New Chairman for AMTRA
The Animal Medicines Training Regulatory Authority (AMTRA) has announced the election of Bob Stevenson as its new Chairman, following the retirement of Professor Phil Thomas who served in the role for nine years.
Bob Stevenson is a veterinary surgeon of long-standing. Following his graduation from Glasgow Veterinary School in 1966 he has worked in general practice in the West Country and in Wales and remains a consultant with his present practice. In previous years he has been a veterinary adviser to the pharmaceutical company Parke Davis Veterinary.
Bob has held a number of posts in both the veterinary and agricultural fields and was elected President of the British Veterinary Association in 1996. During his career he has acted as external examiner for Liverpool University Veterinary School as well as being an examiner in the Certificate for Pig Medicine on behalf of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. More recently he has served on the UK Medicines Commission.
In the agricultural field, Bob has lectured at agricultural colleges over many years and remains consultant to the British Pig Association as well as a Technical Verifier for NPTC/City & Guilds. His involvement with AMTRA commenced when appointed to the AMTRA board in the year 2000. He has acted as AMTRA assessor for the examinations for Authorised Manufacturers' Representatives as well as for the more recent SQP (Suitably Qualified Persons) exams as part of the new Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2005.
At the recent AMTRA Scottish Dinner held in honour of outgoing Chairman, Phil Thomas, in Edinburgh, Bob paid tribute to the former chairman's work. "Phil has guided AMTRA through a period of fundamental change, brought in by the introduction of the Veterinary Medicines Regulations, and consistently displayed his talent for strong leadership."
Bob says that in taking up the role he is committed to carrying on the good work of his predecessor. He comments, "We want to ensure that SQPs continue their development and reap the benefits of being part of a genuine professional cadre of people. With these increased benefits and opportunities also come additional responsibilities and we want SQPs to understand and adapt their role within animal health planning and alongside both veterinary surgeons and other advisers in the sector."
Important elements implicit within this commitment are the continual updating and upgrading of the training manuals, combined with best access for SQPs, and the steady incorporation of Continuous Professional Development (CPD). "One of our immediate aims is to make the necessary training information, in the form of the manuals, available on-line."
Bob continues, "During my tenure I would like to promote, with the employers, the tangible benefits to SQPs of keeping up to date within their sphere of work and as part of life time learning. I would want to illustrate that CPD is anything but a daunting prospect but rather part and parcel of a job well done in their role as prescribers and suppliers of animal medicines."
AMTRA's new chairman is optimistic about the positive role that the "new breed"
of SQPs can play in the animal health arena. "With inevitable changes in the way we husband animals there is opportunity here for both SQPs and veterinary surgeons to work together in improving the health and welfare of huge numbers of both food producing and domesticated pet animals. It would seem so patently sensible to prevent disease and, more than that, to positively lay out a plan for health instead of tackling disease. The benefits over cost are clear and demonstrable."
