At the moment, Vets only answer to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. The RVCS only progress complaints which allege that the vet is guilty of serious professional misconduct. 

Those of a lesser charge, such as negligence are the responsibility of the owner to progress via the courts. This is the case even if an animal dies through alleged negligence. 

In 2006/7 46 per cent of complaints received were closed without asking the vet for a response. 

Of the 13 disciplinary inquiries held during 2007, 6 vets were removed or suspended from the register, 1 vet was reprimanded, 3 cases were dismissed, 1 was postponed and 2 vets were found guilty of disgraceful conduct which was considered to be a sufficient sanction and no further action was taken 

The majority of complaints regarding serious professional misconduct do not result in a formal hearing. In these cases the RCVS sets out its view of the matter to the veterinary surgeon and the complainant. 

If there are areas of concern the RCVS will offer advice to the veterinary surgeon concerned. The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons are not opposed to changes within the current system. They argue that new legislation is necessary because it believes that the current Act last amended in 1966, does not measure up to present-day expectations for the regulation of a profession. 

The RCVS keeps a register of qualified vets and intervenes when things go wrong. However, it is unable to take preventative action to ensure standards are being met. In particular: 

• the RCVS cannot compel vets to keep their professional skills and knowledge up to date; 

• the current Act does not recognise veterinary nurses as a profession in their own right or provide statutory powers to regulate veterinary nurses; 

• the RCVS has no power to collect information about veterinary practices, just individual practitioners; 

• there is no proper separation between the Council which sets standards and the Disciplinary Committee which adjudicates; 

• the RCVS has no jurisdiction when a vet's competence or medical fitness to practice is at issue 

 LIKELY TIMETABLE FOR A NEW ACT 

Despite Defra's indication that a White Paper on a new Act would be brought forward in early 2008, Lord Rooker, Minister for Sustainable Food, Farming and Animal Health, said that following the reassessment of Defra's budget there were no resources available until 2011.