This morning, VetNurse.co.uk published an April Fools fake news story, to the effect that the RCVS planned to increase retention fees by 150%.

I had hoped that the increasing absurdity of the reasons given for the rise might have tipped everyone off to the fact that the story was a spoof.

The idea that the College would ask veterinary nurses to fund some glitzy, showy, award-winning designer headquarters along the lines of London’s City Hall? C’mon. London City Hall employs 1000 staff, whilst the Royal College employs less than 100. And let's face it, the RCVS has no record of having showy offices. On the contrary, it has managed to operate out of a sardine can now for a great many years. Have you ever been in the lift at Horseferry Road? You need to breathe in.

Or that the College had set aside £6M to recruit and pay 20 veterinary surgeons as short term contracted OVs to help in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Let’s say a flight from Delhi to London costs £500, give or take. Twenty vets. That’s £10,000 to get them here. Let's say they’re here for 6 months. That’s £299,500 per vet. You really think the College is going to ask you to pay more than a quarter of a million pounds to fly in a single vet for 6 months? Or that 20 recruits would solve the predicted OV shortage?

Lastly, the quote, supposedly from an Indian vet, but one with a name that doesn’t really sound like a name (still less an Indian one), but does sound strangely like it may be an anagram of April Fool.

There have been a small number of reports of people being really upset by this story. I guess they must have skim read, or only read the headline.

To them I want to say sorry, I genuinely didn’t mean to upset anyone.

In fact, I thought it might cause some reflection on what good value the RCVS really offers. It maintains the register and thereby your ability to hold the title of RVN, it runs the disciplinary process (an essential component of maintaining public trust), it oversees and sets educational standards, it awards Fellowships, Diplomas and Certificates, it runs the Practice Standards Scheme.

All that, and more for £67 per annum?

Honestly? I think it would be cheap at half the price.

Photo: Truth is that the RCVS has operated out of a sardine can for years.
By Rl - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

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