Information for clients on RCVS Under Care Changes 

From 1st September 2023 the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS, regulatory body for the veterinary profession in the UK) introduced new guidance on prescribing prescription-only medicines (POM-V) The full guidance can be found here: https://www.rcvs.org.uk/setting-standards/advice-and-guidance/under-care-new-guidance/

The new guidance requires that a physical examination of the pet has to be performed every time any antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals and antiparasiticides are prescribed.

This includes topical preparations such as ear and eye drops, and all prescription flea/worm/ tick products.

The guidance is an important step towards ensuring responsible antimicrobial use and reducing the veterinary impact on the wider issues of global antibiotic resistance and decline of insect populations.

What this means in practice is that your pet will need to come in for an in-person consultation every time

• we need to prescribe medication for an ear infection (as most contain antibiotics), we need to prescribe antibiotics for any skin problem, even if it's a chronic problem
• we/you decide to change from one flea/ worm/tick product to another
• we suspect a urinary tract infection (remote/ online consultation and urine analysis culture are no longer sufficient)
• we suspect a gastrointestinal infection (remote online consultation and faecal analysis culture are no longer sufficient)

We also can no longer prescribe prescription only worming products on the basis of a laboratory report alone, we will need to see the animal for a consultation and physical examination first.

 

From 12^th January 2024, the final part of these new regulations come into force.  This concerns the prescription of prescription only (POM-V) anti-parasitic medications such as wormers and flea and tick treatments. 

Over the next few months , in order to comply with the requirement to perform a physical examination of animals before prescription of such treatments, we may ask you to bring your pet to the practice to see a veterinary surgeon before we can provide these treatments.  We are offering these consultations free of charge, in specific clinics – these are for physical examinations to meet the prescribing regulations for flea/tick/wormer treatment ONLY.  Once a vet has performed a physical examination for this purpose and documented it in the clinical notes, we will be able to continue to dispense these medications for your pet for the following 12 months.

Should you need to discuss anything other than this with the vet, you will need to make an appointment for a normal consultation which will be charged at the usual rate. 

Your pet may have seen a veterinary surgeon in recent months, but we may still need you to present them for a clinical examination in order to fulfil these new regulations to continue to provide these medications.  These are regulations which all veterinary surgeons must follow, not a policy created by Clevedale Veterinary Practice.  We have tried to minimise the impact that this will have on our clients and patients, and we ask for your understanding while we navigate the introduction of these regulations. 

For long term prescription medication that is not an antimicrobial or antiparasitic treatment, our usual policy of requiring an examination every 6 months (or every 3 months in some less stable or more serious cases) continues to apply.

The consultations are charged at our usual rates, depending on whether it's an initial consultation or one for a recurring problem.

 

If you have any questions or concerns about the new guidance and how it may affect you and your pet, please contact the practice.  Alternatively, the RCVS can be contacted directly on: 020 7202 0789 or advice@rcvs.org.uk.