RVC Small Animal Referrals is staffed by vets who have undertaken advanced postgraduate training in their chosen fields, as well as highly trained Registered Veterinary Nurses who are dedicated to the clinical areas they work within.

Though each clinical service is composed of vets with advanced qualifications in their respective fields, the different services work together on many cases. This transdisciplinary approach ensures each patient gets the very best treatment available, whatever condition or conditions they present with.

Services like anaesthesia and analgesia, diagnostic imaging, physiotherapy and rehabilitation and critical care can be accessed easily by every clinical area. Furthermore, on many cases experts from different teams are involved. For example, soft tissue surgeons work with the cardiology team to help dogs with heart disease, oncologists and orthopaedic surgeons often work together on cases involving tumours, and the neurosurgeons work with the internal medicine service on cases requiring surgery on a gland in the brain.

Our transdisciplinary approach is supported by a strong teamwork ethos and commitment to communicate effectively with colleagues, pet owners and referring vets. This commitment has been reflected in an award of ‘Outstanding’ by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons' Practice Standards Scheme (PSS), in the area of ‘team and professional responsibility’. The PSS, which quality assures UK veterinary hospitals and practices, also deemed RVC the small animal referral service outstanding in the other areas assessed. This is the highest level that can be given.