The Caldew Veterinary Hospital in Dalston, has been awarded with the British Small Animal Veterinary Associations (BSAVA) Practice Standard. It is one of less than 200 practices in the UK to receive the award.

The BSAVA is the professional body that represents the 5000 veterinary surgeons in the UK who look after our pets. Through the BSAVA Practice Standards Scheme the Association rewards those practices whose facilities and skills reach a high standard.

Any practice wishing to be awarded with the Practice Standard Certificate has to apply to the BSAVA to be assessed. Inspectors from the BSAVA visit the practice with a detailed and strict set of guidelines to cover all areas of the practice from staff to equipment. The practice must meet all the criteria before the certificate can be awarded.

During the inspection the BSAVA officials check that the practice facilities are safe, clean and provide a good standard of X-ray and surgical facilities. The assessment involves inspection of all safety procedures at the practice including storage and dispensing of medicines, practice laboratory techniques, use of sterilising and X-ray equipment and anaesthetic machines.

To reach the standard, all veterinary staff must undergo a minimum number of hours of further training during the year to brush up their skills in the rapidly advancing fields of veterinary science.