The RCVS has published its plan for navigating the risks posed to the veterinary industry by the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union, while maximising the opportunities it offers.

Underlying the plan are three 'Brexit Principles', devised by the College and formally adopted by RCVS Council, which will guide the College’s relationship with the Government during the forthcoming Brexit negotiations.

The College says each Principle is supported by a number of specific policies that the College will lobby for in the coming months, all designed to positively engage with the post-referendum reality and with government policy.

The Principles are: 

1. Vital veterinary work continues to get done.
   This reflects concerns that potential immigration restrictions could cause significant labour shortages in the UK, particularly in the meat industry and in public health. Policies attached to this Principle include lobbying to ensure that EU vets and veterinary nurses currently working in the UK are allowed to remain indefinitely, and in the longer-term ensuring that any reduction in numbers from abroad is offset by an appropriately-funded increase in home-grown talent, while upskilling and extending the role of veterinary nurses.
2. High standards of animal health and welfare remain and improve
   To promote this principle, the College says it will work towards advancing standards of global accreditation, and – once concerns about workforce shortages have been allayed – argue that any restrictions placed on the number of EU graduates registering in the UK should be focused on schools that do not have European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education accreditation.
3. The RCVS is a global force for good
   The College will seek to ensure that: the rights of UK vets working in the EU are preserved; that UK vets working abroad continue to be held up as exemplars of the profession; that our global membership continues to grow; and, to develop a world-leading evidence-based veterinary medicine hub that will transform animal treatment globally.

RCVS Chief Executive Nick Stace said: "It is crucially important for the College and the profession as a whole to think boldly about the post-Brexit future; we cannot expect government to give us all of the answers, instead we must work to find solutions ourselves so as to shape the future of the profession from within."

The College has also asked the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) to undertake research into the attitudes and intentions of all EU-graduated veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses currently working in the UK. They will all have receive a personalised email from IES with a link to this online survey, and their answers will help inform the College’s approach to Brexit. This research will help the College to understand better the impact that Brexit may already be having, how it can support EU veterinary professionals working in the UK, and build an evidence base regarding the potential impact that Brexit may have on the veterinary workforce.

For more information on the College’s Brexit activities, visit: www.rcvs.org.uk/brexit

PS: Whilst you're here, take a moment to see our latest job opportunities for vets.