Published: 16 Apr 2019 | Last Updated: 10 Aug 2023 15:34:04

The RVC's three veterinary hospitals, as well as its ambulatory Equine Practice, have all been judged as ‘Outstanding’ for various awards by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), the regulatory body for the veterinary profession.

Small Animal Awards






Equine Awards





This extraordinary achievement highlights the high levels of skill and professionalism shown by RVC staff.

The awards for the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals (QMHA), the Equine Referral Hospital, the Equine Ambulatory Practice, and the Beaumont Sainsbury Animal Hospital (BSAH) were successfully assessed under the RCVS Practice Standard Scheme (PSS).

All three hospitals gained ‘Outstanding’ awards in the following categories:

  • Team and Professional Responsibility
  • Client Service
  • Diagnostic Service
  • In-Patient Service

Each hospital also received additional ‘Outstanding’ awards in other areas. The QMHA received in Emergency and Critical Care Service, the BSAH in Patient Consultation Service and the Equine Referral Hospital in Ambulatory Service.

All three RVC hospitals provide a range of excellent care services to a variety of animals. The QMHA, situated at the RVC’s Hawkshead campus in Hertfordshire, is the largest veterinary referral hospital in Europe and provides 24/7 care to pets from across the UK.

RVC Equine, also in the Hertfordshire campus, offers an equine teaching hospital, home to the UK’s largest number of accredited specialists in the equine field together with an ambulatory Equine Practice.

The BSAH, based in Camden, is a first opinion teaching hospital which offers a full range of veterinary services to dogs, cats, small furries and exotic animals.

Commenting on this achievement, David Church, Deputy Principal of the RVC, said: “We are absolutely delighted that the robust evaluation processes of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has confirmed the outstanding performances of our clinical centres.”

Professor Daniel Chan, Interim Head of Department at the RVC, added: “We are extremely proud of these achievements as they reflect the absolute commitment and dedication of our teams in delivering the very best care to our patients and best service to our clients.”


Notes to Editors

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About the RVC

  • The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) is the UK's largest and longest established independent veterinary school and is a constituent College of the University of London.
  • The RVC offers undergraduate, postgraduate and CPD programmes in veterinary medicine, veterinary nursing and biological sciences.
  • It is currently the only veterinary school in the world to hold full accreditation from AVMA, EAEVE, RCVS and AVBC.
  • In 2017, the RVC received a Gold award from the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) – the highest rating a university can receive.
  • A research-led institution, the RVC maintained its position as the top veterinary institution in the Research Excellence Framework (2014), with 79% of its submission being rated as world-class or internationally excellent.
  • The RVC also provides animal owners and the veterinary profession with access to expert veterinary care and advice through its teaching hospitals: the Beaumont Sainsbury Animal Hospital in central London, the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals (Europe's largest small animal referral centre), the Equine Referral Hospital and the Farm Animal Clinical Centre located at the Hertfordshire campus.

About the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme

  • The RCVS Practice Standards Scheme (PSS) is a voluntary initiative to accredit veterinary practices in the UK. Through setting standards and carrying out regular assessments, the Scheme aims to promote and maintain the highest standards of veterinary care.
  • For more information see RCVS Practice Standards Scheme.


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