“We hope that providing this high-level information will help educators with the decision-making processes” - Dr Linda Prescott-Clements.

The advice follows feedback from educational establishments. 

The RCVS has published two sets of guidance to help educational establishments make appropriate reasonable adjustments for student vets and VNs.

Available on the RCVS website (see links below), the guidance aims to support consistent decision making and clarify how reasonable adjustments align with competence standards.

It also provides examples of the types of reasonable adjustments that could be appropriate in different cases. 

Julie Dugmore, RCVS Director of Veterinary Nursing, explained: “We have produced these two sets of guidance following feedback from veterinary nurse and veterinary surgeon educational establishments that they needed clearer guidance on how best to support students with disabilities and what to do to ensure they can meet the respective Day One Competences. 

“We hope that they will find the practical elements of the guidance useful – with examples of the kind of physical and mental health conditions that may require reasonable adjustments, and how these can be accounted for within educational settings.”

Dr Linda Prescott-Clements, RCVS Director of Education, added: “Each educational establishment will need to make decisions on a case-by-case basis and all decisions must be made in the context of the competences, skills and professional behaviours that veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses must meet upon joining their respective registers. 

“We hope that providing this high-level information will help educators with the decision-making processes.”

Employers and educators are required to put in place reasonable adjustments for employees or students with disabilities under the Equality Act 2010. This is defined as a physical and/or mental health condition that has a long-term impact on a person’ ability to undertake normal daily activities.

The guidance is avaiable to read on the RCVS website at:

Reasonable adjustments for student veterinary nurses

Reasonable adjustments for student vets