Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on July 23, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
Gazette
Letters Official Veterinarians in Scotland OVER the past few months the Scottish Government, with involvement from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), has been in discussion with the BVA Scottish Branch and Highlands and Islands Veterinary Services Scheme (HIVSS) representatives in order to identify and agree on measures to support Official Veterinarians (OVs) working in Scotland. These discussions took place in response to a number of concerns raised by individual OVs, practices and industry representatives linked to (a) diminishing practice incomes as a consequence of the risk-based approach to herd TB testing in Scotland, (b) recognition that the rates paid to OVs undertaking government work had not been increased since 2009, and (c) growing disquiet around the disproportionate effect of new training costs brought about by the outsourcing of official training for OVs on practices conducting a low volume of government work. The Scottish Government recognises the important role that private vets play in detection, monitoring and control of animal disease, and to the promotion of high animal welfare standards, and it is committed to maintaining robust OV capacity across Scotland, particularly in rural areas. We also
recognise that any significant loss of OV capacity could impact on practice viability and has the potential to impact on service delivery, animal health and welfare and put at risk Scotland’s officially TB-free status. Accordingly, following these discussions, agreement has been reached on a number of measures to help support OVs in order to reflect the unique circumstances attached to government-funded work in Scotland. Despite continued budgetary pressures it has been agreed that the Scottish Government will: n Increase by 10 per cent the rates currently paid to OVs undertaking statutory work (TB testing and anthrax/brucellosis investigations) on behalf of the Scottish Government (from April 2015); n Assist new-entrant OVs (working in Scotland and nominated by their practice) with registration and training costs (essential skills and TB testing modules only) for a period of three years (2014/15, 2015/16, 2016/17); n Assist existing OVs (actively undertaking TB testing or brucellosis/anthrax investigations) with the cost of registration up to March 31, 2015; and n Cover the cost of revalidating TB testing qualifications in 2017 for certain OVs with low practice incomes from government work. The full details of these qualifying criteria are yet to be agreed with industry representatives but will be communicated with the veterinary profession in due course.
For the avoidance of doubt, training linked to other work carried out by OVs, for example, issuing pet passports and export health certificates, will not be eligible for government funding as this is provided on a commercial basis by veterinary practices for their clients. I would like to express my sincere thanks to BVA and HIVSS colleagues for working with the Scottish Government to find an affordable and mutually acceptable package of support to assist OVs working on behalf of the Scottish Ministers across Scotland. The package of support agreed with the sector will, I hope, go some way to ensuring that we continue to deliver local veterinary solutions that meet the needs of local communities while safeguarding the health and welfare of livestock across Scotland. The Scottish Government will continue to work closely with industry representatives and APHA colleagues to finalise some of the outstanding details and ensure the roll-out of this support over the coming months. Further details will be released shortly. In the meantime, I would encourage practising OVs to register with Improve International. Sheila Voas, Chief Veterinary Officer for Scotland, Saughton House, Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh EH11 3XD e-mail: [email protected] doi: 10.1136/vr.h51 January 10, 2015 | Veterinary Record | 53
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VETERINARY PROFESSION
Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on July 23, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
Official Veterinarians in Scotland Sheila Voas Veterinary Record 2015 176: 53
doi: 10.1136/vr.h51 Updated information and services can be found at: http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/176/2/53.2
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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 Official Veterinarians in Scotland OVER the past few months the Scottish Government, with involvement from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), has been in discussion with the BVA Scottish Branch and Highlands and Islands Veterinary Services Scheme (HIVSS) representatives in order to identify and agree on measures to support Official Veterinarians (OVs) working in Scotland. These discussions took place in response to a number of concerns raised by individual OVs, practices and industry representatives linked to (a) diminishing practice incomes as a consequence of the risk-based approach to herd TB testing in Scotland, (b) recognition that the rates paid to OVs undertaking government work had not been increased since 2009, and (c) growing disquiet around the disproportionate effect of new training costs brought about by the outsourcing of official training for OVs on practices conducting a low volume of government work. The Scottish Government recognises the important role that private vets play in detection, monitoring and control of animal disease, and to the promotion of high animal welfare standards, and it is committed to maintaining robust OV capacity across Scotland, particularly in rural areas. We also
recognise that any significant loss of OV capacity could impact on practice viability and has the potential to impact on service delivery, animal health and welfare and put at risk Scotland’s officially TB-free status. Accordingly, following these discussions, agreement has been reached on a number of measures to help support OVs in order to reflect the unique circumstances attached to government-funded work in Scotland. Despite continued budgetary pressures it has been agreed that the Scottish Government will: n Increase by 10 per cent the rates currently paid to OVs undertaking statutory work (TB testing and anthrax/brucellosis investigations) on behalf of the Scottish Government (from April 2015); n Assist new-entrant OVs (working in Scotland and nominated by their practice) with registration and training costs (essential skills and TB testing modules only) for a period of three years (2014/15, 2015/16, 2016/17); n Assist existing OVs (actively undertaking TB testing or brucellosis/anthrax investigations) with the cost of registration up to March 31, 2015; and n Cover the cost of revalidating TB testing qualifications in 2017 for certain OVs with low practice incomes from government work. The full details of these qualifying criteria are yet to be agreed with industry representatives but will be communicated with the veterinary profession in due course.
For the avoidance of doubt, training linked to other work carried out by OVs, for example, issuing pet passports and export health certificates, will not be eligible for government funding as this is provided on a commercial basis by veterinary practices for their clients. I would like to express my sincere thanks to BVA and HIVSS colleagues for working with the Scottish Government to find an affordable and mutually acceptable package of support to assist OVs working on behalf of the Scottish Ministers across Scotland. The package of support agreed with the sector will, I hope, go some way to ensuring that we continue to deliver local veterinary solutions that meet the needs of local communities while safeguarding the health and welfare of livestock across Scotland. The Scottish Government will continue to work closely with industry representatives and APHA colleagues to finalise some of the outstanding details and ensure the roll-out of this support over the coming months. Further details will be released shortly. In the meantime, I would encourage practising OVs to register with Improve International. Sheila Voas, Chief Veterinary Officer for Scotland, Saughton House, Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh EH11 3XD e-mail: [email protected] doi: 10.1136/vr.h51 January 10, 2015 | Veterinary Record | 53
t
VETERINARY PROFESSION
Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on July 23, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
Official Veterinarians in Scotland Sheila Voas Veterinary Record 2015 176: 53
doi: 10.1136/vr.h51 Updated information and services can be found at: http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/176/2/53.2
These include:
Email alerting service
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/
