At the end of March the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Practice Standards Scheme was launched.  The aim of this scheme is to establish a quality assurance framework to promote and maintain the highest standard of veterinary care, thus offering peace of mind to clients of accredited practices and greater choice to the animal-owning public at large.  

Pet Doctors Veterinary clinics in Shirley, Chandlers Ford, Botley, Rustington, Seaford, St John’s, Godalming, Guildford, Tongham and Soham are proud to have achieved Tier 2 Small Animal Practice Accreditation.

As an accredited practice, the clinics have passed an inspection carried out by an experienced veterinary surgeon focusing on a range of areas, including hygiene, health and safety, clinical governance and the facilities we provide, to name just a few of the many criteria. 
 
“Our practices will be re-inspected regularly and we will be subject to spot-checks at any time, so we have to keep on our toes,” explained Garret Turley, veterinary surgeon and director at Pet Doctors.     The Practice Standards Scheme is a voluntary initiative - not all veterinary practices are part of it yet. 
 
RCVS accreditation means that as a client you can rest assured that the accredited practice offers a high quality of care - in those bits of the practice that you can see - and those that you can't. 

The Pet Doctors clinics have been accredited as RCVS General Practice – Species/Discipline Specific (Small Animal Practice).  This means that:

• their compliance with legal and health and safety requirements;

• their employment of staff that are fully and appropriately trained for the work that is carried out  and

• the fact that they have access to laboratory facilities for diagnostic testing, and a system for monitoring the outcome of treatments  and appropriate surgical equipment have all been independently certified. 

It also certifies that the practices:

• provide arrangements for 24 hour emergency cover for patients,

• meet hygiene standards

• have a written policy for client communication and

• show commitment to the education and training of their staff.