Veterinarians must exercise caution in presenting their qualifications and affiliations, ensuring accurate representation and compliance with the legislation in the jurisdiction in which they are registered. This article provides advice on the appropriate use of post-nominals by veterinarians in Australia and New Zealand.
In Australia and New Zealand, the veterinary profession is regulated by veterinary statutory boards (VSBs)[1] in each jurisdiction. New Zealand has a single VSB regulating veterinarians – the Veterinary Council of New Zealand. Australia is a federation, so each jurisdiction independently regulates veterinarians, meaning there are 8 VSBs (“veterinary boards”) nationwide. The role of the VSBs is to safeguard the public and animal welfare by enforcing the veterinary acts within their respective jurisdictions.
AVBC is adjusting its migration skills assessment fees, set to take effect on 1 January 2024. For veterinarians migrating to Australia under a points-tested skilled migration category, AVBC is the specified assessing authority.
The Australian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC) is embarking on an ambitious initiative to develop a National Veterinary Database in Australia. To lead this critical project, AVBC is searching for a talented Business Analyst to join their team.
AVBC is delighted to announce that City University of Hong Kong’s Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, has become the first veterinary school outside of Australia and New Zealand to be guided from “reasonable assurance” to accreditation by a series of its expert teams. After all Boards had time to consider the report from the site visit to the school at the end of May this year, the decision was ratified at the AVBC meeting on the 21 September.
The Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC) today passed a special resolution to add the Veterinary Surgeons Board of South Australia (VSBSA) to its list of members. The unanimous vote on the return of the VSBSA to the AVBC signifies the possibility of adopting national (with New Zealand) policies supporting the highest standards of veterinary regulation and synergy within the Australasian veterinary regulatory community.
In May this year, AVBC organised a Workshop session on psychological safety for its member veterinary boards. Led by Rosie Overfield from Mindpod Consulting and Mary Lydamore from the Veterinary Practitioners Board of New South Wales, the session emphasised the value of compassionate, open, and non-judgmental communication in interactions with complainants and veterinary practitioners.
AVBC recognises that veterinarians are often fearful about regulatory processes and communicating with veterinary boards. Acknowledging these apprehensions, AVBC is working on approaches to boost psychological safety within the veterinary regulatory community.
The Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC) was represented in several sessions at the recent Australian Veterinary Association annual national conference in Adelaide.
Regulation and title protection of veterinary nurses and technicians is a step closer with the AVBC and the VNCA reaching agreement to progress these issues at a collaborative workshop in Melbourne.
