News15 June 2026
Three veterinary teams from across the UK have been announced as first place winners of the 2026 RCVS Knowledge Quality Improvement Awards, recognising projects that demonstrate outstanding use of quality improvement (QI) techniques in veterinary practice.
The winners are as follows:
- Antimicrobial stewardship – Gower Veterinary Surgery
- Quality improvement to lead organisational change – Vets Now
- Quality improvement in practice – Medivet
Antimicrobial stewardship award
This award celebrates veterinary teams that can demonstrate practical examples of improving antimicrobial prescribing. Winners are recognised for using QI tools to make measurable progress in responsible antibiotic use in veterinary care.
Champion: Gower Veterinary Surgery
The practice team audited their use of cefovecin and found that it was frequently used without clear rationale. Additionally, only 71% of cases used the correct dosing. After introducing prescribing guidance, overall use fell by 83% and all remaining prescriptions were appropriately justified and 100% correctly dosed.
Jennifer Robertson, lead veterinary surgeon at Gower Veterinary Surgery, said: “We are incredibly proud to receive this award. It means a great deal to Gower Vets and reflects the hard work that has made it possible.
“This award is especially meaningful because the work behind it has helped us improve clinical quality and deliver better outcomes.”
The following organisations were awarded second and third place:
- Second place – IVC Area 10
- Third place – Medivet
Quality improvement to lead organisational change award
This award celebrates organisations that are working with local practices, groups or regions and using QI theory to embed change. Winners are recognised for making a difference in veterinary care and building a culture of continuous learning.
Champion: Vets Now
The Vets Now team audited the organisation’s emergency practices and found that the monitoring of fluid therapy for dogs with acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea syndrome (AHDS) was inconsistent. They introduced new guidelines which saw the recording of fluid calculations increase from 8.7% to 40%, with a decrease in fluid-related complications and antibiotic use.
Lucy Leicester, Internal Auditor at Vets Now, said: “We are incredibly proud to see our clinical teams recognised for their proactive contribution to quality improvement.
“The comprehensive resources provided by RCVS Knowledge… informed our audit approach and helped our teams achieve meaningful change in support of high‑quality clinical care and animal welfare.”
The following organisations were awarded second and third place:
- Second place – PDSA
- Third place – Medivet
Quality improvement in practice award
This award celebrates veterinary teams who have used QI techniques to drive improvement. Winners are recognised for implementing projects that lead to better outcomes, safer care, and continuous learning—through structured, measurable improvements.
Champion: Medivet
Teams across four divisions at Medivet carried out a baseline audit that revealed high wastage of propofol caused by over-preparation for anaesthetic induction. The introduction of standardised, evidence-based changes caused the overall propofol wastage to drop by 15.6% demonstrating a clear improvement in sustainability and anaesthetic efficiency.
Dr Rhian Littlehales, Clinical Governance Director at Medivet, said: “We are incredibly proud to receive this award from RCVS Knowledge. This project demonstrated how collaborative quality improvement can deliver meaningful benefits for patient safety, environmental sustainability and clinical practice at scale.”
The following organisations were awarded second and third place:
- Second place – Dalehead Veterinary Group
- Third place – Vets for Pets
19 applicants were also recognised as highly commended runners-up across all three categories.
Ashley Doorly, head of programmes at RCVS Knowledge, said: “We’re always impressed by the standard of applications to the RCVS Knowledge Quality Improvement Awards, and this year is no different. All the 2026 champions have shown real dedication to quality improvement techniques.
“These projects highlight the real impact that structured quality improvement can have across veterinary practice, ultimately leading to better outcomes for patients, clients, and teams. I look forward to celebrating our first-place champions in person at RCVS Day in July and hope their achievements will inspire others. Submissions for next year’s awards open in early July. We would be delighted to hear about more inspirational QI work taking place across the professions.”
You can learn more about the winners here.
If you wish to apply for the 2027 RCVS Knowledge Awards, applications will open in early July.
