VetNI

Veterinary Northern Ireland

African Swine Fever (ASF)

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DAERA is currently running a UK-wide campaign to raise awareness of the risks of African Swine Fever (ASF) to pigs. Its important that they reach all pig keepers with their messages. Commercial pig keepers are aware of the risks of ASF but the level of awareness amongst small holders/pet pig keepers may not be so high.

DAERA is gather more information which will better inform them on how to support these sectors. They have created a survey which specifically targets small scale pig keepers.  Please share this with your full veterinary team and ask them to share the survey with small scale pig holders/pet pig owners.

The survey can be found here and more information is available on the Defra website at the following link Small scale pig keepers ASF survey

DAERA is grateful for your ongoing support with proactive messaging regarding vigilance, early reporting of suspected disease and importance of maintaining biosecurity. Anything we can do to improve our communications will help in keeping this devastating disease out of NI.

AVSPNI Autumn 2020 CPD Programme

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It may not surprise you but it is nevertheless with sadness that the AVSPNI Council have taken the difficult decision to cancel the Autumn Conference. This was scheduled to take place at the beginning of October at the Roe Park Resort, Limavady. Plans for a humdinger of a conference in both Spring and Autumn 2021 are already well underway and AVSPNI is also pulling together a programme of 12+ excellent webinars to see members through to the end of the year. These will all be free of charge for AVSPNI members.

We still hope that the Joint Autumn meeting held with NIVA can be delivered as a face to face event but of course, we have a Plan B up our sleeve for that too.

Amongst all the other adjustments that you have had to make this year, CPD may have slipped down your priority list! If you want to top up your CPD record before Christmas, keep an eye on the VetNI Events page for details of forthcoming webinars which will be added in the next couple of weeks.

Red Tractor pioneers streamed audits to safeguard UK farming chain

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Red Tractor is preparing to roll-out live streamed farm audits to enable new applicants to be assessed and current members to retain their status throughout the coronavirus pandemic. For full info from Red Tractor please open the link below:

Click her for information on Red Tractor Remote Assessments

For more information on Red Tractor’s advice for members during the Covid-19 pandemic, please go to https://assurance.redtractor.org.uk/covid-19-hub

Contagious Equine Metritis

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A case of contagious equine metritis (CEM) in a non-thoroughbred stallion has been confirmed on a premises in Fife, Scotland, Friday 3 April 2020. The affected horse was imported in November 2019 from Europe and has had no clinical signs of infection.

The diagnosis was made during routine pre-breeding testing, as per the International HBLB Codes of Practice, with positive PCR results. The affected stallion has been isolated and is undergoing treatment. Freedom from disease will be confirmed in line with the International HBLB Codes of Practice requirements and breeding will not commence on this premises until freedom from infection is confirmed.

International trade does not require country freedom, only individual or premises freedom. There are no other stallions on the premises. There is one mare at a separate premises with epidemiological links to the positive case, and this mare has been isolated and is also undergoing treatment.

The outbreak will be subject to further investigations, including tracings to determine if there are any epidemiological links to Northern Ireland. Further information on CEM is available at https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/contagious-equine-metritis

Cafre – European Innovation Partnerships (EIP)

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Cafre have launched a new scheme called European Innovation Partnerships designed to help farmers work collaboratively with experts to address the practical issues or opportunities they are facing on their farms.
This scheme is offering 100% funding in two stages (£5,000 and up to £120,000). Projects will not commence until the Autumn, provided the current Covid-19 situation has passed.
For further information, please visit the CAFRE website: CAFRE Invites Applications for New European Innovation Partnership Scheme, which includes links to further information on the scheme and how to apply.
NB. Closing Date for Stage 1 applications will close at 4pm on Monday 27 April

Covid-19 – useful links for NI vets

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VetNI is proud to be associated with NI vets – we see how hard you are all working to respond to a rapidly changing situation and use your training to providing veterinary services at the highest standards possible and in complete compliance with government and RCVS guidance. Information is coming through and changing at an astonishing rate.

USEFUL LINKS – We have collated a list of links which may be of use to you:

BVA guide to assessing emergency and urgent work

BVA Guidance for the vet profession

Government Business Support

BCVA Guidance for farm vets

RCVS Covid-19 Guidance

SPVS Reduced working and closures guidance

Our thanks to all these bodies for access to this material.

LOAN OF VET EQUIPMENT – Many of you have already volunteered spare medical grade which can be called into service by our Health Trusts in the most extreme circumstances. THANK YOU!

If you have any of the following to offer, please do so via the submission form that can be found HERE Please also drop David.Torrens@daera-ni.gov.uk a line, sending him a screen shot of your completed submission or just letting him know what additional equipment you have offered and where you are based. 

Equipment wanted on loan:

  • ventilators
  • anaesthetic machines
  • anaesthetic monitors
  • oxygen concentrators
  • syringe drivers or drip pumps

Equipment that you would be prepared to donate:

  • PPE

URGENT APPEAL FOR RETURN OF OXYGEN CYLINDERS – BOC medical oxygen cylinders are needed during the Covid-19 pandemic in order to utilise these in hospitals. If you have empty cylinders in your practice, please return them a.s.a.p. to BOC following the protocol outlined below:

  • Email your collection requests to: inboundsales.admin@boc.com
  • Include your BOC account number
  • If you don’t know your account number then please state as much information as possible including Name of practice, Full address, Post code, Contact name, Contact telephone number (Mobile number if practice closed)
  • Agree a day to meet driver or have cylinders left out on day of collection.  They must be accessible to the driver on the agreed day.

GUIDANCE FOR FARMERS– NIVA and AVSPNI have issued guidance to farmers via farming bodies which can be accessed HERE.

Meet the 2020 AVSPNI President

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Cathal Carr has been in Veterinary practice in Coleraine since 1996.  Originally from Dublin, he graduated with a Physiology degree from Trinity College Dublin before going on to The Royal ‘Dick’ Veterinary College in Edinburgh. After a short time in mixed practice in Dromore Co. Down Cathal moved to mixed practice in Coleraine. After seven years, Cathal and his wife Anne Marie and took the opportunity to purchase a small animal practice.  They now concentrate mainly on Small Animal and Equine first opinion practice while still doing some TB testing.  Cathal has an interest in all types of veterinary and has been particularly involved in veterinary business having been on the board of SPVS (Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons) from 2014 to 2020.

When Cathal gets away from running a busy practice he is involved in his local rugby club and enjoys playing golf badly.

Farmers’ survey – please share!

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Northern Ireland Environment Link (NIEL) is the networking and forum body for organisations interested in the natural and built environment of Northern Ireland. NIEL have secured funding to run a survey to explore farmers’ opinions on current and future agriculture policy. They want to hear from a wide range of farmers in order to assess views on the current state of farming, problems faced and farmers’ opinions on possible future changes to agricultural policy in Northern Ireland. This survey should take no more than 15 minutes to complete so please encourage your farming clients to take part
The survey can be found HERE.

Vet Nursing Training in NI & an associated job vacancy

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Paul Crawford attended a meeting at Greenmount last week about ongoing nurse training post. He reports that CAFRE are in advanced talks with an alternate course provider to continue the delivery of VN training at Greenmount. It is their expectation that training will continue and they are actively enrolling students to start studies in Sept 2020 with the new course being delivered over two calendar years with teaching over the summer holiday period (mainly online) of both year one and two with the aim of sitting OSCEs in the September two years after enrolment. This means that qualification may take two years and three months from September enrolment. The NPL will be replaced with the course provider’s own platform which in addition to tracking the clinical progress of the student will have information about their academic progress. The progress log section will be less prescriptive than the NPL but this will mean that more active input from the clinical coach may be required to direct the learner. It will be possible to upload a greater range of evidence simply in the new platform to demonstrate competency. The course structure is very different. There is no dedicated anatomy and physiology module for example – these elements are integrated into ‘system specific’ modules. This should improve student engagement and satisfaction especially in the early months of the course.

With regard to current vet nursing students completing C&G, there is no provision for approval of prior learning to transfer credits from the C&G course to any new course. The completion date of August 2023 should give all current students adequate time to complete unless they take an extended period away from the course. All legacy students have been spoken to and advised what they need to do to complete the remaining elements of their particular course and given time milestones to achieve everything before the C&G course ends.

ANA course – this was due to be switched to a new provider in Sept 2020 but this change may be postponed for a year to avoid re-writing two courses in one session.

As part of the drive to keep nursing training running smoothly, DAERA are seeking someone to fill temporary position.  The advert can be found on NIjobfinder HERE.
Please share this job with any interested people. The advert is suitably wide ranging in the scope of who they might accept and all the teaching and assessment tools are prepared and sitting ready to deliver. Part time and job share considered. NOTE imminent closing date!

AVSPNI Spring Conference – open for registrations!

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Behaviour, GI medicine, endocrinology, orthopaedic surgery, wildlife, wounds and suturing and more . . . AVSPNI Spring Conference programme can be accessed HERE. Pull up a chair, pour yourself a coffee and take 5 minutes to browse through it – we think you’ll find something of interest! On-line registration can be accessed HERE.  Things to note:
  • No price increase for AVSPNI members since this event started!
  • Discounted lecture prices for vets who graduated in or since 2014
  • Recent grads who book 2 days’ lectures and are also AVSPNI members get a Party Ticket thrown in too
  • Special rates for VI members (VCI points applied for)
  • Discounted rates for BVNA members or nursing staff from an AVSPNI practice but . . .
  • The very best rates for nurses are for those who are BVNA members AND from an AVSPNI practice.