Whistleblowing and the reporting of professional concerns
The professional responsibilities of veterinary nurses ( VNs ) to animals , clients , the profession and the public are detailed in the RCVS Code of Conduct . Occasionally , it may be necessary to raise a concern about the conduct of a VN or other veterinary professional . Initially , the thought of reporting a fellow professional can feel intimidating , but there is guidance available to make it easier to navigate the process .
A VN may have a concern about a colleague , a senior member of staff or the way something is done at their practice . This type of concern differs from a workplace grievance , which is a complaint about workplace contract terms or a policy that negatively affects the individual .
The RCVS provides advice on how to report a concern about inappropriate conduct in the profession and outlines how the process is managed on its website at : https :// www . rcvs . org . uk / concerns / im-a-vetprofessional-and-i-want-to-raise-a-concern .
Initially , it is best to try to resolve a matter or concern informally , if possible , through discussion with the senior veterinary surgeon or practice manager . However , this may not be feasible if the concern is about the senior member of staff or the matter is very serious . In such circumstances , or if the matter has already been raised informally but has not been resolved , the VN may need to report the concern to the RCVS Professional Conduct Department .
The matter may also come within the jurisdiction of another authority – for example , there may be involvement by the police in a case of illegal activity , the Health and Safety Executive in a case of a serious health and safety breach , or the Environment Agency in a case of unregulated waste being discharged into a river .
The RCVS will discuss a concern anonymously with a VN . However , the RCVS is limited in the action it can take without the details of the person ( s ) concerned , so all relevant information will need to be supplied before a full investigation can be instigated .
10 Veterinary Nursing Journal