Practice Standards Scheme
Discover how the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme accredits UK veterinary practices, promotes high standards of care and supports ongoing improvement.
Accredited practices
We want you to feel confident your chosen practice delivers excellent care. Our Practice Standards Scheme provides independent accreditation for veterinary practices that meet rigorous standards in hygiene, emergency cover, equipment, and staff training. This gives you confidence in the quality of your pet's healthcare.
Your pets are members of the family, and when they need medical care, you want reassurance that they're receiving the best possible treatment. But how can you tell which veterinary practices meet the highest standards?
As the regulatory body for veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses in the UK, we ensure animal welfare is always the top priority. Alongside this core regulatory role, we run the Practice Standards Scheme - a voluntary accreditation programme for practices committed to going above and beyond.
The Practice Standards Scheme helps you identify veterinary practices that provide exceptional care, with service ratings of ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ to make their quality easier to recognise.
What is the Practice Standards Scheme?
The Practice Standards Scheme is our voluntary accreditation programme that recognises veterinary practices maintaining exceptionally high standards of animal care. Currently, 65% of UK practices have earned this accreditation – and the number is growing steadily.
Practices in the scheme are assessed every four years, and we use spot-checks in between to make sure they are maintaining their standards. Our assessments cover every aspect of animal care, including:
- Hygiene
- 24-hour emergency cover arrangements
- Staff training
- Medical equipment and facilities
- Cost estimation procedures
Some practices may also achieve additional awards within the scheme, recognising specific areas of expertise or exceptional achievement. Practices apply to be assessed for these awards. For further information, visit the Practice Standards Awards page.
Look for the logo
To find out whether a practice is accredited, look for the RCVS logo and certification details or ask one of the practice team.
Accredited practices display our logo, making it easy for you to identify those that have met our rigorous standards.
The logo was updated in 2011 (below left); however, you may see our old logo (below right) in use as well. When you see this logo, you can be assured that the practice has been independently assessed and meets our comprehensive standards for animal care.
Find a Vet
Whether you need routine care for a family pet or specialist services for horses or farm animals, our Find a Vet service helps you make an informed choice about veterinary care in your area.
You can filter your search to show only practices accredited under the Practice Standards Scheme, making it easy to find high-quality care.