Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has issued contracts to two Welsh based suppliers to deliver, on its behalf, TB testing and other Official Veterinarian work to livestock keepers across Wales.
From 1 April 2015 all new TB testing and other Official Veterinarian (OV) work in Wales will be undertaken by the two regional suppliers, who will be responsible for allocating vets and ensuring testing is carried out to a high standard. This will ensure the ongoing quality of testing for animal disease.
Commenting on the award of contracts APHA’s Veterinary Director, Simon Hall, said: “This is a significant milestone in modernising APHA’s partnership with the veterinary profession in Wales, and will improve our ability to detect disease through on farm testing and protect animal health.
“The new arrangements provide higher levels of assurance about quality of testing and value for money. Testing will continue to be performed by fully qualified vets and APHA will carry on working in close partnership with the veterinary profession.
“Local veterinary practices have always made an invaluable contribution to national disease control programmes and this new arrangement underlines the critical role they will continue to play in protecting animal health and welfare.”
The successful suppliers (to be known as Delivery Partners) are:
Wales North
Menter a Busnes
Wales South
Iechyd Da (Gwledig) Ltd
The contracts have been awarded for a 3 year period, with the option to extend up to a further 2 years.
APHA is not yet in a position to award contracts for the 5 regions in England. An unsuccessful tenderer has issued legal proceedings in respect of the English lots and this matter is currently being addressed. This matter remains commercially confidential. Further information on the award of contracts in England will be provided shortly.
Farmers and livestock keepers in Wales will continue to be responsible for ensuring that TB testing is completed on time but in future will need to contact their regional Delivery Partner to make the arrangements.
Delivery Partners will then be responsible for allocating the actual testing activity through their network of practices, and for assuring the quality of the work performed.
In recognition of the important relationship between farmers or livestock keepers and their vets in preventing and controlling disease and for ensuring the health and welfare of animals, the new contracts require Delivery Partners to offer testing work to eligible veterinary businesses operating within their geographical regions.
Work that has already been assigned to Official Veterinarian (OV) practices under existing arrangements will be completed by those practices but from 1 April all new work will be undertaken by delivery partners.
When making arrangements for tests, farmers and livestock keepers can express a preference to use a specific veterinary practice from within the Delivery Partners network to undertake their testing, and this preference will be honoured where possible.
Farmers and livestock keepers who would prefer to use a practice that is not part of the Delivery Partners network retain an option to pay for the testing privately.
APHA will work to ensure that the livestock industry and veterinary profession are given information and support in preparation for the introduction of the new processes.
We will be working with each of the Delivery Partners to establish joint plans for transition and communication of what the changes mean in detail, further information will be published before the new arrangements commence.
Stephen James NFU Cymru President said, “NFU Cymru cannot highlight enough the importance of the long term relationship that is built up between the local vet and livestock keeper in terms of on farm disease control and eradication. With regards to Bovine TB, NFU Cymru has consistently lobbied Welsh Government to ensure that a livestock keeper’s private vet has a significant input into a TB breakdown on their clients holding and we are pleased that this is now being progressed through initiatives such as Cymorth TB, today’s announcement by APHA will help to ensure the continuation of this work.
“Today’s announcement will mean that on farm bTB testing continues to be delivered by the veterinary practice that has the knowledge and relationship with the farmer. This knowledge will have been built up over many years of working closely together, developing a working relationship that allows the vet and farmer to have the detailed discussions required to ensure that the farmer is doing all that they can to keep TB out of the herd.”
Mr James concluded, “Veterinary Practices in Wales who will deliver services through the delivery partners have proved time and time again that they can deliver the level of testing required in Wales, having risen to the challenge of increased testing as a result of the huge rise in TB breakdowns seen in Wales over the past 15 years, in particular over the past few years in delivering TB Health Check Wales.”
The Deputy Minister said: “This is good news for Wales and particularly for those successful Welsh veterinary service providers which will form an important foundation stone for the TB Eradication Programme.”
Also welcoming the news, Christianne Glossop, Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales said, “The private vet has a detailed understanding of the wider health status of each herd under their care and is uniquely placed to apply this in support of our TB Eradication Programme. I would like to congratulate Iechyd Da and Menter a Busnes on their successful bids and look forward to working with them.”
Eirwen Williams, Director of Development, Menter a Busnes, said, “We will be working with Milfeddygon Gogledd Cymru (MGC) which includes 27 local vet practices in North Wales. Winning this contract will mean a continuation of service to farmers and secures many veterinary jobs within the local practices, which make an important contribution to the rural economy. Our aim is to provide an efficient, high quality service and we will be working in close partnership with APHA and the veterinary profession.”
David Thomas, Senior Official Veterinarian (SOV) for Iechyd Da said, “We are delighted that Iechyd Da, a consortium of 38 independent Welsh veterinary practices and Welsh Lamb & Beef Producers Ltd, a producer co-operative of around 8,000 Welsh livestock farmers, have been able to secure this contract. The contract award ensures that TB Testing in the area will be delivered by the farmers’ local vet practice, as all existing practices delivering TB testing in South Wales are a member of the Iechyd Da consortium.”
The contracts have been awarded for a three year period, with the option to extend up to a further two years.
Farmers and livestock keepers in Wales will continue to be responsible for ensuring that TB testing is completed on time but in future will need to contact their regional Delivery Partner to make these arrangements. Delivery Partners will then be responsible for allocating the actual testing activity through their network of practices, and for assuring the quality of the work performed.
In recognition of the important relationship between farmers or livestock keepers and their vets in preventing and controlling disease and for ensuring the health and welfare of animals, the new contracts require Delivery Partners to offer testing work to eligible veterinary businesses operating within their geographical regions.
Work that has already been assigned to Official Veterinarian (OV) practices under existing arrangements will be completed by those practices but from 1 April all new work will be undertaken by delivery partners.
