SCOTTISH ANIMAL HEALTH AND WELFARE ADVISORY GROUP MEETING - 29 AUGUST 2006 - MINUTES
Attendees:
Charles Milne - Chief Veterinary Officer (Scotland) (chair)
Ian Anderson - Head of Animal Health and Welfare Division, SEERAD
Kay Driver - Chief Executive, Scottish SPCA
Bill McKelvey - Chief Executive, SAC
Julie Fitzpatrick - Chief Executive, Moredun Research Institute
Donald Biggar - Interim Chairman, QMS
Stuart Reid - Dean, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow
Andy Robertson - Chief Executive, NFU Scotland
Neil Ritchie - Animal Health and Welfare Division, SEERAD
Gordon Struth - Animal Health and Welfare Division, SEERAD
For specific agenda items:
Mike Lamont - Head of Veterinary Unit, SEERAD
Mary Bradley - Animal Health and Welfare Division, SEERAD
Apologies:
Mike Robson - President, Scottish Branch, British Veterinary Association
Agenda Item 1 - Introduction
1. Members were welcomed to this meeting of the Scottish Animal Health and Welfare Advisory Group. The Chair asked if everyone had received our recent emails about bluetongue and EIA, and the Group felt these had been helpful.
Agenda Item 2 - Minutes of Meeting of 16 May 2006
2. Members formally agreed the minutes of the previous meeting.
Agenda Item 3 - Matters Arising
3. Progress against Action Points:
Action Point 1: Having information for vets on the shelf to be used in the event of disease outbreaks - being actioned as part of the exotic diseases communications review.
Action Point 2: SEERAD and SSPCA to discuss research for companion animals. Kay Driver gave a brief report on the meeting held on August 10, a consequence of which is that SSPCA will set up a meeting of relevant animal protection bodies to scope out what the research needs are.
Action Point 3: Conference - dealt with under AOB.
Action Point 4: Sectoral Meetings - Sheep, 6 September; Horses 20 September.
Action Point 5: Disseminate information on Strangles - done.
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Agenda Item 4 - Veterinary Surveillance
4. Mike Lamont gave a presentation on surveillance, which is available on request from Secretariat. In this he covered:
• The reasons why surveillance is a government issue (public health, economics, animal suffering)
• The UK Surveillance Strategy and its links to the GB Animal Health and Welfare Strategy
• Epidemiology - international and domestic
• New demands for surveillance
• Official reports on surveillance
• Current surveillance work
• Surveillance for welfare
• Reporting, gaps and opportunities.
5. In discussion following, evidence from abattoirs, benchmarking and from blood test already being taken were identified as being capable of better use. Evidence could also be gathered from collectors of fallen stock. Wholesome Pigs was mentioned as a good scheme and there was discussion about it as a template for other sectors. Zoonoses and the risks to humans were also mentioned, especially in the context of companion animals.
6. There was a view that surveillance has to be risk based, and needs to ensure coverage through not missing the weaker farms by accepting self-selecting samples. The greater risk lies in the weaker farms so the focus should be there.
7. One risk to surveillance is the decrease in on-farm work, reducing the likelihood of samples being sent for testing.
8. The group agreed that it would like to hear from HM Revenue and Customs on controls at points of entry to the UK.
Agenda Item 5 - Veterinary Profession
9. The Group was aware of the difficulties in large animal veterinary practice, with reports of some practices in Scotland considering withdrawing entirely from such work, and covered some recent events in this area. Gordon Struth gave a brief summary of the meeting hosted by the BVA on 15 August in Perth to discuss specific issues.
10. One of the key issues identified was the implication of the 24/7 emergency cover requirement. Also discussed was the need for better evidence than that provided by the RCVS Manpower Survey. The difficulties in the sector are not only in rural areas, they are also acute in the urban fringe. This has an impact on small animal practice too; a vet in small animal practice is still required to provide 24/7 emergency cover for large animals, so some could be driven out of all practice entirely. Other problems were mentioned, such as the effect of the European Working Time Directive and the impact on the SSPCA where there is a shortage of vets.
11. It was recognised though that many islands do not have 24/7 cover at present in any case.
12. While it was also noted that though Defra have responsibility for the profession as a reserved issue, farming is devolved and Scotland is able to consider solutions appropriate to its needs.
13. The planned Vets and Veterinary Services Workshop, intended for mid November, was raised as a key point when actions should be identified to tackle the problems.
Action Point - Views of the Group to be fed by ERAD into the workshop and the planning for it.
Agenda Item 5 - Update on the Scottish Programme of Priorities and Targets
14. Neil Ritchie told the group that baselines had now been set for most of the priorities. Timelines for Johnnes and BVD survey were discussed. A series of sectoral discussions was being set up, as mentioned at previous meetings, to identify gaps, priorities and most importantly how to communicate what we are learning.
15. The sheep scab and footrot surveys were discussed, with the possibility of mapping the sheep scab findings mentioned. However, there was concern that as the sample is self-selecting it may produce a misleading map, showing more honest farms rather than the areas with problems. A compulsory treatment period was raised and discussed with wide approval, though it was noted compulsory dipping is no longer allowed, that the problem was regional and that a very effective treatment was currently withdrawn from sale for reason the group questioned. The group felt that sheebscab is an important health and welfare issue.
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Agenda Item 6 - Round-up of activities
16. Three Chairs - the Chairs of the three strategy groups for Scotland, England and Wales meeting on 14 September.
17. Centre of Excellence - Stuart Reid informed the Group of the joint project between the Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, Biomass, Moredun and SAC, and funded by ERAD to create a virtual centre focussing on epidemiology.
18. SSPCA - Kay Driver informed us of the SSPCA event at the Festival of Politics, which raised the issues of quality labelling in Scotland. She also told us about the massive expansion in SSPCA facilities for animals taken into care, and of a conference on the link between domestic and animal abuse.
19. NFUS - Ran four successful hill sheep farm events.
Agenda Item 7 - AOB
20. CHAWSC - Neil Ritchie had met with QMS and NFUS to discuss the invitation extended to Scotland to join CHAWSC, where it was decided that we should not join but should seek to establish a wider British Isles grouping to cover the same issues. The group agreed that a letter to this effect should be sent in response.
21. Conference - Provisionally booked for the Atholl Palace, Pitlochry, 29-30 November. A steering group was due to meet later that week. Comments were to go to secretariat.
22. Dates of future meetings - Secretariat had previously advised members that 7 November was the likely date of next meeting; this is now confirmed.
Animal Health & Welfare Advisory Group Secretariat
September 2006
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