A new opportunity at the Veterinary Medicines Directorate might be just right for you!
Interested? Find out more below, and apply by Wednesday 6th March 2024
A twelve-month project leadership role engaging with private laboratories.
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is part of the cross-government National Biosurveillance Network (NBN): a major initiative to pilot and improve surveillance for biological threats. A key focus of the NBN is facilitating the sharing of privately-held data with government, which we are piloting for data on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in animals.
AMR is a truly One Health issue, with resistant organisms able to transfer between animals and people, and resistance genes being transmissible between commensal and pathogenic bacteria. In the UK, we have well-established programmes of AMR surveillance in healthy food-producing animals at slaughter. However, the majority of testing for AMR in veterinary diagnostic submissions is performed by private veterinary laboratories and does not feed into governmental surveillance. This means our understanding of AMR in animals is limited, which affects our wider ability to assess AMR risks, and detect and respond to emerging threats.
What would you be doing in this job?
This exciting new role will assume overall responsibility for successful delivery of this pilot, leading on engagement with private laboratories and the wider veterinary sector. You will ensure collaborative, two-way communication to understand barriers and possible motivations within private laboratories for this kind of data-sharing, while building on existing relationships in other areas of animal health. You will liaise with experts at the VMD and APHA and external partners within the NBN to ensure effective join-up across animal health sectors. You will also interface with the AMR team at APHA, and the Surveillance Intelligence Unit (SIU), to enable collation, verification, and analysis of external AMR data. You will be supported by a project manager.
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £57,316, Veterinary Medicines Directorate contributes £15,475 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
To find out more, please follow the link to the job vacancy on Civil Service Jobs.
]]>We are delighted to launch the 2024 VMD extramural studies placement. We would like to invite veterinary students who are in their final two years of study to attend a one-week placement in July 2024, at our offices in Addlestone, Surrey.
The placement is an exciting opportunity to discover how veterinary medicines and vaccines are authorised. Students will also explore other important aspects of the our work and will learn about a range of veterinary career opportunities in government.
The placement will be run from 8 - 12 July 2024. The week will be structured with lectures and workshops. Some of the topics that will be covered include:
To apply please complete the ems@vmd.gov.uk.
and email toApplications will close on 1 March. All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by 8 March.
Please note, students will be responsible for their own accommodation and travel costs.
We look forward to receiving your applications.
]]>The Government Veterinary Services represents the community of vets working across government. We are at the London Vet Show so please stop by our stand (N70 in Hall S3) to learn more about what we do.
Led by the UK Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO), Christine Middlemiss, the Government Veterinary Service (GVS) provides professional consistency, collaboration and community for government vets. Working across government, in all countries of the UK, vets are integral in protecting the animals and people against disease threats, underpinning government policy by providing expert advice, undertaking valuable research, ensuring food safety and security and enabling UK trade.
The work of the GVS is delivered across a number of different departments and agencies.
Susan Paterson (RCVS President) kindly shares her views of the GVS from her attendance at the ‘Veterinary Public Health Association (VPHA) and Association of Government Veterinarians (AGV) Conference’.
Jane Clark, Director of Veterinary Services, Food Standards Agency (FSA), reflects on her ‘Career Story’ in the GVS.
See you at the GVS exhibit, London Vet Show, Stand N70 in Hall S3, or visit our website to find out more about working as a vet in government.
]]>Brucella canis, is an emerging issue for UK pets, owners, and the veterinary profession. The Chief Veterinary Officers (CVOs) for the UK, Scotland and Wales have issued recommended advice to veterinary surgeons on Brucella canis. The advice is advisory and voluntary, pending further evidence gathering and assessment to inform appropriate potential policy changes.
What is Brucella canis?
Canine brucellosis is an infectious disease of dogs that is caused mainly by the bacteria, Brucella canis. Historically the UK has been free of Brucella canis, but the UK is seeing an increasing numbers of cases. All UK cases have been in dogs that:
Infection in people
Brucella canis is a zoonotic pathogen and, while reported cases of the infection in people are rare, it is likely that some groups of people, such as children under the age of 5, elderly people, and those with compromised immune systems, may experience more severe symptoms if they become infected.
In humans, symptoms can include:
Those who deal with imported dogs of unknown provenance, or breeding dogs which may have contact with imported dogs, may be more at risk of exposure to Brucella canis.
The UK’s most recent assessment of the risks posed by Brucella canis, has been published by the Human Animal Infection and Risk Surveillance (HAIRS) group and is available at Human Animal Infections and Risk Surveillance group (HAIRS) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). The assessment confirms that although the risk to the wider population is very low, in cases where there is close contact with an infected dog, the likelihood of exposure and consequence increases.
Symptoms of Brucella canis in dogs
Infection in dogs may not result in obvious clinical signs or may cause a range of clinical signs of varying severity. These can include:
Disease due to infection of dogs with Brucella canis is not notifiable but detection of the presence of the pathogen was made reportable under amendments to the Zoonoses Order 1989 in 2021. This has allowed the UK to monitor the number of suspect cases to identify if there is evidence of a wider problem of ongoing transmission within the UK dog population. We are confident this is still mostly a problem associated with imported dogs used for breeding.
Diagnosing Brucella canis in dogs
It is recommended that veterinary surgeons take samples for testing when there are obvious and specific clinical signs that raise suspicion of canine brucellosis. This is particularly important for those dogs with a history of import or close association with imported dogs.
The UK’s National Reference Laboratory for Brucella canis is the APHA laboratory at Weybridge. For detection of Brucella canis infection, it is recommended that both serological tests Brucella canis SAT (TC1032) and Brucella canis iELISA (TC0116) are undertaken. If either test is positive, then the sample is considered serologically positive. If both tests are negative, then the sample is considered serologically negative. The diagnostic value of some other tests such as lateral flow tests has not yet been verified by the National Reference Laboratory (APHA Weybridge).
For more specific information on recommended testing, please see our frequently asked questions. This includes information on how to submit samples to the APHA laboratory for testing, including from abroad, as well as test costs and diagnostic specificity and sensitivity values.
Treatment for Brucella canis
Unfortunately, there is no consistently effective treatment protocol for canine brucellosis. The only way to completely eliminate the risk of transmission of canine brucellosis is by euthanasia of the infected animals. Where owners do not wish to carry out euthanasia, risk reduction steps are recommended to be undertaken for positive animals. These steps will mitigate the risk of spread to other animals, owners and veterinary personnel handling these animals.
To help improve the understanding of the disease amongst veterinary professionals, the
Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) have created a Summary Information Sheet Canine-Brucellosis-Summary.pdf (defra.gov.uk) covering further information, including the management of the infection. For public health guidance, visit our Brucella canis: information for the public and dog owners - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) page.
]]>Today marks the 8th annual One Health Day. As the world faces ever more complex and intertwined challenges affecting humans, animals, plants, and the environment, it’s important we take time to recognise the value of a One Health approach, focusing on the interconnections between these areas in order to deliver more effective, joined-up, solutions.
This blog is an opportunity for me to reflect on the UK’s One Health activity over the past year and look towards the future. First though, I want to thank all our partners - both domestic and abroad - for their continued collaboration as we tackle these challenges together.
2023 has seen great engagement with One Health. From the World Organisation of Animal Health (WOAH) General Session in Paris to the focus on One Health during G7 and G20 summits in Japan and India, there is wide international commitment to these principles. It was also great to meet some of my overseas counterparts in East and South-East Asia last month, sharing our experiences and approach to One Health issues. I was pleased to see how UK expertise is being sought after internationally.
Defra and its partners continue to strongly support Global Health initiatives and our abilities are being championed brilliantly across Government, domestically and overseas - including by our Minister for Biosecurity and Animal Welfare, Lord Benyon, who holds responsibility for One Health in Defra.
Highlights from the past year.
World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) General Session
I had the pleasure of co-hosting the reception at the British Ambassador’s residence in Paris, to promote international collaboration on ‘Avian Influenza - the One Health Perspective’ during the annual World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) General Session in May, bringing together scientists and experts in animal health and welfare. This represented a renewed focus from WOAH on the prominent challenge of Avian Influenza and provided a useful space to discuss disease control and eradication strategies such as vaccination. The event showcased the UK’s approach to Avian Influenza preparedness, including our science and laboratory capabilities, and highlighted the importance of continued international partnerships for this kind of global risk.
Lord Benyon representing the UK at the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)
Lord Benyon spoke at the One Health side event during July’s FAO conference in Rome. The Minister spoke about the UK’s commitment to One Health and the importance of this model for the developing world. He reflected on our FAO Reference Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Designation being renewed through to 2027, our support of the FAO’s work on Avian Influenza in West Africa, and the development of a One Food ‘Risk Tool’ and ‘Community of Practice’ with South Africa, to solve hazards across food sectors in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) and improve food security.
WHO International Pathogen Surveillance Network (IPSN)
I was pleased by the WHO’s launch of the IPSN, an ambitious new platform working to detect and respond to disease threats before they become epidemics or pandemics by optimising routine disease surveillance, for example through data sharing, practices and innovations to build a robust global health surveillance architecture, and our surveillance capacity.
As we see in the UK, for example through our Human Animal Infection Risk Surveillance (HAIRS) group, bringing together experts from a range of areas and sectors can help connect countries and regions, improving sample analysis and the use of data to improve decision-making for public and animal health.
Global Health Framework
It’s testament to all the work we do that Defra was central to the UK government’s new Global Health Framework (GHF) earlier this year. This initiative works to protect the health of people both at home and abroad, strengthen country health systems and advance UK leadership in science and technology - for example by bringing over 30 new products to market that include drugs, diagnostics, and vaccines.
The Framework recognises the interdependence of human, animal, plant, and environmental health, making it clear that we – both the UK and the international community – must work more effectively across boundaries and normalise One Health approaches. It recognises the important role that the animal and environment sector must play if we are to protect ourselves against current and future infectious diseases and curb the spread of AMR, as well as the health impacts of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.
Animal Health QUADs Alliance – international collaboration with like-minded countries
The QUADs alliance is a great forum to consolidate the UK’s One Health ambitions with likeminded countries, and I am very happy to continue working closely with our partners – New Zealand, Canada, the United States and Australia. April saw the reinvigoration of the QUADs One Health Working Group. It’s invaluable having peers and colleagues to share, challenge and learn with; we can have far greater impact together than apart.
Creating Effective Warnings for All
Looking at the news I am struck, as I’m sure many of you are too, by the number of disasters occurring around the world today. It’s only right that Defra plays its part, not only to help manage those affecting the UK, such as flooding, but also to support the international community with the unique challenges faced around the globe. We’re growing this capacity here at Defra through the International Natural Hazards Forward Look.
We have expertise that can help to better understand the causes, signs, and consequences of all kinds of disasters, working with those in meteorology, oceans, food, and health. In partnership with UK academia, we brought together leading specialists in a panel session at University College London’s ‘Creating Effective Warnings for All’ conference. This emphasised how different sectors all have a role in preparing for and responding to disasters, or instance, how animal health professionals can support livelihoods and food safety following extreme weather events, which have also been linked to the spread of Rift Valley Fever.
Dr Tasker’s discussion was of particular interest, bringing out the interconnection between climate change and animal health, he pointed to the cases of anthrax in Siberian reindeer herds because of spores being released from thawing permafrost. The risk of pathogens re-emerging as temperatures warm, and the link between climate change and emergence of zoonotic disease, is a real danger and one we must remain alert to.
Looking forward
I am delighted that COP28 will, for first time, have a dedicated Health Day promoting international collaboration to benefit the health of people, animals and the ecosystem. This highlights the increased adoption of One Health thinking and the importance of the link between climate change and human, animal and plant health.
Building on this momentum, and efforts to protect the world from the emergence of future pandemics, I look forward to the signing of the WHO Pandemic Accord in May 2024. It’s emphasis on prevention and surveillance, as well as the article on One Health, will bring out the critical role of animal health and multisector collaboration. The UK has been a great advocate for these elements and will continue to support the One Health language being embedded throughout the final Accord.
I anticipate continued progress on joint action against AMR. The UN General Assembly next September will be an opportunity for leaders around the world to come together and drive forward action to tackle the threat of ineffective medicines, both for our own health and that of the animals we rely on. We have strong expertise in this space across the Defra Group (especially at the Veterinary Medicines Directorate). I support the work of colleagues to ensure the - sometimes underrepresented - dynamics of animal, plant and environmental AMR can be brought to the spotlight among the international community.
I am confident that the focus on One Health will continue to strengthen over the next year. We must keep this momentum, break down siloes and learn from our different expertise and experiences, both in the UK and abroad. Only with this enduring spirit of collaboration can we hope to effectively anticipate, prepare for, and respond to the diverse threats that challenge our societies and the rapidly changing world we all share.
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As the United Kingdom’s Chief Veterinary Officer, I recently had the pleasure of representing the UK overseas and collaborating with our international partners, including fellow CVOs from across the G7 group of nations (pictured). On this trip I was joined by the Deputy CVO Jorge Martin-Almagro and Bhavisha Patel, Veterinary Trade Facilitation expert in Defra.
This important engagement makes a real difference to our international trade and influence. It strengthens our international relationships by further developing trust in UK’s high animal health and welfare standards, and our preparedness to respond to global animal and public health threats.
By positioning the UK as world-leader in animal health and welfare standards, we continue to progress market access and veterinary trade facilitation and promote a joined-up One Health approach in the G7 forum.
Group of Seven (G7) CVOs’ Forum
I met with representatives from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States of America, along with the European Commission, World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations(FAO) in Tokyo. We joined forces in our global fight against African Swine Fever (ASF), Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).
A deadly disease for pigs and wild boar, ASF has spread in mainland Europe and Asia. It is causing significant disruption to the meat trade. Avian influenza represents a significant global threat to poultry businesses, kept bird populations and native wild bird species. Antimicrobial resistance to treatments such as antibiotics continues to present significant risks to human health, as well as threatening animal health and welfare and food security.
Taking a One Health Approach
It was great to see our international partners recognising UK leadership on AMR, co-designing policies with industry and One Health. Other nations were keen to learn more about the UK approach and deepen partnership in these important areas.
The joined-up ‘One Health’ approach aims to sustainably balance and optimise the health of people, animals and ecosystems, recognising that these are all interdependent. As a major proponent of One Health, the UK is pleased to see the G7 countries supporting the strengthening of this integrated approach to enhance preparedness and response to cross-sector threats, including zoonotic diseases, agrifood system security and antimicrobial resistance.
Tackling the biggest threats
It was a good opportunity to understand the position of the other G7 countries on key issues, such as avian vaccination. We learned vaccination against HPAI may be used as an emergency or preventive measure in the EU following a risk assessment. Several EU countries are keen on exploring vaccination as a disease control tool to protect some parts of their national flocks, and France is beginning an avian vaccination programme in October 2023.
We reviewed current work to deliver HPAI vaccination and the science behind it, emphasising that vaccination in accordance to WOAH standards is a complementary resource. We jointly committed to continued evaluation, to ensure vaccination efforts protect both poultry and wild populations, as well as safeguarding public health and maintaining safe international trade.
We agreed that strengthening biosecurity, disease surveillance, contingency plans and capacity building is key in our fight against ASF. We also emphasized the critical importance of achieving these outcomes by raising awareness, knowledge, and co-operation about ASF among stakeholders, including farmers, hunters, veterinarians, importers, and border control officials.
On AMR, we reiterated the importance of disease prevention to reduce the use of antimicrobials. We restated our commitment to supporting vets and veterinary paraprofessionals as we join forces to ensure the responsible and prudent use of antimicrobials. We want to continue to see a shift from treatment to prevention. I shared with the group my experiences of lambing in the spring, and recalled conversations with farmers who recognised the fundamental importance of biosecurity and hygiene in the lambing shed.
Bilateral engagement in East and South-East Asia
In addition to the G7 activities, we met on a bilateral basis with Japan and Canada. We visited Taiwan to reconnect with CVOs from Taiwan and Phillipines, Dr Tu and Dr Limson, and with the Agriculture Vice Minister of Vietnam.
These face-to-face engagements presented a great opportunity to cement relationships built on trust and mutual understanding. In addition, we gained a lot from the technical information exchange on disease outbreak measures, diagnosis, official controls, One Health strategy and import requirements.
For example, we learned Vietnam’s approach to ASF vaccination, how Japanese fish auctions and wholesale markets are regulated by their government, and how critical the cold-chain storage is for UK pork products exported to the Philippines.
Achievements and next steps
I enjoyed the opportunity to share the UK’s journey towards reducing the domestic use of antibiotics in animals during the G7 summit. Other G7 countries appreciated UK’s openness and knowledge-sharing. This helped to achieve real value from G7 CVOs meeting together and reinforce a One Health approach to our shared fight against global issues like antimicrobial resistance.
I look forward to continuing to grow these collaborative, technical relationships, sharing expertise, and building trust in the UK’s approach. We have learned these forums really help to promote UK international influence, showcase our high standards and maintain and improve market access for British products.
Overall, these visits contributed towards growing international partnership, building successful relationships with other G7 countries and our international counterparts in Taiwan, Japan, Philippines and Vietnam. This international collaboration helps us to strengthen the joined-up global response needed to tackle the emergent threats affecting people and animals and ecosystems around the world.
]]>The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has long been proud of all of its vets and the vital work they do. The challenge has been that this work protecting public health, animal health & welfare and underpinning international trade often goes unnoticed by the public and frequently by the wider veterinary profession. Our colleagues in the clinical veterinary world hold the public imagination much more and yet, without undermining clinical practice, the profession also offers many other interesting opportunities and career paths.
Imagine then, our delight when Collin, who is the FSA Animal Welfare Veterinary Lead, not only won the RCVS Impact Award, but was nominated by BVA President Malcolm Morley. Collin has a lifetime of achievements which deserve nominations in their own right but the ‘catapult’ for this particular award is his vital work on welfare at slaughter, especially his work with the Halal meat industry. The ongoing impact of his work will positively affect millions of animals and knowing Collin, he will just shrug and continue making a difference in his own humble way.
Collin writes:
‘On the 24th April I received an Email from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and as many Vets would wondered what it was about. It was a letter from the RCVS President Melissa Donald saying:
I am delighted to inform you that you were recently nominated for the RCVS Impact Award, and that the Council of the RCVS, at its meeting on Thursday, 16 March 2023, unanimously agreed to bestow this award upon you.
At this time it was embargoed so apologies to the many people that I met between then and 28th April when the press release told all: www.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-views/news/rcvs-announces-its-2023-honours-and-awards-recipients/
The press release stated that:
His nominator was current BVA President Malcolm Morley MRCVS, who said: “As Chair of BVA's Welfare at Slaughter Working Group, Collin led the development of our position on welfare at slaughter and has been instrumental in developing relationships with Halal certification body representatives to further our mutual aims of good welfare from farm to fork.
“In collaboration with Dr Awal Fuseini, Collin has transformed the way in which the veterinary profession engages with key stakeholders in the Halal sector to create a better understanding of the requirements of Halal meat production, and has enabled the sharing and recognition of the evidence-base relating to welfare at slaughter. Through his careful negotiation and management of relationships he has been instrumental in fostering a mutual respect and trust between the profession and community leaders.”
I still find it an honour three months later and remain humbled that my Professional colleagues considered my work was worthy of an award and am proud to join the many previous recipients of this prestigious award.
I am very pleased that animal welfare at slaughter has been recognised in the award of this recognition.
The highlight of the award is the annual RCVS awards ceremony, this year was held on 7th July at 1 Great George St, London. I was fortunate that my wife and two daughters were able to join me for the day and we enjoyed a day in London at a fantastic venue to receive the award. I am not sure if my wife and daughters found the RCVS awards more exciting, or the fact that they saw the trooping of the colour whilst the AGM was being held.
We travelled back home to S Wales with lots of photos and videos and memories of a fantastic day out that will stay with us for ever.’
I had the pleasure of joining Collin’s family at RCVS Day to watch Collin receive his award in person and representing those of us who have chosen a different veterinary career pathway and have no hesitation in pushing Collin into the limelight to let him know how proud we all are of him.
]]>Today I want to reflect on the Muscat Manifesto and how it showcases international commitments to accelerate One Health Actions on antimicrobial resistance.
It was presented at the Third High-Level Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) hosted by the Sultanate of Oman, with the UK delegation being led by the UK Special Envoy for AMR, Dame Sally Davies and supported by officials from Defra and DHSC.
Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is one of the most pressing issues of our time and has far reaching consequences for global health, food and environmental security and sustainability. New data estimates that over a million human deaths worldwide were directly attributable to antibiotic resistance in 2019.
The UK has made great strides nationally in raising awareness of AMR and inspiring action to tackle this accelerating pandemic. I want to encourage that, alongside my counterparts in human, animal, plant, and environmental health, this continues not just here, but worldwide.
The Muscat Manifesto declaration commits countries to a comprehensive set of ambitions targeted at tackling AMR, with One Health at its centre. A few examples of the commitments included in the manifesto are:
The manifesto commitments complement the UK’s objectives in our UK National AMR Action Plan as well as the ambitions in our 20 -Year Vision for AMR, and I am proud to say the UK, alongside 46 other countries across the globe, have endorsed the Manifesto. This will help inform conversations in political leadership and action on AMR in the upcoming UN General Assembly AMR High Level Meeting (UNGA HLM) in 2024.
How the UK is supporting the Manifesto
The UK has already succeeded in achieving many of the commitments in the Manifesto and will take forward its ambition as we develop our new National Action Plan on AMR. We also recognise the Muscat Manifesto as a tool to galvanise action on AMR on a global scale. We will therefore look to it as we plan new international activity on AMR.
We are currently developing the next five-year National Action Plan (2024-2029), which will build on our successes to date as well as incorporate the experience the UK has gained in recent years, including the lessons learnt from the Covid-19 pandemic. We want to ensure the UK is in a good position to deal with the complexities of AMR using a One Health approach. One of the targets in the Muscat Manifesto is to reduce the total amount of antimicrobials in the agri-food system by 30-50% by 2030. This aspirational target will drive the global ambition and commitment towards responsible use of antimicrobials in the agri-food sector.
The UK has already achieved a 55% reduction in antibiotic use in animals since 2014 using a voluntary and collaborative approach between government, the agriculture industry, and the veterinary profession. The use of any antibiotic as growth promoters has been banned in the UK since 2006, and it is our intention to continue to reduce the unnecessary use of antibiotics in UK livestock while safeguarding animal health.
To support global efforts to reduce the use of antimicrobials in the agri-food sector, the UK is championing the FAO’s RENOFARM (Reduce the Need for Antimicrobials on Farms) initiative. This 10-year global initiative aims to support countries to achieve a global reduction in antimicrobial use on farms , no matter where they are on their journey to responsible antimicrobial use in agriculture. Having achieved this on a national level the UK will continue to be a supportive global partner for other countries on their own journey to responsible and prudent use of antimicrobials in animals.
I am proud to say that the UK has played a role in supporting another global initiative, the Quadripartite AMR Multi-stakeholder Partnership Platform (AMR-PP) which was presented at the Oman Conference. This Platform will support stakeholders across the One Health family to collaborate and find solutions to translate global initiatives into local action. The AMR-PP and RENOFARM will be vital tools in supporting countries to work towards tackling AMR and fulfil the ambitions of the Muscat Manifesto.
In March, the first congress of the FAO AMR Reference Centres was co-hosted with FAO by the agencies of the UK FAO Reference Centre for AMR at the APHA Weybridge, covering FAO and Quadripartite AMR initiatives. Some of the highlights of the congress have been expanded in this article.
These are just some of the international activities we have been involved with alongside many others, including multilateral forums such as the G7 and G20, Codex Alimentarius and the Transatlantic Task Force on AMR.
Alongside global Heads of State, politicians, scientific experts, and cross-sector representatives, Dame Sally Davies represents the UK on the AMR Global Leaders Group. The Global Leaders Group on AMR consists of world leaders and experts working together to raise public and political awareness of AMR, and they will be working across the UN system to contribute to an ambitious High-Level Meeting on AMR at the UN General Assembly in New York next year. The UK looks forward to supporting the Global Leaders Group and UN system on this.
I’m excited to see The Muscat Manifesto is being endorsed by so many countries and huge thanks to Oman for their leadership in hosting the conference, which brought many countries together as we look towards the UNGA High Level Meeting on AMR. This manifesto signposts a long-term commitment to keep AMR at the centre of One Health agendas, encouraging and empowering governments and stakeholders to make real change and improve health outcomes for all. We very much look forward to building on the momentum of this work for the UNGA High Level Meeting on AMR in 2024.
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The programme would provide a structured pathway for qualified vets at all stages of their careers, including those thinking about returning to the profession. Along with a salary, participants would receive training, experience and gain new qualifications within animal health, animal welfare and veterinary public health, including One Health; whilst working across a range of different government departments, agencies and partners.
On completion of the pathway, participants would have developed a wealth of transferrable skills and be well positioned to progress their careers within government, in non-governmental veterinary public health roles, or in private practice.
Our government vets have a real impact on the lives of people and animals across the country as veterinary inspectors addressing disease risks in animal by-products, artificial breeding and international trade; field operations vets working in abattoirs to make sure meat is produced safely and in line with animal health and welfare; government veterinary advisors who provide expert advice on issues from avian influenza to border controls; veterinary researchers, who collaborate on global research on animal diseases, new diagnostic techniques and vaccines; and much more.
Please help us to shape the programme with your ideas by completing this short survey. It should take no longer than 5-minutes to complete. Government Veterinary Services Career Programme Survey. The survey will stay open until 14 April 2023.
For further information about the programme or veterinary careers in government, please email GVS@defra.gov.uk
]]>On International Women's Day, Jane Clark, Food Standards Agency (FSA) Director of Veterinary Services, shares her journey to the top of her profession and how the fight for equity continues.
Let me introduce myself: I am a farmer’s daughter, from Yorkshire, and the granddaughter of a butcher – that was my grandmother in a real example of women breaking down cultural barriers. I am now the Director of Veterinary Services in the FSA. I live with my “feline supervisor”, Willow, in Cardiff – a little more from her later.
It, therefore, seemed obvious that I could achieve my childhood ambition to be a vet. I was good at exams and science, and I had all the family connections to spend time working with vets and animals in my childhood. Now that is not to say it was “easy”, because getting a place at vet school is highly competitive, but I know that I was lucky to have so many of these unearned advantages.
That is also why I am so delighted to be asked to write this blog for International Women’s Day and why I fully #EmbraceEquity. I also confess to not feeling as eloquent and engaging in my writing as previous authors (who I suspect may have degrees in the arts or humanities?) but I will try to counter that lack of confidence with a scientific approach and a talented proofreading and editing team!
So what is Equity?
The first thing I did was to look at my trusty Griffin Savers dictionary (that really tells you my age because it was my first bank account with the Midland Bank, now HSBC) and that says: “equity (ek-wi-ti) n. fairness, impartiality.”
Great! A really concise and clear way of defining a word but what does it mean in action for society?
I also took the opportunity to follow up by reading the article “Equality versus Equity: What's the difference as we #EmbraceEquity for IWD 2023 and beyond?” on the International Women’s Day website. This explained the linguistic and legal roots and differences between equality and equity and also defined equality and equity in a social context:
“Equality means each individual or group of people is given the same resources or opportunities.”
“Equity recognizes that each person has different circumstances, and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome.”
Equity means providing different resources to different people to achieve those fair outcomes. This also reminds me of the advantages I had in pursuing my vocation and that this goes well beyond just getting a place in vet school…
So why am I, a vet, writing about #EmbraceEquity?
It might not surprise you to know that we are not a very diverse profession, but did you know that 2019 data shows that 58% of vets in the UK are women?
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons’ demographic data also shows that well over half of our profession attended private or independent schools which also suggests we have a long way to go to achieve equity in our profession.
Now, even more women are joining our profession as new graduates so you would think we had the equity thing all sorted, wouldn’t you?
Well, I am afraid not – in 2018 the British Veterinary Association and the University of Exeter collaborated on a research project that looked at how two vets (Mark and Elizabeth), with identical jobs and performance reviews, were treated in terms of their pay. Many of the managers rated “Mark” as more competent and said they would pay him a higher salary which would have resulted in an average 8% gender pay gap. Sadly, one of the key drivers in this difference was whether the managers thought bias still existed in the profession, and it was the managers who recognised that it did, who recommended roughly equal pay for “Elizabeth”.
So can we make a difference?
Yes! And, as the study above shows, it is vital to keep talking about these challenges to raise awareness and deliver equity in practice.
I have now worked as a vet for almost 30 years (shush! don’t tell anyone) and have been fortunate to have an interesting and varied veterinary career. This started with a postgraduate project in Oman, before working in general practice in the UK, New Zealand and Hong Kong, and studying veterinary acupuncture before working as a Temporary Veterinary Inspector for the then State Veterinary Service (SVS) during the 2001 foot and mouth disease outbreak.
This was an important career moment for me because I saw the important role that vets play in government and that the Civil Service is an employer that really works hard to challenge bias.
Since then, I have worked in Defra and the Animal and Plant Health Agency in the operations, policy, veterinary and science directorates. This has included working as:
Here, I have benefitted from our “OWOW” (Our Ways of Working) offer that has been deservedly recognised outside the civil service, winning a workingmums.co.uk’s Top Employer Award for Innovation in Flexible Working in 2020. For me, this meant I could work from Cardiff rather than having to move to London for my new role.
And something must be going right – I am so proud to be part of our amazing Government Veterinary Services profession. I’m also proud that until recently, three of our four Chief Veterinary Officers in the United Kingdom were women.
So, I believe that an important part of my role now is to supply some of the “books to stand on” so that we can all achieve our potential, regardless of our gender or background. In delivering this, I am also privileged to be the current president of the European Association of State Veterinary Officers and work with amazing veterinary colleagues from all over Europe.
I’ll also cheekily take this opportunity to share the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe – United in Diversity campaign - watch out for my and Willow’s video on “Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness” which will be released in a few weeks’ time.
Tegwch, cydraddoldeb a gwasanaethau milfeddygol ar Ddiwrnod Rhyngwladol y Menywod
Gadewch i mi gyflwyno fy hun: Merch fferm ydw i, o Swydd Efrog, ac wyres i gigyddes. Roedd fy nain yn enghraifft go iawn o ferched yn chwalu rhwystrau diwylliannol. Fi bellach yw Cyfarwyddwr Gwasanaethau Milfeddygol yr Asiantaeth Safonau Bwyd (ASB). Rwy'n byw gyda fy nghath, Willow, yng Nghaerdydd – cewch glywed ychydig yn fwy ganddi nes ymlaen.
Nid oes syndod felly mai fy uchelgais pan oeddwn i’n blentyn oedd bod yn filfeddyg, ac ymddengys yn amlwg i mi y gallwn gyflawni’r uchelgais honno. Roeddwn i’n un da am arholiadau a gwyddoniaeth, ac roedd gennyf ddigon o gysylltiadau teuluol i allu treulio amser yn gweithio gyda milfeddygon ac anifeiliaid drwy gydol fy mhlentyndod. Nawr, nid yw hynny'n golygu y bu’n “hawdd” i mi, oherwydd bod ennill lle i astudio milfeddygaeth yn y brifysgol yn hynod gystadleuol. Serch hyn, rwy’n gwybod fy mod i’n ffodus i gael y pethau hyn o’m plaid.
Dyna pam roeddwn mor falch o gael fy ngofyn i ysgrifennu'r blog hwn ar gyfer Diwrnod Rhyngwladol y Menywod a pham rydw i'n #CofleidioTegwch yn frwd. Rwy’n cyfaddef nad wyf yn teimlo fy mod yn ysgrifennu mor huawdl a gafaelgar ag awduron blaenorol (mae’n rhaid bod ganddynt raddau yn y celfyddydau neu’r dyniaethau?). Ond fe wnaf geisio wneud yn iawn am y diffyg hyder drwy fy agwedd wyddonol a thrwy fanteisio’n llawn ar ddoniau’r tîm golygu a phrawfddarllen!
Felly beth yw Tegwch?
Y peth cyntaf a wnes i oedd edrych ar fy hen ffrind, geiriadur Griffin Savers (dwi wir yn datgelu fy oedran nawr, oherwydd ces i hwn drwy fy nghyfrif banc cyntaf gyda Midland Bank, neu HSBC erbyn hyn) ac mae hynny'n dweud: “equity (ek-wi-ti) n. fairness, impartiality.”
Gwych! Ffordd wirioneddol gryno a chlir o ddiffinio gair, ond beth mae’n ei olygu’n ymarferol i gymdeithas?
Yn ogystal, darllenais yr erthygl “Equality versus Equity: What's the difference as we #EmbraceEquity for IWD 2023 and beyond?” ar wefan Diwrnod Rhyngwladol y Menywod. Roedd yn egluro’r gwreiddiau ieithyddol a chyfreithiol a’r gwahaniaethau rhwng cydraddoldeb a thegwch. Roedd hefyd yn diffinio cydraddoldeb a thegwch mewn cyd-destun cymdeithasol:
“Equality means each individual or group of people is given the same resources or opportunities.”
“Equity recognizes that each person has different circumstances, and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome.”
Mae tegwch yn golygu darparu gwahanol adnoddau i wahanol bobl er mwyn iddynt allu cyflawni'r canlyniadau teg hynny. Mae hyn hefyd yn fy atgoffa o’r manteision oedd gen i wrth ddilyn fy ngalwedigaeth, a bod hyn yn mynd ymhell y tu hwnt i gael lle i astudio milfeddygaeth yn y brifysgol…
Felly pam ydw i, milfeddyg, yn ysgrifennu am #CofleidioTegwch?
Efallai na fydd yn syndod i chi wybod nad ydym yn broffesiwn amrywiol iawn, ond oeddech chi’n gwybod bod data 2019 yn dangos bod 58% o’r milfeddygon yn y DU yn fenywod?
Mae data demograffig Coleg Brenhinol y Milfeddygon hefyd yn dangos bod ymhell dros hanner ein proffesiwn wedi mynd i ysgolion preifat neu annibynnol. Mae hyn yn dangos bod gennym lawer o le i wella o ran sicrhau tegwch yn ein proffesiwn.
Erbyn hyn, mae hyd yn oed mwy o fenywod yn ymuno â'n proffesiwn fel graddedigion newydd, felly byddai’n hawdd credu nad oes unrhyw broblemau o ran tegwch.
Ond, mae gen i ofn - dyw hynny ddim yn wir. Yn 2018 cydweithiodd Cymdeithas Milfeddygon Prydain a Phrifysgol Caerwysg ar brosiect ymchwil a edrychodd ar sut roedd dau filfeddyg (Mark ac Elizabeth), oedd yn gwneud yr un swydd ac oedd ag adolygiadau perfformiad union yr un fath, yn cael eu trin o ran eu cyflog. Dywedodd llawer o’r rheolwyr fod “Mark” yn fwy cymwys, ac y byddent yn talu cyflog uwch iddo. Byddai hyn wedi arwain at fwlch cyflog rhwng y rhywiau o 8% ar gyfartaledd. Yn anffodus, un o’r prif ffactorau yn y gwahaniaeth hwn oedd p’un a oedd y rheolwyr o’r farn bod rhagfarn yn dal i fodoli yn y proffesiwn. Roedd y rheolwyr a oedd yn cydnabod bod rhagfarn yn parhau i fodoli yn argymell rhoi cyflog cyfartal ar y cyfan, i “Elizabeth”.
A allwn ni wneud gwahaniaeth?
Gallwn! Fel y dengys yr astudiaeth uchod, mae'n hanfodol ein bod yn parhau i siarad am yr heriau hyn er mwyn codi ymwybyddiaeth a sicrhau tegwch yn ymarferol.
Rwyf wedi bod yn filfeddyg ers bron i 30 mlynedd (shhhh! Peidiwch â dweud wrth neb) ac wedi bod yn ffodus i gael gyrfa ddiddorol ac amrywiol yn y maes. Dechreuodd hyn gyda phrosiect ôl-raddedig yn Oman, cyn gweithio ym maes practis cyffredinol yn y DU, Seland Newydd a Hong Kong, ac astudio aciwbigo milfeddygol cyn gweithio fel Arolygydd Milfeddygol Dros Dro ar gyfer y Gwasanaeth Milfeddygol Gwladol (SVS) fel yr oedd ar y pryd, yn ystod y brigiad o glwy’r traed a’r genau yn ystod 2001.
Roedd hon yn foment bwysig yn fy ngyrfa i, oherwydd gwelais y rôl bwysig y mae milfeddygon yn ei chwarae yn y llywodraeth. Gwelais hefyd fod y Gwasanaeth Sifil yn gyflogwr sy'n gweithio'n galed iawn i herio rhagfarn.
Ers hynny, rwyf wedi gweithio yn Defra a'r Asiantaeth Iechyd Anifeiliaid a Phlanhigion yn y cyfarwyddiaethau gweithrediadau, polisi, milfeddygol a gwyddoniaeth. Mae hyn wedi cynnwys gweithio fel Pennaeth Cysylltiadau’r UE ar gyfer Iechyd a Lles Anifeiliaid yn Defra rhwng 2012 a 2015; fel yr Arweinydd Milfeddygol ar gyfer firoleg adar yn Labordy Cyfeirio Cenedlaethol y DU yn APHA, Weybridge; ac fel un o Arweinwyr Milfeddygol APHA yng Nghymru cyn dod i’r ASB yn 2018. Yma, rwyf wedi elwa ar ein trefniadau ‘Ein Ffyrdd o Weithio’ (OWOW) sydd yn cael eu cydnabod hyd yn oed y tu allan i’r gwasanaeth sifil, gan ennill Gwobr Cyflogwr Gorau workingmums.co.uk am Arloesedd o ran Gweithio Hyblyg yn 2020. I mi, roedd hyn yn golygu y gallwn weithio o Gaerdydd yn hytrach na gorfod symud i Lundain ar gyfer fy rôl newydd.
Ac mae’n rhaid bod rhywbeth yn mynd yn iawn – rydw i mor falch o gael bod yn rhan o broffesiwn anhygoel Gwasanaethau Milfeddygol y Llywodraeth. Rwyf hefyd yn falch bod 3 o'n 4 Prif Swyddog Milfeddygol yn y Deyrnas Unedig yn fenywod, tan yn ddiweddar.
Felly, rwy’n credu mai rhan bwysig o fy rôl i nawr yw helpu i baratoi’r ffordd, fel y gallwn oll gyflawni ein potensial, waeth beth fo’n rhyw neu’n gefndir. Wrth wneud hyn, mae’n fraint i mi hefyd nodi mai fi yw llywydd presennol Cymdeithas Ewropeaidd Swyddogion Milfeddygol Gwladol lle rwy’n cael gweithio gyda chydweithwyr milfeddygol anhygoel o bob rhan o Ewrop.
Rwyf hefyd yn mynd i achub yn ddigywilydd ar y cyfle hwn i rannu ymgyrch Unedig mewn Amrywiaeth, Ffederasiwn Milfeddygon Ewrop - cadwch lygad am y fideo gen i a Willow ar “Amrywiaeth, Tegwch a Chynhwysiant” a fydd yn cael ei ryddhau ymhen rhai wythnosau.
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