinary surgeons. The title ‘veterinary surgeon’ can legally only be used by those registered with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS). The RCVS is the regulatory body for vets in the UK.
Those who wish to be qualified vets not only have to undergo their training via an accredited veterinary degree (this includes many overseas veterinary degrees as well as those offered in the UK), but they also must register with the RCVS. They are then allowed to use the letters MRCVS or FRCVS (Member or Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons) after their name.
All properly trained vets will therefore have either MRCVS or FRCVS after their name. They may well have other letters too, which designate their degree and any other educational achievements or qualifications. These will vary depending on which university they attended, so the important ones to check are the MRCVS or FRCVS.
All veterinary surgeons registered with the RVCS have achieved a veterinary qualification that reaches the requirements that the Royal College set out. They also have agreed to the Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Surgeons. And have committed to undergo a certain level of training each year to keep their knowledge current and relevant.
How do I check that a vet is an MRCVS?
In the UK, there are over 23,000 vets registered as practising in the UK. This includes those working with farm animals, horses, exotics, companion animals as well as in research, government, industry, and academia.
So how do you know that your vet is qualified? There is a register on the RCVS website. This allows you to type in your vet’s name and check their qualifications. It will also show their geographical location by county, the year that they registered, and their field of work. Vets working in the UK in clinical practice must be registered as ‘UK practising’ in order to be legally working. You can also use this tool to find specialists and advanced practitioners in certain areas of veterinary medicine.
How do I find a good vet near me?
There are thousands of registered veterinary practices in the UK, so knowing how to choose one can be tricky. The RCVS find a vet tool can also be used to search for local practices to you. It also allows you to search specifically for RCVS accredited practices. This is a voluntary scheme that around two thirds of the UK practices belong to. It aims to maintain high standards of care by asking practice to fulfil certain criteria to become accredited at different levels.
If you want to find a good local vets, don’t neglect looking at local reviews. You might want to put some thought into your main needs and wants when looking for a vet. There are some tips here. The VetHelpDirect Find a Local Vet service will show you all the vets in your area; along with the reviews from their clients.
What do I do if I have concerns about my vet?
If you have concerns about something your vet has done or said, the first port of call would be to speak to the practice that they work for. There is usually a practice manager, clinical director, senior vet, or member of staff who will be happy to discuss any problems with you. Veterinary staff are only human, and mistakes can happen, or details can get lost in communication, and often a calm conversation between the pet owner and the veterinary practice can allay concerns. If you are not satisfied with the response, the next steps involve the Veterinary Client Mediation Service (VCMS) and the RCVS. There is more information here.
If you are worried that your vet is not properly trained, check the RCVS find a vet tool first. You must be careful to spell their name correctly – the practice website may be useful for this. If you are struggling to check your vet’s qualifications, speak to the practice manager (or equivalent). They should be happy to discuss their vets’ qualifications and achievements with you. If this is impossible for some reason, contact the RCVS.
Peace of mind
Having a good relationship with your vet is the best way to rest easy when it comes to your pet’s health. A trained professional, recognisable by the distinctive MRCVS (or FRCVS) letters after their name, should be easy to find, and allows you the peace of mind knowing that they have been through the rigorous assessment and ongoing training necessary to become a dedicated professional that we can trust with our pets.
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