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What do you do on a What can the profession Are you au fait with changes What do you hope to find normal Sunday? learn from the military? to the pet travel scheme? in your Christmas stocking? – page 26 – page 30 – page 32 – page 55 Science, innovation, and precision DECEMBER 2011 Volume 43 Number 10 Changes called for in way RCVS functions “THE Royal College should urgently IT and a building project. The report was challenging, and and head of finance review its protocols for the agreement produced by a review team chaired by transparent governance.” supported this of business plans and project Professor Bill McKelvey – assisted by The group was also recommendation. However specifications, the processes for sign- two Privy Council-appointed members of very concerned that a the council has failed, for off of those plans, the procedures for the council, Richard Davis and Judith formal internal audit whatever reasons, to act on tendering and agreement of Webb – whose remit was “to look at all function did not exist in that recommendation.” contracts, and the methodology for aspects that relate to the RCVS the College, and therefore The group reported that, timeous reporting of progress, budgeting and expenditure processes and appropriate benchmarking with the building project, it against agreed milestones, to officers to propose lessons that should be of procedures and had been unable to and to council. This should include a learned”. practices was not regularly determine where ultimate review of written authorisation limits The report said the College should undertaken through responsibility lay for for expenditure at all levels.” carefully consider the pivotal role of the independent external Dr Jerry Davies. agreement of plans, These are among the principal treasurer in ensuring not only financial assessment. contracts and budgets. findings of the McKelvey Report on the accountability, but also in ensuring that “Without such assessment we are A further recommendation was that recent “over-spends” at the College on best practice standards are regularly unclear as to how members of the the College should give due reviewed across all College operations Council can satisfy themselves with consideration to the co-option and RCVS registrar through internal audit and external regard to ensuring best practice across appointment of non-elected members of benchmarking of business processes. the College’s various statutory and council through a defined skills matrix leaving “The skills set required for the business functions.” The report calls for approach. THE treasurer should be formally reviewed an audit and risk committee, fully The RCVS president, Dr Jerry registrar and and the appointment process should take independent of the finance and planning Davies, commented: “That such a review secretary of due consideration of these skills portfolio, to be formed. was required is regretted … the the RCVS, requirements,” it said. recommendations will be a very helpful Jane Hern, The report criticised the planning Failure to act addition to the work that is currently is standing and resources committee (PRC) for “We understand (from anecdotal underway to ensure corporate down this acting as both a finance and general accounts) that a similar recommendation governance is fit for purpose and, in month after purposes committee and as a quasi audit was made some years ago following a particular, that the management of 15 years in committee. similar investigation of an overspend on capital projects within the College is the position. “In our view this is entirely a buildings project, and that the registrar optimised.” At the RCVS council meeting last inappropriate and does not reflect best month, the president, Dr Jerry Davies, governance practice. It became clear to Mercury 4 Feline CKD 16 Parasites 32 said the College had been fortunate in us that the planning and resources Cross-words 6 Orthopaedics 19 Book reviews 41 having Jane’s wisdom and guidance. He committee did not interrogate projects in Viewpoint 8 Dermatology 22 Livestock pages 42 added that a recruitment process for a detail, received post-hoc information, and new registrar would begin “once the at times exhibited a ‘them and us’ culture Latest products 9 Critical care 24 Equine pages 50 role has been defined”. RCVS Council 10 Events 29 Business and finance 55 which was not conducive to open, IN THIS ISSUE headache? 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Owers, chief executive of World Horse foals was the root cause of many health antimicrobial “Speakers will review the scientific Welfare (WHW), told a conference on and welfare problems. “Purchase prices evidence base to inform a rational equine welfare in London last month. are decreasing and costs of keep resistance debate, focusing on the sources of “Our support for equestrian sports increasing, which are going to lead to THE RCVS, together with the Royal antimicrobial resistance in animals and is a matter of principle and goes right to increasing welfare problems.” College of Physicians and the Royal humans, and the flow of resistance the heart of what World Horse Welfare College of Pathologists and in between them and the environment.” is about,” Mr Owers said. “So long as Award for young association with the Health Protection The symposium will consider the we accept a heavy burden of Agency, is to hold a one-day symposium rapidly-growing importance of responsibility on our shoulders for their poultry vets on antimicrobial resistance in London antimicrobial use and misuse globally, welfare, and give their welfare priority THE World Veterinary Poultry next March. the impact of travel and the historical over all other considerations, we believe Association (WVPA) and Pfizer Animal Called Antimicrobial resistance in human outcomes of previous restrictions. that involving horses in sport is right Health Global Poultry are introducing a and veterinary medicine – one health, one and mutually beneficial. global award for poultry veterinarians problem?, the symposium will be held on Equine welfare “Horse welfare in sport is so high in aged under 35. 15th March at the Royal College of part because welfare organisations like The WVPA Young Veterinarian of Physicians. standards praised us have made it our business to work the Year 2012 award will be presented at “The aim is to bring medical and “WE are proud to play a role to ensure with sport regulators to help them reach Poultry Focus Asia in Bangkok in veterinary scientists and leading sport horses enjoy welfare standards these standards.” February 2012. The winner will receive practitioners together to discuss among the highest in the world; The event featured WHW’s $US5,000 towards travel and antimicrobial resistance, in the spirit of however, the sport industry also president, the Princess Royal, the accommodation expenses for attending ‘one medicine’,” says Professor Sandy understands that wherever we find bad Minister for Sport and the Olympics, an international scientific/technical or Hugh Robertson, and speakers such as CPD meeting of his or her choice. Dr Jonathan Pycock, who gave a Entries close on 31st December and Internet pharmacies presentation on Overbreeding in the equine can be made only via the website, Geoff Watson of Hyperdrug.com writes: industry. He said that the issue that over- www.wvpa-award.com. As “one of the enemy”, in other words a registered UK pharmacy with an internet site offering veterinary products, we found your article Internet pharmacies: Veterinary Practice is an independent monthly opportunity or threat? [November issue, page 3] interesting. publication for members of the veterinary Unfortunately the same old allegations were trotted out once again including profession in the UK. It is mailed free to all internet security, repeat prescription abuse, unauthorised veterinary medicinal veterinary surgeons in practice and is available on products, competent recipients, reporting of suspected adverse reactions, etc. subscription (£36 a year) to others interested. If anyone has any evidence that any of these abuses have ever taken place then it is disappointing that they seem to have failed to report them to the Editorial and Advertising and Published pharmacy regulator, the General Pharmaceutical Council. However many of the websites loosely referred to as “internet pharmacies” design: subscriptions: monthly by are nothing of the sort and include some referred to in pharmacy circles as Editor: David Ritchie, JCA Media Group Ltd VP Publishing Ltd “virtual vets”, sometimes even making illegal use of the restricted title BA, HonAssocRCVS Lion Lane, Needham 30 Diamond Ridge, (editor@veterinary- Market, Suffolk, IP6 8NT Camberley, Surrey “pharmacy”.