registration of veterinarians - veterinary practitioners board · veterinary schools, the nve and...

Registration of veterinarians

John Baguley BVSc MBA PhD GradCert(HigherEd) MANZCVS

Veterinary Practitioners Board OF NEW SOUTH WALES

Legislation

The object of the Veterinary Practice Act 2003 (NSW) is to regulate the provision of veterinary services for the following purposes:

i. To promote the welfare of animals

ii. To ensure that consumers of veterinary services are well informed as to the competencies required of veterinary practitioners

iii. To ensure that acceptable standards are required to be met by veterinary practitioners so as to meet the public interest and national and international trade requirements

iv. To provide public health protection

Board composition

The Board consists of 8 members appointed by the Governor and selected by the Minister:

i. One veterinarian representing specialist veterinarians

ii. One veterinarian representing urban veterinarians

iii. One veterinarian representing rural veterinarians

iv. One veterinarian representing academics in the field of veterinary science

v. Two veterinary practitioners selected personally by the Minister

vi. Two persons who are not veterinarians selected by the Minister to represent consumers of veterinary services

Board functions

The Veterinary Practitioners Board of NSW (Board) has a number of functions including:

i. To register veterinary practitioners

ii. To license veterinary hospitals

iii. To investigate complaints against veterinary practitioners and take disciplinary action against veterinary practitioners

Restricted acts of veterinary science

Restricted acts of veterinary science are declared in the Veterinary Practice Regulation 2013 and include:

i. Examination of or attendance on an animal for the purpose of diagnosing the physiological or pathological condition of the animal

ii. Treatments, procedures or tests that require anaesthesia

iii. Administration of an anaesthetic agent (includes sedatives and tranquilisers)

iv. A list of specific procedures including:

a) A variety of animal husbandry procedures from a specific age

b) Insertion of any thing into certain body cavities

c) Insertion of any thing into the uterus or rectum of a horse

d) Dental procedures other than tooth cleaning on any animal other than a horse

e) Diagnosis of pregnancy in a horse

Registration of veterinary practitioners

It is an offence for an unregistered person to do any restricted act of veterinary science.

Exceptions to the above include:

i. The owner of the animal

ii. An employee of the owner of the animal and the act is done incidentally to their primary duties of employment

iii. Veterinary students enrolled in specific courses

iv. The animal is in urgent need and a veterinary practitioner is not available

v. A person holding an authority under the Animal Research Act 1985

vi. A person who has been accredited by the Board


The Board may grant the following kinds of registration:

i. Full registration

ii. Provisional registration

iii. Limited registration

iv. Honorary registration

v. Specialist registration


Full registration

i. Acceptable academic award in veterinary science

ii. Passport sized photograph

iii. Certified proof of date of birth

iv. Certified proof of qualification

v. Payment of fees

vi. Letter of Professional Standing from your most recent veterinary regulation authority if applicable


Provisional registration

A person who has completed a specific academic award in veterinary science but has not yet received their award (testamur).


Limited registration

A person who does not have the qualifications necessary for full registration but has such qualifications in veterinary science and experience in the practice of veterinary science to justify the granting of limited registration.

Applicants are also required to provide a curriculum vitae and declaration by a nominated supervisor who is a registered veterinary practitioner.

Examples include:

i. Overseas graduates with qualifications in veterinary science that have not been deemed acceptable for registration in NSW (Australia) and who would like to work in Australia for a specific purpose such as a pharmaceutical company

ii. Overseas graduates as above who have passed the preliminary exam of the National Veterinary Exam (NVE) and would like to gain further practical experience in Australia prior to sitting the final clinical component of the NVE


Honorary registration

A veterinarian with full registration may be granted honorary registration by the Board if:

i. The person has been a member of the profession for not less than 40 years or

ii. The person is a member of the profession of long standing and is of or above the age of 65 years or

iii. The person’s standing in the profession is such as to justify the person being granted honorary registration

Current Board policy requires the veterinarian to be retired.


Specialist registration

The Board may grant specialist registration in a branch of veterinary science if the Board is satisfied the veterinarian has such qualifications and experience as to justify the granting of specialist registration


Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC)

Consists of nine member Boards from Australia and New Zealand with the following functions:

i. A forum for member communication and discussion of areas of common interest and policy development

ii. A framework for public and industry confidence in veterinary standards

iii. Assurance and promotion of educational standards in the accreditation of veterinary schools, the NVE and specialist accreditation

The AVBC assists member Boards by providing:

i. A list of veterinary qualifications generally recognised in Australia and New Zealand

ii. Skills assessment for Australian migration

iii. Assessment of veterinary specialist registration applications

iv. Veterinary school accreditation


Conditions on registration

The Board may impose a condition on a veterinarian’s registration for a variety of reasons including:

i. Safety or health of any person

ii. Health and welfare of animals

iii. Damage to the international reputation of Australia in relation to animal exports, animal welfare, animal produce or sporting events

iv. Any conditions imposed by another veterinary regulation authority

v. Any impairment suffered by the veterinarian


Removal from the Register

The Board may remove a veterinarian’s name from the Register for a number of reasons including:

i. The Board is of the opinion the person is not of good character

ii. The person has been found guilty of an offence under a number of Acts including:

a) Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979

b) Stock Medicines Act 1989

c) Biosecurity Act 2015

d) Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 1966

e) Export Control Act 1982

iii. Failure to pay a fee or fine and/or lodge an Annual Return

iv. The veterinarian has been removed from the Register in another jurisdiction


Annual Return

The Annual Return consists of a series of questions including:

i. Details about your place of work area of employment

ii. Whether you have been found guilty of any offence that may cause you to be removed from the Register

iii. Whether you suffer from an impairment

iv. How many continuing professional development (CPD) points you have gained over the previous year


Continuing Professional Development

In order to maintain your registration in NSW you must complete 60 CPD points over a 3 year period of which 15 points must be structured CPD

• Structured CPD points are derived from activities which can readily be externally validated including university courses, conferences, workshops and publications

• Unstructured CPD points are derived from activities which cannot readily be externally validated such as private reading, clinical rounds, unassessed computer based courses and mentoring

• New graduates are credited with 5 structured and 15 unstructured CPD points in their first Annual Return


National Recognition of Veterinary Registration (NRVR)

• NRVR requires veterinarians to register in the state or territory in which they reside

• NRVR was designed to increase the mobility of veterinarians in Australia and decrease the administration costs of registration

• Veterinarians registered in other states and territories in Australia are deemed to be registered in NSW, South Australia, Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania

• States and territories yet to implement NRVR require registration in the state or territory in which you practise veterinary science


Summary

• Graduates from Australian universities are eligible for provisional registration in NSW once the Board has received their application, payment and confirmation they have completed the requirements of their veterinary degree

• Graduates from Australian universities are eligible for full registration once the Board has received their application, including a certified copy of their testamur, and payment

• Graduates from Australian universities who are applying in Australia for a visa which requires a completed skills assessment need to apply to the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC) after they have registered as a veterinarian in Australia

• For a list of veterinary qualifications suitable for registration in NSW please visit the AVBC website


Summary

• Veterinarians who have qualifications that have not been accepted as sufficient for registration in Australia must either complete the National Veterinary Exam (NVE) or the Education Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG) certification program and the North American Veterinary Licensing Exam (NAVLE) in order to gain full registration in NSW

• Veterinarians who have qualifications that have not been accepted as sufficient for registration in Australia may apply for limited registration

• Veterinarians who have been working in another jurisdiction and wish to apply for registration or restore themselves to the Register in NSW must also organise for a Letter of Professional Standing to be sent from their current regulatory authority to the Board

• Veterinarians who no longer require registration in NSW should submit a Voluntary Removal from the Register Form

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Questions

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