If you provide veterinary nursing services to practices or businesses as a subcontractor, e.g. as a locum RVN, you may be vulnerable to an allegation of professional misconduct arising from your veterinary nursing work and be personally liable for any subsequent legal representation costs.

How can you ensure you are covered?

Professional Misconduct

Professional misconduct results from a failure of the professional (RVN) to behave in accordance with the standard of behaviour expected of them by their regulator, or a failure to abide by the regulating body’s Code of Professional Conduct. The final arbiter in the UK is the RCVS and in Ireland the VCI. Acting deceitfully or fraudulently are examples of professional misconduct.

RVNs named on a VDS Policy (Practice or Individual RVN Policy) benefit from cover for representation costs in criminal and disciplinary proceedings incurred in connection with veterinary work conducted during the policy period. In addition, as a VDS member you will have access to support from our experienced team of claims handlers from the moment you inform us that a letter of complaint has been received from the RCVS/VCI. Our team are skilled in assisting members with their response to complaints and will provide guidance at an early stage.

Representation Costs in Criminal and Disciplinary Proceedings

There are two options:

1. Arrange your own Policy - The VDS Policy for Registered Veterinary Nurses can be purchased by individual RVNs working on behalf of different veterinary practices and businesses. Your own VDS Policy ensures you are indemnified for criminal disciplinary representation costs relating to Normal Veterinary Nurses Work up to £150,000 / €180,000 and gives you unlimited access to the Claims Advice helpline, VetSafe and all the Advice Notes on our website. PLEASE NOTE: This Policy does not provide Professional Indemnity Insurance for civil claims for financial compensation relating to the alleged veterinary negligence. Please read the section covering veterinary negligence and civil claims for more information.
2. Discuss the option of being added to the Practice VDS Policy where you provide locum services. The Practice may consider adding you to the Practice Policy for the duration of your engagement.

If you have existing VDS membership due to being named on another VDS Practice Policy, you may claim against this Policy for representation costs arising from disciplinary and or/criminal proceedings. Please note that if you rely on such a Practice policy for your cover, it is likely that the Practice will become aware of any allegations of misconduct to which the Policy is required to respond.

If you cannot be sure that you will continue to be named on a Practice Policy, or if you would prefer any such allegations to remain completely private, you may wish to consider applying for a VDS Policy for Criminal and Disciplinary Proceedings for Individual RVNs in your own name.

As a VDS member you will have access to a range of member-only benefits:

• Access to the VDS Advice Note Line
• The VDS Newsletter
• Discounted member rates on VDS Training courses
• VetSafe: A confidential reporting tool, plus resources and insights, to help you manage, support, and learn from incidents.
• Access to our online archive of Advice Notes.

Professional Negligence

Professional negligence arises from the failure of a professional to act as a reasonable body of similarly qualified professionals might be expected to act in a particular set of circumstances.

If a claimant can demonstrate that they were owed a duty of care, that this duty was breached (i.e., the professional was negligent) and that as a direct result of that breach they suffered a financial loss, then they have a legitimate claim against the professional to be restored financially to the position they would have enjoyed but for the negligence.

Clients in this position may approach the veterinary practice with a complaint requesting financial compensation, these are referred to as civil claims and may ultimately be finalised in court.

Civil Claims - Cover is through veterinary practice (VDS Member Practices Only)

The VDS Professional Indemnity (PI) Policy indemnifies a practice for civil claims for compensation resulting from the acts or omissions of Registered Veterinary Nurses who are working on behalf of the Practice, even if they are not named on the Policy Schedule.

The contract for veterinary services provided by a practice is usually between the practice and the client and therefore a civil claim would most likely be made against the practice rather than an individual.

Key Point: The Policy will indemnify the Practice for:

• Civil claims which arise out of Normal Veterinary Nursing work undertaken by the RVN on behalf of the Practice whether that RVN is an employee named on the practice policy or working in the practice as a locum/subcontractor.

For the avoidance of doubt, indemnity for civil claims is extended to the Practice and not to the individual Registered Veterinary Nurse.

Key Point: When a Registered Veterinary Nurse provides their services to a practice as a subcontractor/locum it is important that both the RVN and the practice discuss, consider and clarify their responsibilities, risks and subsequent insurance needs, so that each can confirm to the other that suitable arrangements are in place, this may be particularly true where the practice does not insure with VDS and the terms described in this Advice Note may differ.

Important - Disclaimer

Whilst we (i.e. the Veterinary Defence Society and its employees, agents and representatives) endeavour to ensure that the material we produce is up-to-date, accurate and relevant to members’ general needs, it is not intended to constitute advice for individual circumstances. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for any reliance on material we produce and do not expressly or impliedly represent or warrant anything relating to the accuracy, completeness, reliability or suitability of our material to the maximum extent permitted by law.

May 2025