BVA Applauds Secretary of State’s Commitment to Frontline Vets
UK - Britain’s leading veterinary association has applauded the Secretary of State’s comments in her speech to the Oxford Farming Conference that “the number of frontline vets must be protected”.
13 January 2015
2 minute read
The British Veterinary Association (BVA) at the same time urged that the resources are made available to ensure that the UK’s veterinary surveillance systems and its animal health and welfare services remain robust.
BVA President John Blackwell said: “The British Veterinary Association is pleased that the Secretary of State Elizabeth Truss in her speech in Oxford today has emphasised the critical role vets have in the agricultural economy of the UK and stated her commitment to frontline vets. When BVA met recently with Elizabeth Truss, her commitment to the role of the veterinary surgeon was also clear.
“We do, however, urge that this commitment is backed by adequate resource to ensure that vets critical work in animal disease prevention, detection and monitoring is in no way undermined and that surveillance systems remain fit-for-purpose following laboratory closures in 2014.
"BVA is committed to working with the government to ensure that Britain retains its world-class veterinary and agriculture sectors, a partnership in which the relationship between local vets on the ground, in the frontline of disease prevention, and farmers is paramount.
"A critical example here is TB testing in cattle, where the role of local vets goes far beyond perfunctory testing and delivers a comprehensive approach to farmers and their herds in disease prevention and detection.
"As vets throughout the UK wait to hear the detail of how they will engage with Delivery Partners, recently awarded contracts for TB testing, BVA hopes that the critical role of local vets on the frontline will continue sustainably.”
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