The Veterinary Practice Management Association (VPMA) has announced the latest title in its series of Lunchtime Management webinars for members. Practice Standards Group (PSG) member, Pam Mosedale (pictured below), will deliver her talk entitled ‘Update on Changes to RCVS Practice Standards Scheme, Keeping Managers in the Loop’ at 1pm on the 17^th February. The webinar is timely as the PSG will be launching a consultation in early February to refine the scheme’s details. (Further details will be available at www.rcvs.org.uk when the consultation begins.)


The scheme is in the process of being redeveloped to address concerns from previous consultations, among them the perception that the scheme was a box-ticking exercise, and not inclusive of all the types of veterinary practice seen today. Further, respondents felt that there was a need to make the scheme easier to understand from a client’s point of view, which would allow practices to use it a powerful marketing tool.

The new scheme, which will launch in November 2015, will see improvements in all these areas, and, together with a new online logging system allowing advanced uploading of PSS evidence, be focused more on those aspects that impact upon standards of veterinary care, rather than just facilities and equipment.

Ms Mosedale will cover all these areas and more, placing special emphasis on the responsibilities of practice managers and the opportunities for client marketing that the scheme will bring. VPMA representatives on PSG, Renay Rickard and Rita Dingwall, will join the panel for a short Q&A session at the end of the webinar.

This is the third in the series of Lunchtime Management Updates, designed to give practice managers succinct, up-to-date information on current issues. Each webinar lasts just 30 minutes, with a short 10 minute Q&A session at the end. The webinars were created to address the need of practice managers for CPD that would fit into their busy schedules and focus on management topics specifically relevant to them.

Further webinars are planned on the topics of Employee Stress and Mental Health, Out of Hours Cover and Current Vaccination Recommendations. Members will be sent further details and joining instructions in advance of each talk.

Non-members wishing to join the association and access a range of other membership benefits, including the webinars, should email the secretariat at secretariat@vpma.co.uk or by telephone on 07000 782 324.