May Council meeting summary

14 June 2024

The Veterinary Council of New Zealand (VCNZ) held its quarterly meeting at the end of May in Invercargill. The following is a summary of some of the topics that were discussed.

Vet Council staff provided several updates, including reporting that the renewal process for the 2024 Annual Practising Certificates had gone well, and that Council workforce analysis reports have been showcased internationally, as an example of good practice. The Council is thinking about where it can assist others in this area and is planning a project for later this year to review and possibly expand its workforce data reports.

Other discussion points included an update from Council Chief Executive Iain McLachlan about potential uncertainty in the law around research testing and teaching under the Animal Welfare Act. The Council noted that legal advice will be sought on behalf of the Vet Council to assist the profession to gain clarity on some of the issues regarding veterinary involvement and the need for animal ethics approval.

The Council also spoke about monitoring the effects of the economic downturn to ensure veterinary standards are not compromised.

Other topics on the agenda included looking at the skills potential candidates would need for future Council positions to ensure effective governance, and succession planning for those in their final terms.  

The next Council meeting will be held in August, and we will include an update from this in the following month’s pānui.