JOBS & CAREERS SPRING 2018 - 148

O

ur unusual set-up lends itself to
a diverse range of staff working
across a number of distinct
areas. For example, we have trained
solicitors, barristers, veterinary surgeons,
veterinary nurses, journalists, graphic
designers, educators and accountants
working here. In total, we have over 100
staff with around 90 at our Westminster
office and another 20 or so contracted
staff working across the country.
WHAT WE DO
As a regulator, our core services relate to:
maintaining a register of every veterinary
surgeon and veterinary nurse practising
in the UK; investigating concerns raised
about their professional conduct;
assessing and accrediting their education
and training; and, providing advice on their
professional responsibilities.
These core services alone create
plenty of roles, such as complaint case
managers, investigators, professional
advisors, registration officers, quality
assessors and educators. Alongside
these core services are a number of
support functions including IT, HR,
communications, policy and public affairs,
finance and facilities.
The College is not constrained by
statute, however, and, over the past 15
years we've been expanding into new
areas. This started with our Practice
Standards Scheme in 2005, which now
employs some 21 veterinary surgeons
across the UK who visit practices to check
the quality of the service they offer.
More recently, an innovation project
and a mental health initiative have
opened up the doors to applicants from
different backgrounds such as mental
health workers, occupational therapists

BY ROYAL
APPOINTMENT
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS)
has a unique and unusual role in being the statutory
regulator of the veterinary professions as well as a
royal college that awards fellowships, certificates and
statuses to veterinary professionals and undertakes
activities that aim to enhance the profession and
animal health and welfare.
and those working in technological and
business innovation.
Lizzie Lockett, who was appointed
chief executive of the College in
2017 and was previously director of
communications, says: "Since I started
here in the mid 2000s things have
certainly changed a great deal in terms
of the remit of the College as we now
do more to help the profession and the
public beyond our key services. This
has opened up some new and exciting
opportunities and I think this will only
increase as time goes on.
"The real sea-change I've seen here
is in the culture and ethos of the College,
which was started by my predecessor
Nick Stace, and recognises that if we look
after our staff then we provide a better

service to our stakeholders. As a result,
there has been a real emphasis on training
and developing staff, making the overall
working environment more pleasant and
enjoyable, and taking our duty of care for
staff in terms of their mental and physical
health much more seriously. We want to
make sure that this isn't 'just a job' and
that people are really engaged with the
organisation and what we do."
THE BENEFITS OF
WORKING AT THE RCVS
With this greater emphasis on a positive
working ethos and environment, here are
just some of the key changes that have
been made in the past five years:
* A central training and professional
development budget funding academic


https://www.rcvs.org.uk/who-we-are/contact-us/

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JOBS & CAREERS SPRING 2018

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https://europe.nxtbook.com/emp/Careers/JobsandCareersAutumn2017
https://europe.nxtbook.com/emp/Careers/YourBusinessWithJamesCaan2017
http://europe.nxtbook.com/emp/Careers/Careers/Careers_with_Hayley_Taylor_2011
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