24 Hour Cover, Bluetongue And VETS.TV

Representatives at last Wednesday’s (2 April) BVA Council meeting discussed a range of matters of interest, not only to BVA members but to the profession as a whole including progress with negotiations with the Environment Agency (EA) over the disposal of hazardous waste and with the RCVS over the provision of 24 hour cover within the confines of the Working Time Regulations. According to President Nick Blayney “while BVA is working on guidelines for the segregation and disposal of hazardous waste, we are determined that these guidelines are produced with EA endorsement. I can say that discussions between BVA and the EA have made good progress, particularly in the areas of pet cadavers and the vet’s duty of care for the disposal of waste at the end point” he said “and that progress is also being made on issues relating to the segregation of waste contaminated with blood.” The debate on 24 hour cover proved interesting with Dr Sandy Clark, representing the North of Scotland division but also speaking on behalf of the Highlands & Islands Veterinary Services Scheme reporting, surprisingly perhaps, overwhelming support for retaining the cover despite the difficulties occasioned in the provision of services in remote areas. While accepting that the law took precedence over professional ethics many delegates argued the need to find a solution that enabled them to meet both their obligations to their staff and colleagues as well as to the animals under their care. Presentations given to Council included one by Paul Roger of the Sheep Veterinary Society on bluetongue. Since the first reported case last year BVA and its relevant divisions have been working to increase awareness of the disease, including recognition of clinical signs, primarily through BVA and divisional publications - an article by the President will feature in the April edition of Off The Record - and websites. As Mr Roger’s presentation made clear, the profession has been part of Defra’s Core Stakeholder Group and has had the opportunity, albeit not always as successfully as one might have wished, to feed the profession’s advice and concerns through to Government. Despite frustrations with the process, the profession had recently signed up to JAB (the Joint Action against Bluetongue campaign), designed to promote the mass vaccination of bluetongue susceptible animals and Council representatives were urged to encourage their members to use the resources available on the BVA website to promote awareness of all aspects of the disease and the importance of vaccination. The presentation by Ten Alps of extracts from the pilot of VETS.TV, an internet-based digital television channel for the profession was definitely the highlight of the day with the younger members of BVA Council, not least the Association of Veterinary Students (AVS) and Young Vet Network (YVN) representatives clearly receptive to the exciting potential of this new initiative. The pilot of VETS.TV was launched at BSAVA Congress. Other matters discussed during the course of the day included developments with the work of the Membership subgroup, tasked with investigating ways of increasing BVA’s membership and influence, approval for the establishment of a review of the representational function of BVA, approval of a revised Use of Animals in Research policy statement (updating the existing one dated 1977), discussion on a number of ongoing matters currently before the BVA Animal Welfare Foundation Trustees, the Ethics & Welfare, Members’ Services and Veterinary Policy Groups and the BVA response to Defra’s responsibility and cost sharing consultation. Perhaps the most contentious item on the agenda was the RCVS proposals for a new Veterinary Surgeons Act, particularly given Lord Rooker’s totally unexpected announcement, when giving evidence before the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, that Defra did not have the resources to undertake work on a new Act and that no resources would be forthcoming until the next Comprehensive Spending Review in 2011. As BVA President Nick Blayney pointed out: “Despite the Minister’s announcement, it is apparent from the Defra submission that Government is seeking to alter the fundamental tenets of the regulation of veterinary provision. Defra take the view that the definition of veterinary surgery contained in the Act needs to be looked at again and no-one should be in any doubt that the deregulation of TB testing is the only procedure in their sights.”

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