UK Act of Parliament 1966 United Kingdom

Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966

An Act to make fresh provision for the management of the veterinary profession, for the registration of veterinary surgeons and veterinary practitioners, for regulating their professional education and professional conduct and for cancelling or suspending registration in cases of misconduct; and for connected purposes.

Read the Act on legislation.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)
Enforced by
VMD
Status
In Force
Penalty ceiling
Prosecution 2 of 6 obligations carry an unlimited fine. 4 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.

Does it bind you?

Business-side roles with duties under this instrument.

Any Person2

Plus 4 duties on the regulator, Crown ministers and public bodies — folded into the section list below.

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Any Person — also bound by 2340 other Acts

What it requires

Sections creating concrete business duties or carrying penalties, grouped as the instrument is structured. Titles link to the source text — blue means you’re leaving for legislation.gov.uk.

s.005 Supervisory functions of the Council. (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Council must supervise and inspect veterinary training standardsStatutory regulator
s.014 Incorrect and fraudulent entries in the register. (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Council must refer fraudulent register entries and remove incorrect onesStatutory regulator
s.019 Restriction of practice of veterinary surgery by unqualified persons. (opens in a new tab) Prosecution
  • Practise veterinary surgery without being registeredAny Person

Unlimited fine

s.020 Prohibition of use of practitioners’ titles by unqualified persons. (opens in a new tab) Prosecution
  • Use veterinary titles without being registeredAny Person

Unlimited fine

39 other provisions — procedural and definitional
s.001 The Council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. (opens in a new tab)
s.001 Functions of the College as competent authority
s.002 Register of veterinary surgeons. (opens in a new tab)
s.003 Right of holders of university degrees to be registered. (opens in a new tab)
s.004 Examination by the College of students of certain universities. (opens in a new tab)
s.005 Registration of Community rights entitled persons: European qualifications
s.005 Registration of Community rights entitled persons: knowledge and skill
s.005 Removal from the register of names of persons who cease to be Community rights entitled persons
s.005 Appeals in connection with registration under section 5A
s.005 Appeals in connection with registration under section 5B
s.005 Appeals in connection with the visiting European list
s.005 Visiting European veterinary surgeons
s.005 Appeals in connection with removal under section 5BA
s.005 Appeals in connection with alerts sent to other competent authorities
s.005 Appeals under sections 5C, 5CA 5CB, 5CC and 5CCA
s.005 Appeals from decisions on appeals under sections 5C, 5CA, 5CB, 5CC and 5CCA
s.005 Registration appeals committee
s.005 Requirement to demonstrate knowledge of language
s.006 Qualification for registration as a Commonwealth or foreign practitioner. (opens in a new tab)
s.007 Temporary registration. (opens in a new tab)
s.008 Supplementary veterinary register. (opens in a new tab)
s.009 Keeping, evidential effect and publication of the register. (opens in a new tab)
s.010 Procedure for registration. (opens in a new tab)
s.011 Power to make regulations, etc., with respect to the register. (opens in a new tab)
s.012 Abbreviations of qualifications granted abroad. (opens in a new tab)
s.013 Removal of names of deceased persons and of those who have ceased to practise. (opens in a new tab)
s.015 Preliminary investigation and disciplinary committees. (opens in a new tab)
s.016 Removal of names from register for crime or disgraceful conduct. (opens in a new tab)
s.017 Appeals in disciplinary and other cases. (opens in a new tab)
s.018 Restoration of name after removal or suspension. (opens in a new tab)
s.021 Power to give effect to agreements with the Republic of Ireland. (opens in a new tab)
s.022 Default powers of the Privy Council. (opens in a new tab)
s.023 Exercise of powers conferred on the Privy Council. (opens in a new tab)
s.024 Exemption from jury service. (opens in a new tab)
s.025 Regulations, rules and orders. (opens in a new tab)
s.026 Notices. (opens in a new tab)
s.027 Interpretation. (opens in a new tab)
s.028 Repeal, saving and transitional provisions. (opens in a new tab)
s.029 Short title, extent and commencement. (opens in a new tab)
Schedules

Schedules

2 of 46 shown
s.sch001b Registrar’s duty to notify person appearing not to have entitlement Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Registrar must notify person appearing not to have entitlementStatutory regulator
s.sch002 (1) The Council shall make rules as to the procedure... Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Veterinary regulator must make fair disciplinary procedure rulesStatutory regulator
44 other schedules
s.sch001 (1) Subject to the provisions of this Schedule, the term...
s.sch001 A scheme under the last foregoing paragraph may be amended...
s.sch001 The powers of the Council and any of its committees...
s.sch001 Provisions as to the Council
s.sch001 Provisions as to the Council
s.sch001 The Chief Veterinary Officer for the United Kingdom—
s.sch001 Subject to the provisions of this Schedule, the term of...
s.sch001 A member of the Council may at any time, by...
s.sch001 (1) A member of the Council may be removed from...
s.sch001 An elected member of the Council ceases to hold office...
s.sch001 A member of the Council appointed by virtue of section...
s.sch001 A member of the Council appointed by virtue of section...
s.sch001 If a recognition order ceases to be in force for...
s.sch001 (1) Elections or appointments to fill any vacancy occurring under...
s.sch001 (1) Where a casual vacancy occurs among the elected members...
s.sch001 (1) A person ceasing to be a member of the...
s.sch001 Elections of elected members of the Council shall be conducted...
s.sch001a (1) A person who holds a qualification referred to in...
s.sch001a (1) A person who holds a qualification of a kind...
s.sch001a (1) A person who holds a qualification in veterinary surgery...
s.sch001a In this Schedule, “relevant qualification” means the qualification by virtue...
s.sch001a In this Schedule “Table B” means Table B below.
s.sch001b Application and interpretation
s.sch001b (1) In this Schedule— (a) “visiting practitioner” means a person...
s.sch001b Registration in respect of the provision of occasional veterinary services
s.sch001b Entitlement to provide occasional veterinary services: first year
s.sch001b First provision of services: required documents
s.sch001b Entitlement to provide occasional services after first year: renewals
s.sch001b Duration of entitlements to provide occasional services
s.sch002 Constitution of the committees
s.sch002 (1) The following may not be members of the preliminary...
s.sch002 (1) The quorum for a meeting of the preliminary investigation...
s.sch002 Transitional provision
s.sch002 Interpretation
s.sch002 (1) For the purpose of any proceedings before the disciplinary...
s.sch002 (1) For the purpose of advising the disciplinary committee on...
s.sch003 Any minor medical treatment given to an animal by its...
s.sch003 Any medical treatment or any minor surgery (not involving entry...
s.sch003 The rendering in an emergency of first aid for the...
s.sch003 The performance by any person of or over the age...
s.sch003 The performance, by any person of the age of seventeen...
s.sch003 Any medical treatment or any minor surgery (not involving entry...
s.sch003 Any medical treatment or any minor surgery (not involving entry...
s.schedule/3/part/ii/paragraph/wrapper6n2 Nothing in section 19(4)(b) of this Act shall authorise—

Help complying

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Meet your veterinary practice regulatory duties Veterinary practice compliance checklist Which veterinary regulations apply to your practice

Duty extraction and severity labels are Guvnor’s analysis of the instrument, not the instrument itself. Always verify against the linked source text.