New Practice or Facility Accreditation

Veterinary services offered to the public in BC must occur from a CVBC accredited practice or facility.  The three types of practice are explained here.  Most registrants seeking to accredit a practice will choose the (practice) facility model. 

Practices may also be accredited as a Philanthropic or Consulting type.   

A practice facility may be a mobile house call or farm call facility, or it may be a brick-and-mortar fixed facility. There are facilities that have both components. Other facilities may have a very limited scope of practice (SoP) with only one or two services being offered (ex. mobile ultrasound-only facility, euthanasia only facility, etc.). 

In the CVBC facility model, a registrant declares their intended scope of practice for the new practice or facility. The overall SoP is the location and type of practice or facility, the species seen, and the services offered.  Sub-categories of services are also referred to as a “Scope of practice” (ex. General surgery, main x-ray, controlled drugs, etc.). 

All facilities must meet the “core” standards for medical records, biosecurity, cleanliness and supplies for basic care and emergency resuscitation relevant to the declared scope of practice.  The declared SoP will determine what other standards are applicable. Some facilities will have a broad SoP, whereas for others it may be quite narrow.  This model allows for a “mix and match” of scopes of practice.   

For example, a primarily large animal mobile facility may be accredited to provide small animal wellness and euthanasia on farms if the relevant standards are met. The PFAC does not assess the competency of registrants in what services are offered, only that the appropriate accreditation standards are met.  It is the responsibility of the registrant to ensure they are competent to provide the services for which they are accredited. 

The Practice Facility Annual Declaration can be used to determine the intended scope of practice.  The Self-Assessment form mirrors the accreditation standards and can be used to determine which standards are applicable and aid the registrant in preparing their facility for inspection. 

The Summary of how a new facility is accredited is as follows: 

 

A. Application for Accreditation and Designated Registrant (DR) Appointment 

  • The bylaws, Part 3 – Accreditation and Naming, s. 3.4 (1) requires every facility or practice to have a DR, whose duties are prescribed in s. 3.6 and who is responsible to the CVBC for the delivery of veterinary services through the practice or facility, and for its advertising. 
  • A DR must be a registrant with the Private Practice (PP) class of registration.  
  • A suspended registrant cannot be the DR of a facility or practice.  
  • The practice or facility must not continue to operate without a DR. 

 

B. Initial Inspection and Approval 

  • The inspection fee ($850 + GST) must be paid prior to scheduling an inspection. 
  • The inspection may take place in-person or via a live virtual meeting at a mutually convenient time 
  • The inspector’s report will be presented to the Practice Facility Accreditation Committee (PFAC).  If the standards are met to a level the PFAC determines to be sufficient, the facility will be granted Provisional Approval to Operate (PAtO). 
  • The facility may not offer services until PAtO is granted. 
  • Once PAtO is granted, the declared services may be offered, subject to any terms or conditions placed by the PFAC. 
  • The Inspection Outcome and Declarative Statement Form will be sent to the designated registrant (DR) and they are given 30 days to resolve the identified deficiencies.

 

C. Final Accreditation Decision 

  • Once deficiencies are resolved to the inspector’s satisfaction, the facility will be presented to the PFAC for an Accreditation Decision.   
  • This may be after an in-person inspection if the original inspection was performed virtually. 
  • If the facility is granted Full Accreditation, this status remains in place until the DR notifies the CVBC the facility is closed, or if the PFAC makes a reaccreditation decision to limit or cancel the accreditation. 
  • Accredited facilities are inspected on a schedule set by the Registrar as per Bylaw 3.4. 
  • Accredited facilities are required to pay an annual Accreditation Fee ($170 + GST), submit the Annual Declaration and perform the Self-Assessment annually. 

 

Click here for a printable PDF for a new facility process.

Accreditation of Non-Typical Facilities 

For a new facility that isn’t a typical fixed, mobile or mixed facility, please review the Practice Facility Accreditation Committee Policy: Accreditation of Non-Typical Facilities and the Guide to the Practice Facility Accreditation Committee Policy: Accreditation of Non-Typical Facilities. 

The guide to the policy has sample scenarios of what is commonly encountered by the office. If you require help to navigate your accreditation process, then please contact the office at facilities@cvbc.ca.