Five-year RCVS Strategic Plan approved by RCVS Council
A new five-year Strategic Plan for the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, that revolves around four key ambitions and sets a blueprint for how the College will work on behalf of all its stakeholders, was approved by RCVS Council at its January 2020 meeting.
The new 2020–2024 Strategic Plan has been in development since the end of 2018. To inform the development of this plan, over the last 12 months the RCVS undertook research amongst veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses (through the Surveys of the Professions), stakeholders and the public.
Members of the professions and stakeholder organisations felt that the direction of travel was a positive one, with improvements noted by stakeholders in clarity of mission and purpose, transparency, openness and collaboration, and in the nature and speed of the College’s communications, since the last such research, in 2013.
Members of the profession also rated the College highly on professionalism, international relationships, having processes that reflect best practice, and on how it lives up to its stated values. The new plan is a continuation of this positive course. The full stakeholder research can be found onwww.rcvs.org.uk/publications where the Surveys of the Professions results will also be published shortly.
The final version of the strategic plan is based around four overarching ambitions. These are:
Commenting on the Strategic Plan and its ambitions, Lizzie Lockett, RCVS CEO, said: “This new plan builds on its two immediate predecessors – the 2014-16 plan which focused on getting the basics right and the 2017-19 plan, which took a broader scope and looked at the future of the professions – by looking at the future of the RCVS as an organisation working on behalf of all its stakeholders.
“This plan takes into account the future direction and needs of the professions, animal owners and the public as well as the wider issues of animal health and welfare and public health.
“It addresses what kind of regulator and Royal College we want to be, our place in the world, and how we can continue to remain relevant and ambitious. By the time it is completed, we hope that the RCVS will be recognised as a trusted, compassionate and proactive regulator, and a supportive and ambitious Royal College, that provides the underpinning for confident veterinary professionals of which the UK can be proud.
“I would like to thank all those from the professions and beyond who helped us develop the plan and, as members of self-regulated professions, I would ask veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses to join us in making this strategy and ambitions possible by continuing the dialogue with us.”
The draft 2020-2024 Strategic Plan can be found in the papers for the January 2020 RCVS Council meeting at: www.rcvs.org.uk/who-we-are/rcvs-council/council-meetings/23-january-2020-2/
The final Strategic Plan, taking on board several small changes recommended by Council, as well as a summary of its aims, will shortly be published onwww.rcvs.org.uk/publications