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RCVS Academy launches client confidentiality course
“The course should help learners to feel confident about what to consider in order to make justified and well-supported decisions” – Victoria Price.
The course will offer advice on making disclosures.

The digital learning platform RCVS Academy has launched a new course for veterinary teams on client confidentiality.

The course offers guidance for situations when it might be necessary to disclose confidential information without the consent of a client. This can include times when there is a public interest or legal reason to share information, or concerns about animal health and welfare.

With the help of three interactive scenarios, learners will look at the steps to take when deciding whether to make a disclosure and how to remain compliant with professional obligations.

The RCVS Standards and Advice team has helped to design the course, which includes support on how to apply the guidance from the RCVS’s Code of Professional Conduct.

Victoria Price, RCVS senior standards and advice officer, said: “I’m delighted that we can offer this course to help veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses exercise their professional judgement in relation to disclosing confidential client information.

“Deciding to breach confidentiality is often a difficult decision with no right or wrong answer. The course should help learners to feel confident about what to consider in order to make justified and well-supported decisions.”

The course, which takes around one hour to complete, can be accessed via the RCVS Academy website.

Image © Shutterstock

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Reporting service for dead wild birds updated

News Story 1
 The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has updated its online reporting service for dead wild birds.

The new version allows those reporting a dead bird to drop a pin on a map when reporting the location. It also includes a wider range of wild bird species groups to select from when describing the bird.

The online service, which helps APHA to monitor the spread of diseases such as avian influenza, can be accessed here

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NI chief vet urges bluetongue vigilance

Northern Ireland's chief veterinary officer (CVO) has urged farmers to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue, after the Animal and Plant Health Agency warned there was a very high probability of further cases in Great Britain.

There have been 126 confirmed cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 in England since November 2023, with no cases reported in Northern Ireland. The movement of live ruminants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is currently suspended.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the virus is most likely to enter Northern Ireland through infected animals or germplasm (semen or ova) being imported.

Brian Dooher, Northern Ireland's CVO, said: "Surveillance for this disease within Northern Ireland has been increased to assist with detection at the earliest opportunity which will facilitate more effective control measures."

Farmers should report any suspicions of the disease to their private veterinary practitioner, the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or their local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.