News & Reports
News & Reports ov services
Information for farmers on new TB testing arrangements THE APHA has published information for farmers and livestock keepers on the changes to the management of government-funded veterinary services that are being introduced in England and Wales. The new arrangements came into force in Wales on April 1. In England, they are scheduled to be implemented on May 1. In a briefing note, published on its website on March 26, the APHA explains that contracts have been awarded to seven new Delivery Partners to provide TB testing and other services throughout England and Wales using a network of subcontracted veterinary practices. The contracts cover: n ‘Services A’ – TB testing in cattle; n ‘Services B’ – TB testing in non-bovine animals and other work, notably brucellosis testing and anthrax investigations; and n ‘Services C’ – Disease outbreak response (the provision of vets to assist the APHA in a disease outbreak). Farmers are told that TB test notification letters will now tell them to contact the Delivery Partners to arrange TB testing. ‘This will continue as a free service and your legal responsibilities remain the same,’ the APHA says. It adds: ‘If you’re unhappy with the service you receive, then you should complain to the Delivery Partner. The new contracts require the Delivery Partners to have a formal complaints procedure and APHA will be monitoring the level and type of complaints received and assessing how the Delivery Partner deals with them.’ The APHA explains that, for farmers in Wales, the new arrangements ‘should mean little or no change’. Two Delivery Partners were awarded contracts in January – Menter a Busnes, which will cover Wales North, and Iechyd Da (Gwledig), covering Wales South (VR, January 31, 2015, vol 176, p 109). The APHA says that, in most cases, the veterinary practice that has been delivering a farm’s TB testing in Wales will remain the same, and that farmers do not need to do anything, unless they wish to choose a different practice. ‘If the veterinary practice you usually use is not part of the Delivery Partner’s network of subcontractors, the
Delivery Partner will offer a choice of other practices that can do the TB testing in your area,’ it says. ‘You will be asked to register your preferred choice of practice with the Delivery Partner. Or, if you simply wish to use an alternative practice from the network of subcontractors, then the same process applies. Where possible, Delivery Partners will honour your choice of practice when allocating TB tests.’ It adds that, if farmers wish to use a practice that is not part of a Delivery Partner’s network of subcontractors, they will have to arrange to have the test done privately and cover the costs. In these cases, the farmer also has to let the local APHA office know which practice is being used. Turning to England, where contracts were awarded to Delivery Partners in February (VR, February 21, 2015, vol 176, pp 183-184), the APHA explains that the Delivery Partners are currently negotiating with practices that may wish to join their network of subcontractors. It says that, once the networks are set up, farmers will be able to identify which practices are included. ‘As in Wales, if the practice that you previously used is part of the Delivery Partner’s network then you don’t need to do anything
unless you want to choose a different practice from the network,’ it says. The APHA’s briefing note also explains that Delivery Partners will provide information to farmers and livestock keepers on the standards of handling facilities expected. ‘If animals are not presented in a safe and efficient manner, OVs may decline to test them and overdue testing could lead to reductions in subsidy payments made by the Rural Payments Agency,’ it says. It adds that, if farmers do not meet their obligations to present cattle in a safe and efficient manner, ‘or want testing to be undertaken in a way that suits their business but adds costs to OVs’, the farmers, OVs and Delivery Partners ‘may wish to discuss supplementary charges for any additional service(s) required’. The briefing note contains a ‘questions and answers’ section explaining, among other things, the reasons behind the changes and what benefits are expected. n The briefing note is available at www. gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/ attachment_data/file/417717/VDP-briefingnote.pdf doi: 10.1136/vr.h1711
April 4, 2015 | Veterinary Record | 345
News & Reports ov services
Information for farmers on new TB testing arrangements THE APHA has published information for farmers and livestock keepers on the changes to the management of government-funded veterinary services that are being introduced in England and Wales. The new arrangements came into force in Wales on April 1. In England, they are scheduled to be implemented on May 1. In a briefing note, published on its website on March 26, the APHA explains that contracts have been awarded to seven new Delivery Partners to provide TB testing and other services throughout England and Wales using a network of subcontracted veterinary practices. The contracts cover: n ‘Services A’ – TB testing in cattle; n ‘Services B’ – TB testing in non-bovine animals and other work, notably brucellosis testing and anthrax investigations; and n ‘Services C’ – Disease outbreak response (the provision of vets to assist the APHA in a disease outbreak). Farmers are told that TB test notification letters will now tell them to contact the Delivery Partners to arrange TB testing. ‘This will continue as a free service and your legal responsibilities remain the same,’ the APHA says. It adds: ‘If you’re unhappy with the service you receive, then you should complain to the Delivery Partner. The new contracts require the Delivery Partners to have a formal complaints procedure and APHA will be monitoring the level and type of complaints received and assessing how the Delivery Partner deals with them.’ The APHA explains that, for farmers in Wales, the new arrangements ‘should mean little or no change’. Two Delivery Partners were awarded contracts in January – Menter a Busnes, which will cover Wales North, and Iechyd Da (Gwledig), covering Wales South (VR, January 31, 2015, vol 176, p 109). The APHA says that, in most cases, the veterinary practice that has been delivering a farm’s TB testing in Wales will remain the same, and that farmers do not need to do anything, unless they wish to choose a different practice. ‘If the veterinary practice you usually use is not part of the Delivery Partner’s network of subcontractors, the
Delivery Partner will offer a choice of other practices that can do the TB testing in your area,’ it says. ‘You will be asked to register your preferred choice of practice with the Delivery Partner. Or, if you simply wish to use an alternative practice from the network of subcontractors, then the same process applies. Where possible, Delivery Partners will honour your choice of practice when allocating TB tests.’ It adds that, if farmers wish to use a practice that is not part of a Delivery Partner’s network of subcontractors, they will have to arrange to have the test done privately and cover the costs. In these cases, the farmer also has to let the local APHA office know which practice is being used. Turning to England, where contracts were awarded to Delivery Partners in February (VR, February 21, 2015, vol 176, pp 183-184), the APHA explains that the Delivery Partners are currently negotiating with practices that may wish to join their network of subcontractors. It says that, once the networks are set up, farmers will be able to identify which practices are included. ‘As in Wales, if the practice that you previously used is part of the Delivery Partner’s network then you don’t need to do anything
unless you want to choose a different practice from the network,’ it says. The APHA’s briefing note also explains that Delivery Partners will provide information to farmers and livestock keepers on the standards of handling facilities expected. ‘If animals are not presented in a safe and efficient manner, OVs may decline to test them and overdue testing could lead to reductions in subsidy payments made by the Rural Payments Agency,’ it says. It adds that, if farmers do not meet their obligations to present cattle in a safe and efficient manner, ‘or want testing to be undertaken in a way that suits their business but adds costs to OVs’, the farmers, OVs and Delivery Partners ‘may wish to discuss supplementary charges for any additional service(s) required’. The briefing note contains a ‘questions and answers’ section explaining, among other things, the reasons behind the changes and what benefits are expected. n The briefing note is available at www. gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/ attachment_data/file/417717/VDP-briefingnote.pdf doi: 10.1136/vr.h1711
April 4, 2015 | Veterinary Record | 345
