Important Consultation: Review of ACT Veterinary Practice Act

Key Area

Consultation Question

Operation of the Act in regulating veterinary practice

The regulation of veterinary practitioners

Are the provisions relating to veterinary practitioners satisfactory? If not, how can they be improved?

The regulation of veterinary premises

Are the provisions relating to the regulation of veterinary premises satisfactory? If not, how can they be improved?

Complaints, disciplinary proceedings, and enforcement

Are the complaints, disciplinary proceedings and enforcement provisions satisfactory? If not, how can they be improved?

The role of the Veterinary Practitioners Board and register

Are the provisions relating to the Veterinary Practitioners Board and register satisfactory? If not, how can they be improved?

Other issues

How effectively does the Act interact with other relevant legislation? How could this be improved?

Is there any other matter that you would like to raise about the operation of the Act?

Broader issues around veterinary practice in the ACT

Regulation of the broader veterinary profession, including veterinary nurses

Should the ACT consider expanding the procedures that the broader veterinary profession can undertake that are currently restricted to veterinary practitioners? Are there other ways the broader veterinary profession can be better supported?

Mental health and wellbeing of veterinary staff

What can the profession, the ACT Government and community do to better support the mental health and wellbeing of veterinary staff?

Training, mentoring and support for veterinary staff

What statutory or non-statutory initiatives can the profession and ACT Government undertake to better support veterinary staff?

Improving respite care for animals

How can the ACT Government better support respite care for animals in the ACT?

Social support models for subsidised sustenance, boarding and veterinary care

How can the ACT Government better support vulnerable Canberrans to meet the costs associated with keeping animals?

Pet-crisis support for access to urgent health care

How can the ACT Government better support pet-crisis support for access to urgent heath care?

Additional Consultation – allowing Non-Veterinary Professionals to undertake equine dentistry

Additionally, the ACT Government are consulting on a proposed amendment to the Veterinary Practice Regulation 2018 (the Regulation) seeking feedback on a proposal to amend the restricted acts of veterinary science to allow non-veterinary professionals, who hold a Diploma of Equine Allied Health, to undertake equine dentistry with the use of power tools. The act itself will remain as a restricted act of veterinary science.