AVA Submission to the ACT Review of Veterinary Practice

The ACT Government is conducting a review of veterinary practice in the ACT that had a very short consultation timeframe. This review included a statutory review of the operation of the Veterinary Practice Act 2018 (the Act) and a broader review, including community consultation, to seek community views in relation to the veterinary profession in the ACT.

The ACT Government provided discussion paper for the review with key areas and asks regarding the operations of the Veterinary Practice Act and Regulation, the broader social and economic impacts of the veterinary profession, and a proposal to amend the restricted acts of veterinary science in the Veterinary Practice Regulation for non-veterinarians.

The AVA has provided a submission to the Review of Veterinary Practice in the ACT raising several concerns for the ACT Government consideration. The AVA Submission included comments and voiced concerns on the following matters:

• Concerns with the Consultation Process and Discussion Paper
• Operation of the Act in regulating veterinary practice, including the regulation of veterinary practitioners and veterinary premises
• Complaints, disciplinary proceedings, and enforcement
• The role of the Veterinary Practitioners Board and register, and the
• Regulation of the broader veterinary profession, including veterinary nurses
• Mental health and wellbeing of veterinary staff
• Training, mentoring and support for veterinary staff
• Improving respite care for animals
• Social support models for subsidised sustenance, boarding and veterinary care
• Pet-crisis support for access to urgent health care
• Issues with the proposed amendment to the Veterinary Practice Regulation for amending the restricted acts of veterinary science, and
• Additional Veterinary Matters for the ACT Government Consideration

Read the full AVA Submission here.