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Gazette Letters
Letters SURVEILLANCE
Future of disease surveillance EFFECTIVE animal disease surveillance protects the livestock industry, the safety of food and human health, the environment and the economy (Defra 2013). Summarising the results of a consultation on proposals set out in its document, ‘Surveillance 2014 and beyond’, the AHVLA says: ‘The majority of respondents reported concern that the proposals would not meet the defined objectives. A lack of detail and a series of unproven assumptions were identified as problematic, together with issues around quality, geography
and cost were all cited as reasons for these concerns. Loss of trust and confidence in the AHVLA could result’. It also noted that ‘The ability to fully investigate incidents and the threats they pose also has to remain a vital part of the system’ (AHVLA 2013). The Secretary of State at Defra says that this can be done by reducing the AHVLA’s diagnostic system and replacing it ‘outside of government’ (VR, October 5, 2013, vol 173, pp 304-305). The AHVLA recommends increased postmortem examinations by private veterinary surgeons but the agency’s data show that diagnostic rates are substantially lower from external postmortem examinations compared with those at AHVLA centres. The Welsh Ministry for Natural Resources and Food disagrees that the Surveillance 2014
proposals will improve efficiency and cost effectiveness of the service for Wales (Welsh Government 2013). The Surveillance Advisory Group (SAG) said that staff at university centres are not exposed to ‘a sufficient case load to ensure development and maintenance of expertise’ (Defra 2012), so reducing submissions by triage is illogical if universities lack the capacity of the AHVLA laboratory network. That network in England and Wales is successful in detecting animal-related threats to human health, food safety and security, working with local private veterinary surgeons. Reduction of the AHVLA laboratory system will deplete expertise and institutional memory in the pathology of farmed species (Royal College of Pathologists 2013) and compromise the application of December 14, 2013 | Veterinary Record | 585
Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on July 24, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
Letters new syndromic surveillance methodologies (Dórea and others 2011, 2013). If the AHVLA laboratory network needs reform, AHVLA/Defra should clarify how outsourcing can provide high quality, effective surveillance of food animal pathology. Until a credible plan is in place, given the informed lack of confidence in the Surveillance 2014 proposals, the present network of laboratories should be adequately structured while alternative sources of funding and efficiency savings are sought. In meetings with officials from the AHVLA and Defra, the Royal College of Pathologists has seen no evidence to allay its concerns. Proposed changes suggest that public and animal health, food security and the livestock industry (worth £11.5 billion in 2012) will be put at risk on the basis of untested, dangerous assumptions for the sake of less than 2 per cent of the estimated monetised benefits of an effective scanning surveillance for new and emerging animal-related threats. The AHVLA has not responded satisfactorily to the college’s advice on mitigating risk. We hope that all private veterinary surgeons, the RCVS and the BVA will understand and share our concerns. A. G. Prentice, President, D. F. Kelly, C. L. Scudamore, Royal College of Pathologists, 2 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5AF
References
AHVLA (2013) Surveillance 2014 and beyond: A consultation on the future delivery of scanning surveillance for animal-related threats in England and Wales. A summary of responses. www.defra.gov.uk/ ahvla-en/files/surveillance14-consultation-summary. pdf. Accessed December 9, 2013 DEFRA (2012) Surveillance Advisory Group final report, March 2012. www.defra.gov.uk/ahvla-en/files/ pub-sag-final-report.pdf. Accessed December 9, 2013 DEFRA (2013) New and re-emerging diseases, endemic diseases and enhanced surveillance methodology evidence plan. www.gov.uk/government/uploads/ system/uploads/attachment_data/file/221066/ pb13920-evidenceplan-diseases-surveillancemethodology.pdf. Accessed December 9, 2013 DÓREA, F. C., MUCKLE, C. A., KELTON, D., MCCLURE, J. T., MCEWEN, B. J., MCNAB, W. B. & OTHERS (2013) Exploratory analysis of methods for automated classification of laboratory test orders into syndromic groups in veterinary medicine. PLoS One doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0057334 DÓREA, F. C., SANCHEZ, J. & REVIE, C. W. (2011) Veterinary syndromic surveillance: Current initiatives and potential for development. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 101, 1-17 ROYAL COLLEGE OF PATHOLOGISTS (2013) Response of the Royal College of Pathologists to Surveillance 2014 consultation. www.rcpath. org/Resources/RCPath/Migrated%20Resources/ Documents/A/AHVLA_Surveillance2014_ Consultation_RCPathResponse_15%2002%20 13fontsize%20amended31%2007%2013.pdf. Accessed December 9, 2013 WELSH GOVERNMENT (2013) Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency Surveillance 2014 project proposals July 2013. http://wales.gov. uk/about/cabinet/decisions/dr2013/julsep/enviro/ ad2501/?lang=en. Accessed December 9, 2013
doi: 10.1136/vr.f7407 586 | Veterinary Record | December 14, 2013
Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on July 24, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
Future of disease surveillance A. G. Prentice, D. F. Kelly and C. L. Scudamore Veterinary Record 2013 173: 585-586
doi: 10.1136/vr.f7407 Updated information and services can be found at: http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/173/23/585.3
These include:
References Email alerting service
This article cites 1 articles, 0 of which you can access for free at: http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/173/23/585.3#BIBL Receive free email alerts when new articles cite this article. Sign up in the box at the top right corner of the online article.
Notes
To request permissions go to: http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions To order reprints go to: http://journals.bmj.com/cgi/reprintform To subscribe to BMJ go to: http://group.bmj.com/subscribe/
Gazette Letters
Letters SURVEILLANCE
Future of disease surveillance EFFECTIVE animal disease surveillance protects the livestock industry, the safety of food and human health, the environment and the economy (Defra 2013). Summarising the results of a consultation on proposals set out in its document, ‘Surveillance 2014 and beyond’, the AHVLA says: ‘The majority of respondents reported concern that the proposals would not meet the defined objectives. A lack of detail and a series of unproven assumptions were identified as problematic, together with issues around quality, geography
and cost were all cited as reasons for these concerns. Loss of trust and confidence in the AHVLA could result’. It also noted that ‘The ability to fully investigate incidents and the threats they pose also has to remain a vital part of the system’ (AHVLA 2013). The Secretary of State at Defra says that this can be done by reducing the AHVLA’s diagnostic system and replacing it ‘outside of government’ (VR, October 5, 2013, vol 173, pp 304-305). The AHVLA recommends increased postmortem examinations by private veterinary surgeons but the agency’s data show that diagnostic rates are substantially lower from external postmortem examinations compared with those at AHVLA centres. The Welsh Ministry for Natural Resources and Food disagrees that the Surveillance 2014
proposals will improve efficiency and cost effectiveness of the service for Wales (Welsh Government 2013). The Surveillance Advisory Group (SAG) said that staff at university centres are not exposed to ‘a sufficient case load to ensure development and maintenance of expertise’ (Defra 2012), so reducing submissions by triage is illogical if universities lack the capacity of the AHVLA laboratory network. That network in England and Wales is successful in detecting animal-related threats to human health, food safety and security, working with local private veterinary surgeons. Reduction of the AHVLA laboratory system will deplete expertise and institutional memory in the pathology of farmed species (Royal College of Pathologists 2013) and compromise the application of December 14, 2013 | Veterinary Record | 585
Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on July 24, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
Letters new syndromic surveillance methodologies (Dórea and others 2011, 2013). If the AHVLA laboratory network needs reform, AHVLA/Defra should clarify how outsourcing can provide high quality, effective surveillance of food animal pathology. Until a credible plan is in place, given the informed lack of confidence in the Surveillance 2014 proposals, the present network of laboratories should be adequately structured while alternative sources of funding and efficiency savings are sought. In meetings with officials from the AHVLA and Defra, the Royal College of Pathologists has seen no evidence to allay its concerns. Proposed changes suggest that public and animal health, food security and the livestock industry (worth £11.5 billion in 2012) will be put at risk on the basis of untested, dangerous assumptions for the sake of less than 2 per cent of the estimated monetised benefits of an effective scanning surveillance for new and emerging animal-related threats. The AHVLA has not responded satisfactorily to the college’s advice on mitigating risk. We hope that all private veterinary surgeons, the RCVS and the BVA will understand and share our concerns. A. G. Prentice, President, D. F. Kelly, C. L. Scudamore, Royal College of Pathologists, 2 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5AF
References
AHVLA (2013) Surveillance 2014 and beyond: A consultation on the future delivery of scanning surveillance for animal-related threats in England and Wales. A summary of responses. www.defra.gov.uk/ ahvla-en/files/surveillance14-consultation-summary. pdf. Accessed December 9, 2013 DEFRA (2012) Surveillance Advisory Group final report, March 2012. www.defra.gov.uk/ahvla-en/files/ pub-sag-final-report.pdf. Accessed December 9, 2013 DEFRA (2013) New and re-emerging diseases, endemic diseases and enhanced surveillance methodology evidence plan. www.gov.uk/government/uploads/ system/uploads/attachment_data/file/221066/ pb13920-evidenceplan-diseases-surveillancemethodology.pdf. Accessed December 9, 2013 DÓREA, F. C., MUCKLE, C. A., KELTON, D., MCCLURE, J. T., MCEWEN, B. J., MCNAB, W. B. & OTHERS (2013) Exploratory analysis of methods for automated classification of laboratory test orders into syndromic groups in veterinary medicine. PLoS One doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0057334 DÓREA, F. C., SANCHEZ, J. & REVIE, C. W. (2011) Veterinary syndromic surveillance: Current initiatives and potential for development. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 101, 1-17 ROYAL COLLEGE OF PATHOLOGISTS (2013) Response of the Royal College of Pathologists to Surveillance 2014 consultation. www.rcpath. org/Resources/RCPath/Migrated%20Resources/ Documents/A/AHVLA_Surveillance2014_ Consultation_RCPathResponse_15%2002%20 13fontsize%20amended31%2007%2013.pdf. Accessed December 9, 2013 WELSH GOVERNMENT (2013) Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency Surveillance 2014 project proposals July 2013. http://wales.gov. uk/about/cabinet/decisions/dr2013/julsep/enviro/ ad2501/?lang=en. Accessed December 9, 2013
doi: 10.1136/vr.f7407 586 | Veterinary Record | December 14, 2013
Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on July 24, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
Future of disease surveillance A. G. Prentice, D. F. Kelly and C. L. Scudamore Veterinary Record 2013 173: 585-586
doi: 10.1136/vr.f7407 Updated information and services can be found at: http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/173/23/585.3
These include:
References Email alerting service
This article cites 1 articles, 0 of which you can access for free at: http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/173/23/585.3#BIBL Receive free email alerts when new articles cite this article. Sign up in the box at the top right corner of the online article.
Notes
To request permissions go to: http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions To order reprints go to: http://journals.bmj.com/cgi/reprintform To subscribe to BMJ go to: http://group.bmj.com/subscribe/
