United Kingdom-Vet in hot water over being practical.

UNITED KINGDOM-A vet found guilty of using untrained locum staff to test for TB in cattle has been suspended for a month.

Iwan Parry was found guilty of "disgraceful conduct" after he certified he had carried out the disease control procedures himself.

The vet, who denied the charges, works at a surgery in Dolgellau, Gwynedd.

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) said a longer suspension was not imposed because of implications for the local community.

The veterinary college had been told Parry had flouted government regulations on moving cattle, by allowing 43 animals to be assessed by untrained staff.

The vet, who qualified in Edinburgh in 1987, denied 32 charges that he had undertaken the tests when he had not.

Complaint

Parry, who has represented Wales on the Cattle Health and Welfare Council, said he "honestly believed" what he was doing was "entirely legitimate".

He admitted in retrospect he had made an error which he "deeply regretted".

An investigation began after the agency Animal Health received a complaint in February 2007 that a locum vet from Parry’s practice had used the wrong syringe during a test.

It was discovered that Parry had certified it was himself who had carried out the inspection and in his opinion "no animal showed clinical signs of tuberculosis".

It led to similar reviews of inspections at other farms.

Two female locums, who had not completed an obligatory one-day TB training course, had been doing the test.

Although all the animals later tested negative for TB, Nicole Curtis, for the RCVS, said: "There was a risk, therefore a potential impact on animal welfare, disease control, and national stock protection.

"It is not for the respondent to decide whether a particular person is able to undertake the tests," she added.

Finding the facts of the case proved, panel chairman Nigel Swayne said the committee was satisfied that when Parry signed the forms he knew the certificates were false.

’Well-respected’

But he said Parry had already been severely punished by the stress of the tribunal and damage to his reputation.

He said the panel was convinced there would be no repeat of such conduct, and Parry posed no further risk to animals or the wider public.

But Mr Swayne said dishonesty was viewed very seriously and amounted to "disgraceful conduct".

"Such a finding would ordinarily attract a long period of suspension, if not worse," he said.

"However, in the wholly exceptional circumstances of this particular case and, given the strength of the factors put forward in mitigation, the committee directs the registrar that Mr Parry’s registration be suspended for a period of one month."

He added that the panel decided against a harsher penalty because it would have had severe financial consequences for Parry and caused problems for the local community.

Among those who testified in support of Parry was Elfyn Llwyd MP, who described him as "extremely well-respected in his constituency and further afield".