Presidential Address by David Catlow
BVA Congress, 29 September 2007
Ladies and Gentlemen
It gives me enormous pleasure to report on the activities of BVA over the last Association Year.
It has been quite a year, and continues to be so. ‘Winding down’ has not been a feature I recognise!
The numbers of notifiable disease outbreaks in one year – Newcastle Disease, Avian Influenza – twice (H5N1 and H7N2); bovine TB; FMD and now BlueTongue virus is an unenviable record for any President, the veterinary profession, the farming industry and indeed the nation.
I could major on those subjects alone, but they are just one part and additional to, the regular workload of the BVA, and I hope today to give you an overview and indication of the some of the fine achievements from your Association this year.
The animal disease outbreaks are all very clear examples and stark reminders, of why it is essential that this country needs to continually invest in our national veterinary capability, and maintain an infrastructure of veterinary surgeons across the disciplines to respond to disease emergencies. Continued investment in research and surveillance is an essential part of our frontline defence capability. I have repeated that message throughout the year, and it has fallen on receptive ears, particularly in the devolved regions, where rural communities and their continued viability are a key focus of political investment and attention. Whether the Ministers holding the purse strings in Westminster are quite so receptive is debatable – animal health issues will remain headline news every year, yet firm commitments to maintain veterinary budgets seem astonishingly vague.
Our BVA Dinners hosted throughout the year in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have been widely supported by representatives from the industries we serve as well as senior politicians and Ministers. Our relations and communications with devolved administrations, in particular with CVOs has been excellent. We value those links and we must make certain that we continue to maintain and build those relations.
The ever increasing profile and importance of animal welfare issues has been at the forefront of activity over the last year. After a BVA Council decision to support a policy to permanently ban the importation of captive wild-caught birds, the FVE then adopted our position which culminated in the European Commission introducing regulation to permanently ban the trade. A demonstration of the impact that clear and focussed veterinary opinion can make.
The introduction of a new Animal Welfare Act in GB marked a significant landmark in the history of animal protection. We have heard this morning of the key role that vets will and must play in advancing the intentions of the Act. BVA is determined to ensure the veterinary profession’s view on animal welfare matters is heard loud and clear. The BVA Animal Welfare Foundation raises issues for potential policy development through their successful Discussion Forum and this year’s inaugural meetings of the BVA Ethics and Welfare Group gives the BVA another platform to clarify and air our views,
Legislation is now a significant part of veterinary life. We seem to be perennially affected by new government regulation. One example is the Veterinary Medicines Directorate who continue to annually update the veterinary medicines regulations, with current consultation on the reclassification of medicines distribution categories. In reality this seems to mean that more and more veterinary medicines may be prescribed without the need for the advice of a veterinary surgeon. It is questionable whether the European Commission envisaged such loose interpretation of its Directive, particularly in relation to prescription of medicines in food producing animals. BVA Medicines Group works hard on these issues and has an ongoing significant workload. The registration of veterinary premises will be the next cost to veterinary businesses and sadly another government regulation that is likely to add a little more to the veterinary bills of animal owners in the UK.
We continue our negotiations and regular meetings with the newly formed ‘Animal Health’ in GB, known to most of you as the State Veterinary Service. A pilot scheme for new contracts with private veterinary practices carrying out work on behalf of government is under development. Just how this will affect practices undertaking any type of LVI work, in addition to TB testing, be it export certification for pets, horses or farm animals is not yet clear. An appropriate rate of pay remains elusive but the likely requirement for additional experienced veterinary manpower in the current FMD and BlueTongue disease outbreaks has focused the need to develop stronger links with practices than has been the case in recent years. I know the relations between DARD and private practices are currently being discussed here in N Ireland.
Money for Farm Health Planning has unfortunately not been forthcoming in Northern Ireland, but you are ahead of the rest of UK in other areas, where responsibility sharing has already demonstrated some success. In England, Farm Health Planning money has been distributed to successful collaborative veterinary bidders for the cattle sector, and in Scotland the land-management contracts make provision for extra payments to farmers who actively engage their veterinary surgeon in the health planning process. Wales too has committed money to initiatives to explore good husbandry and bio-security practices on farms in conjunction with veterinary surgeons
Scotland also leads the way in exploring further initiatives to help veterinary practices remain viable to fulfil the aims of delivering the UK Animal Health & Welfare Strategy. In Westminster, a new independent Chair of the Vets & Veterinary Services Group, Prof Philip Lowe, gives us hope that the talking will become more focussed and practical solutions will be found to make sure that animals in all regions of the UK continue to have access to meaningful veterinary services. The subject is never far away from the agenda of Veterinary Policy Group, enabling us to make meaningful contributions to the debate.
Bovine TB has not left the headlines, and this year additional interest was generated by the long-awaited final report from the Independent Scientific Group. Yesterday’s session reminds us all of the different approaches to BTB control and the passion and desperation in communities affected by this dreadful disease. When I researched a presentation for a BVA Congress in Chester in 2000, I came across Lancashire Veterinary Association minutes from 1870. Those minutes described the difficulties in diagnosing bTB – palpation o’th’udder being the pre-requisite skill for veterinary surgeons of the day. The diagnostic tools may have changed, but it is clear that 140 years of experience has not yet delivered the ultimate strategy and desired outcome. BVA remains closely engaged with interested bodies in finding practical solutions to reverse the inexorable rise in number of bTB cases. Our advice has to be science based, yet we must also understand the political, social and economic factors of managing this disease when we develop our policy.
We have this week, submitted our response to the UK government select committee EFRACom on a new Veterinary Surgeons Act. The Royal College reasons for modernising the Act are well documented. A new Act has the potential to significantly affect us all. EFRACom are looking for a clear steer from the profession to make recommendations to government on whether a new Act is required and if so how might it look? We have had a good response from Divisions and members to inform our input to the inquiry and enable us to give a representative view. We have been able to state where the profession is in total agreement and where it is not and give an overview to EFRACom of the majority opinion from the veterinary profession.
This year we have focused considerable energy on recent graduates and the launch of the Young Vet Network at the House of Lords Reception earlier this year was a great success. We have had very positive feedback from many young members of the profession and the Young Vet Network Guide in particular has been very well received. With the invaluable help of our two recent graduate Council members, the Young Vet Net chatroom has already generated some interesting comment and views from those who are the future of our profession
It was this time last year I expressed my desire to see the launch of the recent graduate support meetings through the territorial Divisions to complement the Young Vet Network. I am delighted to report that we did it! And feedback has been marvellous. The financial support from the Veterinary Benevolent Fund and RCVS Trust, as well as individual practices and Specialist Divisions all helped to fund its launch. Encouraging recent graduates to lead future meetings will be the key to its continued success.
Before I close I would like to say a few words about BVA itself. I have been involved with activities at BVA for a number of years and I have seen considerable change over that time. I have never known BVA to be as vibrant as it is today. The total refurbishment of Mansfield St has now been completed and the quality and enthusiasm of the team working at BVA makes it an absolute privilege and pleasure to work in the same building. The developments that I know are being considered, the commitment to enhance our representative capability and the constant drive to ensure we garner the views of Members and Divisions gives me great confidence that BVA has a very bright future.
Ladies & Gentlemen, enjoy the rest of the Congress!
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