The Veterinary Council of Ireland (VCI) will host an industry focus group on 7 September on codes of conduct with key stakeholders from the agricultural, food and veterinary sectors.

The areas under focus for discussion are 24-hour emergency cover, animals under veterinary care, veterinary telemedicine and veterinary certification.

This is the first complete review of the codes undertaken in 10 years and the focus group will include a general discussion on the codes of professional conduct and their views.

Stakeholder engagement

The focus group forms part of the consultation and engagement with stakeholders, regarding a complete and substantial review undertaken of the VCI’s codes of professional conduct for veterinary practitioners and veterinary nurses.

Attendees will include representatives from across the food, agricultural, medicine and education sectors, including UCD School of Veterinary Medicine & Veterinary Nursing; Teagasc; The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Veterinary Ireland; Irish Farmers Association; and many others.

Following on from the industry focus group, the VCI will also be hosting a three-week public consultation on its codes of professional conduct, commencing in October.

The VCI is the independent statutory body responsible for the regulation of the practise of veterinary medicine and veterinary nursing in Ireland.