August 31, 2013 | Veterinary Record | 179

Feature

News & Reports

chief Veterinary officer’s update

Exploring opportunities to do things differently

I am CVO for the UK, representing our joint interests in the EU and internationally, and working with the other CVOs and policymakers across the UK to ensure that we meet our international obligations and jointly maintain the essential capability to deal with major animal disease challenges and to protect animal welfare. I look to write this column from that perspective.

The aHVLa provides much of this essential capability, working in partnership with Official Veterinarians (OVs) in private practice. In a recent article in Veterinary Record, Simon Hall, the aHVLa’s veterinary director, explained how the agency is proposing a series of reforms in order to prepare the profession for the changes that we can now foresee (VR, august 17/24, 2013, vol 173, pp 155-156).

changing approach to animal health and welfare in englandI sit on the animal Health and Welfare Board for England (aHWBE), a forum of external expertise and officials which forms the primary source of strategic advice to Defra ministers on animal health and welfare issues. Here, I have a dual role, providing support and challenge from a veterinary perspective and also helping the board to ensure that it considers the UK and international implications of its deliberations.

The board’s work programme for the year ahead will focus on bovine TB, a review of compensation arrangements for farmers, addressing the macdonald Review’s livestock movement recommendations, and developing an agreed negotiating position for the proposed new European animal Health Regulation. We also look constantly at the effectiveness and value for money of Defra’s actions on animal health and welfare as the department adapts to the pressures of reduced spending across government. We’ll look at other priorities as and when they arise, too.

a key common theme in the aHWBE’s deliberations is exploring the potential for doing things differently, whether that’s better harnessing veterinary expertise to deliver quality, affordable TB testing, or encouraging the private sector to harness and channel best practice on endemic disease management to deliver as wide and as positive an impact on herd health as possible. This approach is not unique to England and can be seen in the ‘Cymorth TB’ initiative by Christianne Glossop, the CVO for Wales, to develop greater involvement of the private vet in TB control in the Intensive action area in north Pembrokeshire (VR, July 6, 2013, vol 173, p 23) and in the Scottish Government’s bovine viral diarrhoea control strategy. In the aHWBE’s consultation on the future for animal disease surveillance in England and Wales we also raised the possibility of a greater role for the private vet and I hope to see that delivered as we act on the outcome of the consultation in coming months.

These changes in the approach of our governments will afford the veterinary profession new business opportunities and I hope that many of you will be able to engage and benefit from them.

In his regular update for Veterinary Record, Nigel Gibbens, the UK Chief Veterinary Officer, discusses the crucial contribution that private veterinary surgeons make to government efforts to detect, control and eradicate animal diseases and how their role might be expanded in future. He also gives an overview of other current issues, including antimicrobial resistance, pet travel, horse passports and forthcoming negotiations on the proposed European Animal Health Regulation

Bovine tBBovine TB is the most pressing animal health problem in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The disease is devastating the lives of many farmers and the impacts are felt more widely in rural communities. If left unchecked, it is predicted to cost the taxpayer £1 billion over the next decade. We are also under pressure from our veterinary colleagues in the European Commission in Brussels and in other member states, and failure to bring the disease under control could lead to serious restrictions on live cattle exports. We have already seen the export of calves to the Netherlands effectively halted by action by the Dutch cattle sector.

Defra is currently consulting on a draft TB eradication strategy for achieving TB-free status for England, developed by the TB Eradication advisory Group and the aHWBE. a key principle of the strategy is partnership – the Government cannot free England of bovine TB on its own, and it is imperative that we work together to ensure a sustainable livestock sector. The strategy aims to preserve the low risk of TB in the north and east of England; to stop and reverse the spread of bovine TB at the frontier of the disease, known as the ‘edge area’; and to reduce the level of infection in the high-risk area, mainly in the south west. my letter in a recent issue of Veterinary Record (august 17/24, 2013, vol 173, p 171) discussed the early measures being introduced to address the spread of TB in the edge area.

Key elements of the strategy include developing our risk-based approach, developing new tools, and a review of governance, delivery and funding. The strategy sets out action in areas such as disease surveillance, pre- and post-movement cattle testing, removal of cattle exposed to bovine TB, tracing the potential source of infection, and wildlife controls including vaccination trials and culling. t

179-181 Gibbens update.indd 179 28/08/2013 14:12

group.bmj.com on July 15, 2014 - Published by veterinaryrecord.bmj.comDownloaded from

180 | Veterinary Record | August 31, 2013

News & ReportsNews & Reports

So what does the strategy mean for vets? While specialist vets in the aHVLa will remain crucial to delivering and advising on TB controls, I think private vets are best placed to advise their farming clients on risk-based trading and on-farm biosecurity, and to explain the disease control measures in place, and I want to explore ways in which OVs in private practice in England can take on some services currently delivered by government; for example, providing local advice, veterinary risk assessment and licensing. Views on this are invited in the consultation and I am awaiting with interest the results of the vet advice pilot project in Wales.

We are also considering increasing the scope for flexibility within the vet practice team by looking at a possible wider roll-out of lay TB testing; currently this is restricted to aHVLa employees. I would encourage you all to let us know what you think of the strategy by responding to the consultation, which closes on September 26 – more information can be found on the Defra website at https://consult.defra.gov.uk

Separately, the aHVLa has set up a Veterinary Delivery Partnership Project to resolve the long-running uncertainty around the future delivery of TB testing. The aim of this is to introduce a modern delivery model for delivering high-quality, efficient TB testing that meets EU requirements. It provides scope for greater involvement of the private vet, not only in the control of bovine TB but also disease control more widely.

Part of the TB strategy includes culling wildlife in high-risk areas. No one wants to cull badgers, and there are clearly strong feelings on both sides of the debate, but it is important to remember that no country has effectively brought bovine TB under control without tackling the disease in the local wildlife reservoir. The evidence shows that culling, in accordance with strict licence criteria, can make a real difference at a local level. Two trial culls will be going ahead this summer in the south west to test our assumptions on the efficacy, safety and humaneness of controlled shooting, and if these show us that the method works, we expect culls to be rolled out across hotspot areas.

It is right that our profession cares deeply about this disease challenge and how it is tackled. Recent weeks have seen the Letters pages of this journal and some mainstream newspapers used by some of our colleagues to pursue their opposition to the decision to pilot the culling of badgers in England. This is an important ethical debate and people should be enabled to take an informed view. However, I am saddened to see the way the interpretation of the available science has been used

readiness, and helped identify how plans and procedures for managing disease could be improved, as well as testing proposed new draft legislation.

as well as testing the government veterinary service, the exercise highlighted that private vets have a crucial role to play in maintaining good animal health and welfare of livestock – in detecting animal disease outbreaks early on; in responding to disease outbreaks when they occur; and in working with their clients and other stakeholders to deliver systematic and effective control of endemic diseases, as the good management practices delivered through endemic disease control will reduce the spread and impact of exotic diseases, should they happen.

Exercises such as this allow us to identify better ways of working, and help ensure our approach to managing a significant disease outbreak is properly coordinated. We must continue to test and improve our disease control measures, and put ourselves in the best possible position to minimise the impact on farmers and their livestock should the worst occur. an evaluation report for ‘Exercise Walnut’ will be published later this year.

antimicrobial resistanceas a vet, what would you do if you were unable to treat many of the common bacterial infections you see in practice? This is the frightening prospect that the Chief medical Officer set out to doctors in her annual report for 2011 (www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/138331/CmO_annual_Report_Volume_2_2011.pdf). The challenge may be less obvious in relation to veterinary pathogens but resistance is an inherent risk associated with the use of antibiotics in any species. For example, in pigs, we are currently seeing a growing number of tetracycline-resistant Streptococcus suis infections that are also resistant to penicillins, which may impact on options available for the treatment of this condition. In dogs, an increased prevalence of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is likely to cause growing clinical issues in future. While antibiotic use is not the sole driver behind these – and other – resistant infections, it is clear that responsible prescribing is central to slowing down the development of antimicrobial resistance in both human and animal pathogens.

alongside colleagues in the Department of Health, I have been working on a joint human and veterinary five-year UK antimicrobial Resistance Strategy 2013-2018. The strategy aims to: improve the knowledge and understanding of antimicrobial resistance; conserve and steward the effectiveness of existing treatments; and stimulate the development

by some of our profession and others as they seek to promote their opinion on the morality, practical deliverability or cost-effectiveness of culling. I was therefore

‘We are also considering increasing the scope for flexibility within the vet practice team by looking at a possible wider roll-out of lay TB testing'

pleased to see the publication of a paper by Godfray and others – ‘a restatement of the natural science evidence base relevant to the control of bovine tuberculosis in Great Britain’ (http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/280/1768/20131634.full) – that, in their words, seeks to provide a ‘succinct summary of the natural science evidence base relevant to the control of bTB, couched in terms that are as policy neutral as possible’. It is a consensus view from eminent scientists from a range of relevant disciplines and perspectives and shows that there is a strong body of evidence on bovine TB, including the role of the badger, that is not in dispute.

exercise Walnut‘Exercise Walnut’ was a major national exercise involving the aHVLa, Defra, the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government, the Department of agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland, and other key operational partners and stakeholders, such as the Pig Veterinary Society, to test the UK’s ability to deal with a major animal disease outbreak, in this case classical swine fever. Organised by the aHVLa, the realistic real-time simulation looked at our state of

Private vets are best placed to advise their clients on a range of issues, including on-farm biosecurity and risk-based trading

179-181 Gibbens update.indd 180 28/08/2013 14:12

group.bmj.com on July 15, 2014 - Published by veterinaryrecord.bmj.comDownloaded from

August 31, 2013 | Veterinary Record | 181

News & ReportsNews & Reports

of new antibiotics, diagnostics and novel therapies. These aims will be underpinned by actions in seven key areas based on those outlined in the European Commission’s action plan against the rising threat of antimicrobial resistance (see VR, November 26, 2011, vol 169, pp 564, 565-566), including optimising prescribing practices through antimicrobial stewardship programmes; better access to and use of surveillance data in human and animal sectors; and better identification and prioritisation of research to inform our understanding of antimicrobial resistance.

as well as working on this strategy, Defra, through the Veterinary medicines Directorate, will continue to work closely with the veterinary profession to raise awareness of this issue, so that vets are fully informed to make the right decisions. Of course, antibiotics, used responsibly, will remain a vital part of the vet’s toolbox, but their use should not replace good farm management, effective biosecurity measures and animal husbandry systems. We are endeavouring to ensure that any future controls placed on the use of veterinary antibiotics are both proportionate and based on scientific evidence, as far as possible, balancing the overall benefits and risks.

pet travelThe EU Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) continues to safeguard the UK’s rabies-free status. The risk of a pet with rabies entering the UK under PETS remains very low, and the risk of rabies being passed from a pet to a person is even lower again. The level of rabies across the whole of the EU has been greatly reduced through targeted eradication programmes in pets and wildlife. There hasn’t been a single case of rabies in the EU associated with pets moved legally under PETS since the scheme first started in 2001.

The UK continues to operate a robust checking regime to make sure that pets entering the UK do not pose a risk to animal and human health. Ferry, rail and air operators are licensed to carry pets on the basis that they check every pet they transport for compliance with the rules of PETS. anyone who does not follow these rules is committing a criminal offence and local authorities have the power to deal with offenders.

I am aware that some people attempt to evade animal health controls either through false documentation or smuggling in order to import puppies for sale in the UK, and Defra is working closely with its operational partners to crack down on this illegal trade and prosecute those taking part in it. Vets have a key role to play in alerting Trading Standards to pets that they suspect may have entered the country illegally, as often owners have no idea that their pet

has been imported into the UK and may pose a disease risk. If any concerns remain after contacting Trading Standards, please contact your local aHVLa office: http://ahvla.defra.gov.uk/postcode/index.asp

compulsory microchippingmicrochipping of dogs was made compulsory in Northern Ireland in april 2012. In February this year the Government announced that microchipping will

veterinary medicines harmful to human health do not enter the food chain. Vets have a number of legal responsibilities – treating a horse when it is accompanied by its passport (and checking that the passport matches the horse being treated), checking the food chain status of the animal, signing the animal out of the food chain when it has been treated with certain medicines, updating the passport with medicine details, and informing the owner of any withdrawal periods.

proposed european animal health regulationThe European Commission has published a package of proposals to revise the current legislation governing health controls in the food and agriculture industries. The proposed plans will potentially affect all those involved in the supply and regulation of live animals, germinal products and products of animal origin, among others. an element of the package focuses on animal health regulation, aiming to protect and raise the health status and condition of animals in the EU, in particular food-producing animals, while ensuring intra-EU trade and imports and exports of animals and animal products in accordance with the appropriate health standards and international obligations. another part of the package is looking at revising the current legislative framework for official controls throughout the agri-food chain, which again has implications for the livestock sector. more information about the proposed package is available at http://bit.ly/13c4bKY.

While the proposed animal Health Regulation builds on what already works well and does not represent a wholesale change in animal health policy, it does introduce a number of new concepts. Of particular relevance to our profession are the possibility of requirements for animal keepers to have appropriate knowledge of the species that they keep; veterinary visits at a frequency appropriate to the risk of the animals kept; and an obligation on member states to have scanning surveillance in place.

Your views and advice on the potential impact and the scale of the proposals, as well as any practical considerations on how the measures might be implemented, will help form the basis for the UK’s negotiations with the Commission and other member states. The proposal is likely to shape the regime for many years to come, so to help ensure UK priorities are reflected in the final regulation, I would encourage you to submit your views early by e-mail to animalandplanthealthproposals@defra.gsi.gov.uk

doi: 10.1136/vr.f5217

‘We are endeavouring to ensure that any future controls placed on the use of veterinary antibiotics are both proportionate and based on scientific evidence, as far as possible, balancing the overall benefits and risks'

become compulsory for all dogs in England from april 2016. In april, the Welsh Government announced that all dogs in Wales would be required to be microchipped by march 2015. microchipping is a valuable welfare measure allowing lost dogs to be reunited with their owners quickly – to the benefit of the dog and the owner. Defra and the Welsh Government are working together to ensure that the legislation will mean that breeders will be required to microchip puppies before sale and record the new owner’s details before a change of ownership. There will be a minimum age at which a puppy can be microchipped, and we are currently discussing this issue with vets.

Dogs Trust, Blue Cross and Battersea Dogs and Cats Home are all offering free chipping at their centres, and these welfare charities and local authorities are also offering free chipping at local community events across the country. Dogs Trust will also be making free microchips and registration available to vets, so please contact them if this is of interest to you.

horse passportsI am pleased that the European Commission has started work to change the legislation relating to horse passports as it is clear that the current arrangements need to be improved. There are a lot of uncertainties but the UK is supportive of the overall approach being taken by the Commission, and Defra officials are looking forward to working closely with a wide range of stakeholders from the equine sector, including the veterinary profession, to ensure we get a system that will work in practice.

Regulation and government intervention is not effective on its own – everyone needs to takes personal responsibility for making the regime work. The veterinary profession has a key role to play in ensuring that horses treated with

179-181 Gibbens update.indd 181 28/08/2013 14:12

group.bmj.com on July 15, 2014 - Published by veterinaryrecord.bmj.comDownloaded from

doi: 10.1136/vr.f5217 2013 173: 179-181Veterinary Record

  differentlyExploring opportunities to do things

http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/173/8/179.full.htmlUpdated information and services can be found at:

These include:

serviceEmail alerting

the box at the top right corner of the online article.Receive free email alerts when new articles cite this article. Sign up in

Notes

http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissionsTo request permissions go to:

http://journals.bmj.com/cgi/reprintformTo order reprints go to:

http://group.bmj.com/subscribe/To subscribe to BMJ go to:

group.bmj.com on July 15, 2014 - Published by veterinaryrecord.bmj.comDownloaded from