Veterinary Surgeons Act (Professional Conduct) Regulations, 1974

Rhodesia Government Notice No. 572 of 1974. [ACT 36/73 Veterinary Surgeons {Professional Conduct) Regulations. 1974 ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS Section 1. Title. 2. Interpretation of terms. 3. Acts of misconduct. 4. Advertising professional services. 5. Use of name. 6. Name-plates. signs and information-plates. 7. Veterinary surgeries. 8. Stationery. 9. Use of information-cards. · 10. Use of prescription-forms. 11. Canvassing for business. 12. Commission. 13. List of charges. 14. Show-cases. 15. Covering. 16. Clubs and societies. 17. Tendering. 18. Consultation. 19. Supersession. 20. Professional reputation of colleagues. 21. Veterinary certificate. 22. Appointment to academic or professional posts. 23. Obstruction of council. IT is hereby notified that the Minister of Agriculture has approved the following regulations made by the Council of Veterinary Surgeons of Rhodesia in terms of section 48 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act, 1973: Title 1. These regulations may be cited as the Veterinary Surgeons (Professional Conduct) Regulations, 1974. 2209 ACT 36/73] Veterinary Surgeons (Professional Conduct) Regulations, 1974 Interpretation of terms 2. In these regulations "advertisement" includes any advertisement contained in a publication- or any advertisement broadcast on radio or television; "bona fide client", in relation to a veterinary surgeon, · means a person who has had an animal owned by him treated by that veterinary surgeon within the previous three years and has not become the bona fide client of another veterinary surgeon; "council" means the Council of Veterinary Surgeons of Rhodesia; "lay assembly" means an assembly of persons who are not veterinary surgeons; "professional assistant" means a veterinary surgeon employed as a professional assistant in the practice of a veterinary surgeon or a partnership of veterinary · surgeons; ·"publication" includes ( a) any newspaper, book, periodical, telephone ot other lay directory, pamphlet, poster, card, calendar or other printed matter; (b) any writing or typescript which has in any manner been duplicated or exhibited or made available to the public or any section of the public; "surgery" includes consulting-rooms; "unregistered· person" ineans any per.son who is not a veterinary surgeon; "veterinary surgeon" -means a registered veterinary surgeon. Acts of misconduct 3. Any contravention of these regulations by a veterinary surgeon shall constitute improper or disgraceful conduct for the purposes of the Act. . Advertising professional services 4. (1) Subject · to the provisions of these regulations, no veterinary surgeon shall advertise his professional services. (2) A veterinary surgeon may (a) notify any 2210 ... ,j. ., ) , r (ACT 36/73 Veterinary Surgeons (Professional Conduct) Regulations, 1974 (i) other veterinary surgeon; or (ii) of his own bona fide clients; of any change of address, dissolution of partnership or commencement of practice if such notification is enclosed in a sealed· envelope <lddressed to the other veterinary surgeon or client, as the case may be; (b) publish in a telephone or lay directory the fact that he is a veterinary surgeon, and his (i) name arid the name of any partner or professional assistant; and (ii)· home address and the address of his surgery, and the home address of any partner or professional assistant; and (iii) telephone-number and the telephone-number of any partner or professional assistant; and (iv) qualifications and the qualifications of any partner or professional assistant; (c) publish his name and qualifications in an official list of veterinary surgeons. (3) No veterinary surgeon shall, without the permission of the council, allow the publication of an identifiable photograph of himself in connexion with activities of a veterinary nature. (4) Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting any veterinary surgeon from publishing an article in the lay .press, or delivering an address or lecture to a lay audience, on matters of a veterinary nature, as long as- · (a) the veterinary surgeon is not identified by name: Provided that the provisions of this paragraph shall not apply in respect of a veterinary surgeon who is a member of the Public Service and is acting in the course of his official duties; and (b) the article, address or lecture makes no mention of the administration or dosage of an ethical drug or poison which might encourage the use of that drug by an unregistered person. Use of name 5. No veterinary surgeon shall permit his name to be (a) used in connexion with the advertisement of veterinary 2211 ACT 36/73] Veterinary Surgeons (Professional Conduct) Regulations, 1974 instruments~· appliances, dressings, drugs, beverages, dietary preparations or animal-foods; or (b) used as part of the title of any veterinary practice carried on by an unregistered person or company; or (c) published in any advertisement concerning a veterinary aid society or similar scheme, kennel club or similar organization; or (d) published in any advertisement 1n conneXIon with activities of a veterinary nature. Name-plates, signs and information-plates 6. (1) Subject to the provisions of this section, a veterinary surgeon shall not use to indicate his surgery any devices other than (a) one name-plate; and (b) one or more .signs bearing the · words "Veterinary surgery"; and· (c) one information-plate. (2) In using to indicate his surgery any device permitted by subsection (1), a veterinary surgeon shall comply with the remain ing provisions of this section. (3) A name-plate shall (a) contain no particulars other than the name and profes sional qualifications of the veterinary surgeon concerned; and (b) not exceed two hundred millimetres by three hundred· and fifty millimetres in dimensions; and (c) be situated as near as possible to the entrance to the surgery, or, where there are two or more entrances to the surgery, to one of those entrances. (4) The following provisions shall apply in relation to "Veterinary surgery" signs (a) the words "Veterinary surgery" shall be executed in a plain white colour on a black background in letters not exceeding fifty millimetres in height; (b) a reflective material may be used for the letters; (c) the sign may be illuminated in such manner as may be approved by the council; 2212 ) j ) / t [ACT 36/73 Veterinary Surgeons (Professio nal Conduct) Regulations, 1974 ( d) no sign shall be situated any farther away from the entrance to the surgery than is reasonably required adequately to indicate the whereabouts of that entrance; (e) one sign only may be used: Provided that, where there are two or more entrances to the surgery, or two or more entrances to the grounds in which the surgery is situated, one addi tional sign may be used, but only with the permission of the council, and in accordance with such directions as may have been given by the council in granting such permission. (5) An information-plate shall (a) contain no particulars other than the surgery hours and telephone-numbers of the veterinary surgeons employed in the practice concerned; (b) be executed in letters and figures not exceeding twenty five millimetres in height; , (c) be situated as near as possible to the entrance to the surgery, or, where there are two or more entrances to the surgery, to one of those entrances. (6) On succeeding to a practice, or on the death or retire ment of a partner, a veterinary surgeon may retain the name-plates of that practice or partner or of the partnership for a period not exceeding six .QJonths. (7) No veterinary surgeon shall use at his residence or any other place a name-plate indicating that he is a veterinary surgeon unless he practises as a veterinary surgeon at that residence or place. , · (8) A veterinary surgeon who moves his surgery from one premises to another may display a notice giving his name and new address at or near his previous surgery for a period not exceeding six months. Veterinary surgeries 7. No veterinary surgeon shall share a surgery with an unregistered person. Stationery 8. Subject to the provisions of section 9, no veterinary surgeon shall allow anything to be printed on stationery for use in bis practice other than, in the case of 2213 ACT 36/73] Veterinary Surgeons (Professional Conduct) Regulations, 1974 (a) an envelope, his address; or (b) any stationery other than an envelope, his (i) name, address and telephone-numbef, and the fact that he is a veterinary surgeon; and (ii) surgery hours; and (iii) professional qualifications, civil honours and honorary degrees, in abbreviated· form. Use of information-cards 9. (1) A veterinary surgeon shall not distribute information cards to any persons other than bona fide clients. (2) An information-card distributed to bona fide clients shall be printed, and shall not (a) exceed seventy-five millimetres by one hundred and twenty-five millimetres in dimensions; or (b) contain any information other than (i) the veterinary surgeon's name, address, telephone number and surgery hours, the fact that ne is a veterinary surgeon, and his professional qualifica tions, civil honours and honorary awards, in an abbreviated form; (ii) advice concerning routine vaccinations and opti mum ages for spaying and castration. Use af prescription-forms 10. No veterinary surgeon shall use a prescription-form or an envelope which bears the name and address of a pharmacist. Canvassing for business 11. No veterinary sµrgeon shall canvass or tout for clients. Commission 12. No veterinary surgeon shall, by way of commission, accept moneys or articles of any nature whatsoever from (a) a pharmacist; or (b) a manufacturer or dealer in surgical or veterinary appliances or materials; or 2214 [ACT 36/73 Veterinary Surgeons (Professional Conduct) Regulations, 1974 (c) any person in return for recommending or sponsoring veterinary articles or services to the public or any member thereof. List of charges · 13. No veterinary surgeon shall publish or allow to be pub lished or exhibited in any public place his scale of professional . charges, whether fees alone are mentioned or cheapness or other ,,- advantages indicated. .,.. I Show-cases 14. (1) No veterinary surgeon shall exhibit to public view articles or appliances, including models, qiagrams and charts, relating to his profession. (2) For the purpose of this section, a veterinary surgeon's waiting-room shall be regarded as a public place. Covering. 15. No veterinary surgeon shall (a) employ as. a professional assistant or locum tenens, or · act in collusion or collaboration with, or practise in partn~rship with any unregistered person; or (b) consult with unregistered persons or in any way assis t or support them in their illegitimate practice: Provided that, in the event of a veterinary surgeon being called in a grave emergency to aid an unregistered person, he may give such assistance as is necessary, but shall immediately report the case to the council.. Clubs and societies 16. No veterinary surgeon shall have a financial interest, other than by way of a fixed salary, in kennel or racing clubs or similar organizations, or associations which advertise for members or clients in the lay press, or by circular or card or in any other way. Tendering 17. No veterinary surgeon shall tender for full-time or any other type of appointment. 2215 ACT 36/73] Veterinary Surgeons (Professional Conduct) Regulations, 1974 Consultation 18. (1) In the event of a consultation between two veterinary surgeons, the veterinary surgeon in . attedance shall not withhold from the client the opinion of the consultant, whether favourable to his opinion or otherwise. (2) No consulting veterinary surgeon shall revisit a patient without a special invitation by the attending veterinary surgeon or agreement with him. Supersession I 9. (1) No veterinary surgeon shall take over the case of another veterinary surgeon unless he notifies the veterinary surgeon . whom he is superseding. (2) No veterinary surgeon being superseded shall have the right to whhhold any information relating to the case in question. Professional reputation . of colleagues 20. (I) No veterinary surgeon shall, without good cause, cast any reflection on the probity, professional reputation or skill of another veterinary surgeon. J (2) Nothing ·in subsection (1) shall be construed as inhibiting in any way whatsoever any statement made by one veterinary surgeon to another veterinary surgeon. Veterinary certificate 21. No veterinary surgeon shall grant a certificate in his pro fessional capacity unless he is satisfied that the facts are fully and · correctly stated therein, or has qualified the certificate by the use of the words "as I am informed". Appointment to acadeniic or professional posts 22. No yeterinary surgeon shall accept an academic or commercial appointment or a professional appointment to a university or a research or similar institution unless (a) a notice inviting applications for such appointment has been advertised in a veterinary journal or details of the terms and conditions under which the appointment is to be made are available on request to the council; and 2216 [ACT 36/73 Veterinary Surgeons (Professional Conduct) Regulations,.1974 (b) the contract of appointment is in writing, and sets out clearly those veterinary services which the veterinary surgeon undertakes to perform and the fees or remuneration payable to him: Provided that the provisions of this section shall not apply to (a) the temporary appointment of a veterinary surgeon as a locum tenens; or (b) the transfer or promotion of a veterinary surgeon within the Public Service, a university or a research or similar institution. · Obstruction of council 23. No veterinary surgeon shall (a) · prevent, hinder or obstruct the council, or any official ·acting on its behalf, from carrying out its duties; (b) fail to comply with any notice, order or directive issued by the council in terms of the Act. 2217 Supplement to the Rhodesia Government Gazette dated the 21st June, 1974. Printed by the Government Printer, Salisbury. 2218 ) ,., 4