When we send our children to school, we may look at the most recent OFSTED report to help us make a decision. When choosing a GP surgery, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspections can provide guidance and ratings for various aspects of patient care. But what about vets? Well, there is a system in place which aims to help practices provide the highest standards of care to our pets and shows that they are constantly aiming to promote and improve key principles and aspects of the practice. This is known as the Practice Standards Scheme. 

What is the Practice Standards Scheme? 

The Practice Standards Scheme (PSS) is a voluntary initiative run by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), the governing body of veterinary practices and staff in the UK. Its aim is to promote the highest standards of veterinary care and those practices signing up to the scheme and achieving accreditation can advertise themselves as such. It is not, however, a simple tick-box exercise and can involve many months of work as well as several hundred pounds per year to maintain. Not only that, but practices must undergo a formal inspection every four years, with regular spot checks in between.  

The PSS covers three main levels of accreditation and a practice can choose which level they wish to aim for. 

  • The initial level is Core Standards which covers fundamental requirements around safety (both for staff and patients), hygiene and provision of veterinary services. 
  • The General Practice level will build upon Core Standards and will show practices that have enhanced facilities and equipment, strict protocols, regular auditing of said protocols and procedures and increased staff training requirements. This is the highest level for primary care for first opinion practices. 
  • Veterinary Hospital status is the highest level, reserved for those practices that provide on-site 24-7 nursing care, advanced diagnostics and exceptional standards meaning they can deal with the most severely ill animals.  

Beyond these, practices can also apply for award levels in certain areas such as client care or dentistry to further promote their achievements in these categories. There is also a separate level for Emergency Service Clinics who operate purely for emergency cases.  

The PSS doesn’t just apply to small animal practices either – equine and farm practices have their own set of requirements and can also become accredited.  

What does the PSS actually involve? 

When a practice signs up to the PSS, they must complete a number of modules which all contain various requirements – some might require evidence of training, to show a specific protocol or provide evidence of safe practice. Certain documents must be uploaded and signed off in advance of a planned inspection and some will be checked at the time of the inspection. The modules within the Small Animal PSS are: 

  1. Anaesthesia 
  1. Clinical Governance 
  1. Client Experience 
  1. Dentistry 
  1. Diagnostic Imaging 
  1. Emergency and Critical Care (Emergency Service Clinic level only) 
  1. Infection Control and Biosecurity 
  1. In-patients 
  1. Laboratory and Clinical Pathology 
  1.  Medicines 
  1.  Medical Records 
  1.  Nursing 
  1.  Out-of-hours 
  1.  Out – patients 
  1.  Pain Management and Welfare 
  1.  Practice Team 
  1.  Premises 
  1.  Surgery 
  1.  Environmental Sustainability 

On the day of the inspection, a qualified assessor will visit the clinic and any branch clinics to look around, speak to members of the team and inspect aspects of cleanliness, health and safety and documentation. They will then issue a report to the practice which summarises their findings and stipulates any actions that must be completed in order to gain the required accreditation. Once these are implemented and re-submitted to the necessary level, the practice will then be awarded the relevant accreditation.  

Although official inspections only take place once every four years, practices can be subject to spot-checks at any time so it is vital that all the protocols and high standards are maintained continuously. There is a huge amount of paperwork, organisation and time that goes into becoming an accredited practice, so what are the benefits? 

The benefits of the PSS  

Becoming an RCVS accredited practice means that the animals seen by that practice and the clients attending that practice can know that they are receiving the highest level of care. This can be incredibly reassuring for clients when they have to put their trust in a practice and leave their pet for a procedure as they just don’t know what goes on ‘behind the scenes’. For staff as well, they know they are working in a structured and high-achieving environment where they are supported and encouraged to work to high standards and have the opportunities to further their training if they wish to. Very importantly in this modern world, the requirements around environmental sustainability prove that a practice is keen to reduce their environmental impact where possible and strives to reduce their CO2 burden.  

The future of the PSS 

Currently, around 60% of UK practices are signed up to the Practice Standards Scheme and more and more are looking to expand their current accreditation by striving to achieve the additional awards. Looking to the future, there is likely to be even more emphasis on environmental sustainability as newer technologies replace out-dated methods and equipment. The RCVS also announced earlier this year that all practices, whether part of the PSS or not, will soon be required to have a suicide prevention plan in place. This highlights the awareness of the importance of mental health within the profession and is likely to be further expanded upon within the PSS.  

There are also ongoing government consultations around updating the Veterinary Surgeons Act (1966) due to it being seen as incredibly outdated for modern practice and not fit for purpose in the 21st century. One of the issues under consideration is making the current PSS mandatory rather than voluntary, but keeping the option of further awards to reflect excellency.  

How do I identify an RCVS accredited practice? 

Any practice that has gone through the Practice Standards Scheme and achieved accreditation will be able to display a plaque on the front of their building showing their status. It will also be highlighted on their page on the RCVS ‘Find A Vet’ website and show which level of accreditation they have achieved. Almost every practice has an online presence now too, be it a website or on social media, which is likely to show their accomplishments. But also, don’t be afraid to ask! Becoming accredited with the RCVS through the PSS involves a huge amount of work for the whole team and they will certainly want their clients to know about their success.  

Overall, the Practice Standards Scheme offers a thorough and structured framework in order for veterinary practices in the UK to strive for, maintain and promote the highest standards of veterinary care, meaning that clients can feel reassured that their pet is in good, safe hands and no stone is left unturned during their care. Staff can feel valued and looked after and a happy workplace will work wonders for client, animal and vet relationships. Going forwards, this system has the potential to really expand and grow with the veterinary profession, pushing practices to maximise their potential and ensure that no practices are left in the ‘dark ages’. Clients will experience contextualised care as standard and that trust between client and vet can only grow stronger.  

Further reading 

RCVS Practice Standards Scheme