The Veterinary Services Regulatory Board of South Australia (‘the Board’) supports animal health, safety and welfare and the public interest by providing for the registration of veterinarians and premises at which veterinary services are provided, to regulate the provision of veterinary services for the purposes of maintaining high standards of competence and conduct by veterinarians pursuant to the Veterinary Services Act 2023 (the Act).
Veterinary nurses and technologists (support staff) provide essential support in the provision of veterinary services. This document aims to provide guidance on the level of direction or supervision by a veterinarian to support staff in the provision of veterinary services.
Section 49 of the Act stipulates that a person must not provide veterinary services for money or other consideration unless, at the time the service is provided, the person is a veterinarian. This section does not apply in relation to veterinary services provided by an employee of the owner of the animal in the course of that employment, or the provision of veterinary services, or veterinary services of a class, in prescribed circumstances.
Section 12 of the Veterinary Services Regulations 2025 (the Regulations) prescribes exemptions for the provision of veterinary services by persons other than veterinarians either at the direction of, or under the supervision of a veterinarian.
The requirements for supervising or directing another person can be found in the supervision guideline [link]
Permitted services and guidance
| Authority | Service | Guidance |
| Radiation Protection and Control Act 2021 | Operation of plain X-ray apparatus (pressing the button) | Must hold radiation-use licence but does not require supervision |
| Section 12(1)(e) of the Regulations | administration of an anaesthetic, drug or vaccine to an animal in relation to S4 – dispensing and administering In relation to S8 – only if veterinarian has pre drawn and in close proximity when administered | At the direction of a veterinarian. It is recommended that if a drug is supplied to the client for use when a veterinary surgeon is not present, an ‘Acknowledgement of Risk & Responsibility’ form is signed by the client to bring to their attention any potential for adverse reaction |
| Section 12(1)(f) of the Regulations | dubbing or toe trimming of poultry, other than day-old poultry chicks | At the direction of a veterinarian |
| Section 12(1)(g)(i) of the Regulations | Scaling and polishing of the teeth of an animal Administration of a substance to an animal (where such an act constitutes a veterinary service) | Under the supervision of a veterinarian |
| Section 12(1)(g)(ii) of the Regulations | Administration of a substance to an animal (where such an act constitutes a veterinary service) | Under the supervision of a veterinarian |
| Section 12(1)(g)(iii) of the Regulations | Performance of a temperature, pulse or respiration test on an animal (where such an act constitutes a veterinary service) | Under the supervision of a veterinarian |
| Section 12(1)(g)(iv) of the Regulations | The collection of blood samples from an animal | Under the supervision of a veterinarian |
| Section 12(1)(g)(v) of the Regulations | The insertion of an intravenous catheter into an animal | Under the supervision of a veterinarian |
| Section 12(1)(g)(vi) of the Regulations | Wound care (including the dressing and bandaging of wounds) provided to an animal | Under the supervision of a veterinarian |
| The Dog and Cat Management Act 1995 | Mandatory microchipping | Can perform only if also registered implanter |
Qualifications
There is not currently a national registration scheme for veterinary support staff. While some jurisdictions in Australia maintain a register of veterinary support staff, support staff in South Australia are not registered by the Board and therefore there is no minimum qualification requirement. However, a Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing is widely recognised as an appropriate foundational qualification within Australian veterinary practice, and it is now common to see employers and veterinarians asking for this as a minimum standard when employing support staff.
Vicarious liability
A veterinarian is primarily responsible for the services provided to patients in their care and are vicariously liable for support staff. It is a veterinarian’s responsibility in each case to determine whether the support staff possesses the level of skill required to perform the tasks that they are asked to undertake. This also applies to tasks that are required to be supervised, and a veterinarian should make an assessment about support staff skills and competence when deciding if they need to be directly or indirectly supervised.
Further information
For more information about competency requirements of veterinary nurses, technologists and support staff please visit the Veterinary Nurses Council Australia Inc website www.vnca.asn.au.
Review
This factsheet shall be reviewed annually or as required to ensure that it remains appropriate to the operations of the Board and compliant with the relevant legislation.