We hope that a good many of you will as the 'Direct Entry' training scheme will be launched next year allowing students who are not already Veterinary Nurses to obtain the Certificate in Equine Veterinary Nursing (Cert EVN).

This certificate was first awarded to successful candidates in 2001 and is the equivalent in equine nursing terms of the long-standing and very successful small animal Veterinary Nursing (VN) Qualification.

In order to establish the programme the award has initially only been open to qualified Veterinary Nurses who have been working in a suitable equine practice for at least one year. This has been named the Pilot scheme since it was intended as a lead into a Direct Entry scheme where non qualified trainees could obtain the EVN Certificate in a similar manner to their small animal VN trainee counterparts.

The Direct Entry scheme has been slow to start largely due to the complexities of establishing the necessary educational structure. On top of this it has coincided with a major reorganisation of the whole Veterinary Nursing training programme due to a change over to an NVQ based syllabus.

The new structure offers a better regulated training programme with candidates supported by their practice with further support and guidance from Veterinary Nursing Advisory Centres (VNAC'S).

The scheme is regulated by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) who award the qualification. Interested parties either as potential candidates or as Training Practices (TP's) should contact the RCVS for more details.

The entry requirements will be similar to those for VN training - that is 5 GCSE passes at Grade A-C including maths and English. Other qualifications may be appropriate and an important exemption was recently granted by the RCVS council allowing non qualified nurses who have had at least 4 years experience in equine practice to enter without GCSE passes. This will apply for the first 3 years only.

The training will be practice based and TP's will have to satisfy the RCVS of their suitability in the scope of their equine facilities and caseload. The normal minimum period of training will be just over 2 years and will include day or block release to educational centres for theoretical training.

Candidates will have to sit two examinations and finally submit a portfolio which is verified before they are awarded level 2 and 3 NVQ's and the Certificate in Equine Veterinary Nursing.

BEVA has supported this programme over many years and has been closely involved in the development of the qualification. We are delighted that the plans are reaching fruition but can also see problems ahead in the adoption of the scheme which will make considerable demands on the practices involved.

In order to help with this both the BEVA Trust and the Beaufort Cottage Educational Trust have committed funds to support the trainees and these will be used to help offset some of the fixed costs of courses, travel, etc.

A further recent advance is the Amendment order to the Veterinary Surgeons Act (1966) which has removed restrictions formerly applying to nurses treating equine patients. Qualified nurses can now treat equine patients under veterinary direction on an equivalent basis to the treatment of small animals.

BEVA believes that EVN's will play an increasing role in the future of equine veterinary medicine and is encouraging support for the scheme both from potential candidates and training practices. This means you!

M.H.Garlick BVSc CertES(Orth) MRCVS