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Future veterinary surveillance model

An independent advisory group has recommended a future delivery model for veterinary surveillance in England and Wales. Chaired by Dirk Pfeiffer, Professor of Veterinary Epidemiology at the Royal Veterinary College, the Surveillance Advisory Group (SAG) included representatives from government, the veterinary profession and the livestock farming and private laboratory industries. It was established so all those with an interest in veterinary surveillance could help shape a future model and ensure that all issues were thoroughly considered.
During January-February 2012, views were also sought from individual livestock keepers and private veterinarians through an online survey. Over 1,200 contributions were made which informed the work of the SAG.  

The Surveillance Advisory Group’s final report was published by AHVLA on 10 April 2012.

AHVLA has welcomed the recommendations included within the report and in response is developing a high level implementation plan which will be subject to further stakeholder discussions during the summer 2012.

Veterinary surveillance

Veterinary surveillance seeks to identify new or re-emerging threats to our livestock population and to public health. It involves a partnership approach between livestock keepers, private veterinary surgeons, the Scottish Agricultural College, industry bodies and AHVLA in order to effectively gather and assess intelligence.

AHVLA is seeking to identify ways to undertake veterinary surveillance both more effectively and at an affordable cost to the taxpayer. Work in this area has been on-going since 2010, and the merger of the former Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) has created opportunities to review how veterinary surveillance can best be delivered. The new model will aim to address capacity imbalances in the current service where provision sometimes outstrips demand, and how better and closer working methods across the partners can make the surveillance stronger as well as more cost effective.

Surveillance has historically been based on in-depth investigation of disease incidents with an emphasis on post mortem examinations carried out at AHVLA’s regional laboratories. This system is a key element in the government’s risk-based approach to the management of animal disease related threats.

The SAG’s work builds on early work undertaken by the then Veterinary Laboratories Agency:

  • AHVLA’s Sustainable Surveillance Project’s (ASSP) ‘Sustaining Scanning Surveillance in England and Wales’ report
    Download pdf of this report
  • The Livestock and Poultry Veterinary Surgeons Surveillance Survey’s ‘Current and future surveillance of livestock and poultry in England and Wales: The perspective and engagement of the private veterinary surgeon.’
    Download pdf of this report

    During January/ February 2011 in depth interviews were conducted with twenty Private Veterinary Surgeons (PVS) to hear their opinions and perceptions of current and future (next five years) disease surveillance of livestock and poultry in England and Wales. In particular the survey was designed to hear opinions about surveillance services and information outputs and the engagement of the PVS with these. Although all those interviewed were current users of the Veterinary Laboratory Agency’s (VLA) services, the survey was not solely focused on the VLA. However, some topics were included that related specifically to VLA and others elicited responses which related to VLA.

    The sample included ten PVS from large animal practice, five from mixed practice, three poultry and two pig practices.

Surveillance Advisory Group