Category
Pet Lifestyle, The Vet Consultancy
Written by Paul
Dr Paul Manktelow is a vet who’s worked for almost 20 years on the front line in some of the UK’s busiest veterinary hospitals. As Chief Vet in the Charity Sector, he leads a team of vets and nurses that treat thousands of pets every year. Paul also appears regularly in the media as a TV and radio presenter, writer, public speaker and podcast producer.
When people think about veterinary care, they often think first about the vet. That is understandable. But modern practice is not delivered by vets alone, and one of the most important parts of the current Veterinary Surgeons Act reform conversation is the role of veterinary nurses.
This is an issue I feel strongly about.
When I was a new graduate, I learned a huge amount from veterinary nurses. Not just practical skills, but how to manage patients, how to support clients, and how to deliver good care in the real world. Nurses are highly skilled professionals, and in many practices they are central to both the clinical work and the client experience.
Yet despite that, their role is not always fully understood by the public, and their title is not legally protected in the same way as veterinary surgeons. That is one of the reasons this current consultation matters.
Veterinary medicine has become far more team-based over the past few decades. Nurses now play a major role in inpatient care, anaesthesia, monitoring, chronic disease support, preventative health, and client education. In some settings, nurse-led clinics already improve outcomes by giving clients more time, better communication and continuity of care.
That matters because trust is not built only in the consulting room with the vet. It is also built in those follow-up conversations, in the reassurance around treatment plans, and in the compassionate care that happens before and after the appointment itself.
If you look at human healthcare, advanced nurse practitioners have become an accepted and highly effective part of the system. They increase efficiency, support access, and allow doctors to focus on the work that only they can do. Many in the veterinary profession see a similar opportunity in better recognising and supporting veterinary nurses.
Done well, that could have several benefits.
It could improve workforce sustainability by making better use of the wider clinical team. It could strengthen public understanding of who is caring for their pets. And over time, it could help practices run more efficiently, which matters in a sector facing pressure on both capacity and affordability.
In the latest episode of The Consult Room, I reflect on exactly this point. Reforming the Veterinary Surgeons Act is not only about modernising an old piece of legislation. It is also about recognising that veterinary care in 2026 is a team effort, not a one-person model.
Of course, reform needs to be thoughtful. It should not simply add more bureaucracy or complexity. And it will not solve every challenge the profession faces. But if it helps create a framework that better reflects modern roles and responsibilities, that is a positive step.
For pet guardians, this matters more than it might first appear. Better recognition of nurses is not just a professional issue. It can shape trust, access, communication and the overall experience of care.
Modern veterinary medicine depends on modern teams. The law should reflect that.
