NEWS AND UPDATES

28 November 2023

Industry consultation is open for the draft Code of Conduct

The Allied Veterinary Professional Regulatory Council (AVPRC) is working towards safeguarding animal welfare and the public interest through regulation and standard setting for veterinary nurses, technicians, and allied animal healthcare practitioners. Part of this is through providing guidance about ethical conduct for all allied veterinary professionals (AVPs). 

We are excited to invite you to contribute to the development of our draft Code of Conduct applicable to all registered AVPs. Embodying seven key principles, each equally significant, the code sets the standard for ethical and professional behaviour. 

Your input is invaluable to us, and we invite you to review the draft Code of Conduct available here: AVPRC draft Code of Conduct. Whether you're a veterinary nurse, technician, nursing student, or another allied professional on our register, your voice matters. Share your insights and perspectives by providing feedback before 5pm, Tuesday 12 December, 2023, through this link: Feedback on draft Code of Conduct.

This collaborative effort will define the framework of professional conduct for AVPs in the years to come, with implementation scheduled for early 2024. Your thoughtful consideration of this Code is a crucial step toward shaping the future of our profession. Thank you for being an integral part of this transformative journey.

What does this mean for you?

The Code of Conduct advises AVPs, and tells the public, what they can expect of an AVP in terms of the professional role. It also provides a benchmark for evaluating the conduct of AVPs. It informs AVPs of the standard of practice that registered AVPs are professionally accountable to and also explains the professional behaviour and ethical conduct people can expect from an AVP when their animal is receiving care.

If you are a registered veterinary nurse, or allied veterinary professional, the Code will be a useful guide to your professional conduct. Eventually, when regulation is legislated, the Code will set out the legal requirements, professional behaviour and conduct expectations for AVPs in all professional settings. 

Who should provide feedback?

The aim for this consultation is to provide an effective representation of what the professions require from conduct of veterinary nurses and allied veterinary professionals. We would like to hear the opinions of all those involved in the sector including those who employ and work alongside veterinary nurses and allied veterinary professionals. We welcome comments from all veterinary nurses, veterinarians, veterinary nursing students, and practice managers.

Finalising the Code

All feedback from this consultation will be considered and a final Code will be published early in the new year. As this is the first year of the Code being published, there will be an opportunity for members of the sector, and the public, to give feedback at any time. The Code will undergo a formal review in 18 months to review any emerging issues and ensure the Code is fit for purpose.

July 2021

The Educational Standard’s Committee (ESC) has been called in as a stakeholder to give feedback to NZQA for the industry consultation Review of Vocational Education.  

July 2021

The Educational Standard’s Committee (ESC) has been called in as a stakeholder to give feedback to NZQA for the industry consultation Review of Vocational Education.

The ESC has given feedback by way of a position statement, and attendance at an input session on consultation for simplifying qualifications and other credentials. In summary, the options that NZQA put out for consultation were unclear about what they would mean for a wide range of industries with a wide range of needs. One issue was a proposal to move to a national curriculum for each qualification or to continue to have provider programmes that meet qualification requirements; however, as a curriculum document and a programme document are quite different, it cannot be one or the other. NZQA are going to go back and re-think the proposal and seek further consultation. The ESC also communicated with education providers encouraging them to give input into this process directly to NZQA.

12 August 2021

The AVPRC received an email from Te Pūkenga asking for nominations to their professional organisations reference group.

This is intended to be an industry stakeholder group that oversees veterinary nursing/technology and allied professional education. An agreed representative, Jennifer Hamlin, was put forward.

4 August 2021

The AVPRC has put forward an agreed representative, Clare Morton, to attend the Veterinary Wellness Framework meetings.

Clare Morton, to attend the Veterinary Wellness Framework meetings.

14 July 2021

An AVPRC representative, Jennifer Evans, has attended a meeting with the New Zealand Qualifications Authority about simplifying vocational qualifications.

The meeting was primarily about them gathering feedback from stakeholders.

May 2021

Veterinary Wellbeing Framework and the Mental Health Framework

Initial governance structures are being set up for these new industry frameworks overseen by VCNZ and NZVA. The AVPRC has advocated for both AVPRC and NZVNA to have representatives on the governance group. There is an expression of interest and nominations process to join the governance group and committees as part of a transparent process. Now it will be a year term, revisited in the future.

March 2021

AVPRC attended a meeting with Te Pūkenga, the new government educational organisation overseeing vocational education.

AVPRC was one of four key industry bodies who attended, including NZVNA, VCNZ, and NZVA, who were invited to give feedback in terms of what industry would like to see when education providers all work together in collaboration to develop and deliver the new AVP educational programmes in the next 5 years. As an industry body, AVPRC will have input at a higher strategic level and the aim is to ensure consistency, quality, and industry involvement to ensure a responsive and effective educational system that helps to future proof the veterinary industry.

June 2021

The AVPRC’s Educational Standards Committee is currently working with the New Zealand Qualifications Authority

to develop a framework for regulatory oversight to ensure consistency, collaboration, and quality control for educational standards in AVP education.

June 2021

The AVPRC’s Educational Standards Committee is currently reviewing options for the development of micro-credential educational standards

that would support advanced certification microcredentialing for qualified veterinary nurses and technicians. This microcredentialing scheme could support practicing standards for delegation of some significant procedures to suitably qualified allied professionals.

May 2021

The AVPRC’s Code of Conduct (COC) working group is consulting widely with regulatory groups to determine a proposed structure for a future legislatively enforced Code of Conduct suitable for all AVPs.

The AVPRC’s Code of Conduct (COC) working group is consulting widely with regulatory groups to determine a proposed structure for a future legislatively enforced Code of Conduct suitable for all AVPs. This needs to be established ahead of statutory regulation, so the aim is to develop a draft COC and send it out for wider industry consultation in 2023.

May 2021

The AVPRC’s Professional Standards Committee is working on a draft plan to develop a Notifications and Complaints process including a review committee, an assessment committee, and a judicial committee.

They are consulting with VCNZ and other regulatory bodies to determine the best options for pathways forward. This draft process will be developed in consultation with VCNZ, then will go out to NZVNA and NZVA, then will go out for winder industry consultation in 2023.

May 2021

The new suite of AVP qualifications was approved by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority in May 2021.

These can be found on the NZQA website and here on the AVPRC website under Education Framework.

March 2021

Veterinary Futures Aotearoa (VFA) – AVPRC is one of the representative organisations on VFA and is participating in several sub committees of VFA including Language and Communications, Educational Pathways, and Sustainable Industry.

AVPRC consulted with education providers to create a draft vision for AVP education including a state of the nation, and vision for the future. AVPRC is also advocating for appropriate representation of all AVPs within these initiatives, including veterinary nurses, veterinary technicians/ technologists, and other allied veterinary and animal healthcare professionals. An aim is that language representing these professions is being reenforced and embedded in governance and policy documents.

November 2020

After 36 months of work alongside Primary ITO,

we are pleased to announce that the qualifications have been submitted to NZQA for approval.

October 2020

Thousands of people in our industry were notified this month about the chance to have a say in the new draft qualifications.

A large list of key stakeholders, all education providers, and the NZVNA, NZVA, and VCNZ membership databases were notified and encouraged to give feedback. Hundreds of people interacted with the surveys, and many gave feedback. It is looking very positive with an average of 96% industry support across all qualifications. The qualification working groups will be meeting this week to address the feedback received. All going well, the qualifications will be listed on the NZQA website by early next year. Development of programmes will commence for delivery starting as early as 2023. The updated qualifications have been developed with an aim to support a more sustainable, rewarding, and resilient veterinary industry. Stay with us as we share information about each of these new qualifications, and what it will mean for you.