England Implementation Plan
Veterinary services
Vets are key to delivery of the Animal Health and Welfare Strategy (AHWS) for Great Britain 
(1.2 MB). In October 2003, the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee published a report on vets and veterinary services addressing concerns that there were insufficient large animal practitioners to meet future Government needs and to implement the AHWS. Part of the Government response was to introduce a high-level working group of Britain’s Chief Veterinary Officers and veterinary representatives to consider the EFRA Committee report (this was presented as a key “new initiative” of the AHWS).
At an EIG meeting in January 2007, the British Veterinary Association, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer (UK) agreed that the working group should be revitalised. Consequently, in July 2007, Professor Philip Lowe was appointed to chair a revised Vets and Vet Services Working Group, with a wide membership and Terms of Reference explicitly concerned with AHWS delivery.
The Working Group is meeting five times to discuss key themes in 2007-08 (the last meeting to be held in Summer 2008) after which Professor Lowe will report to the higher-level Vets and Vets Services Steering Group, which is the successor of the original high-level working group. The Steering Group met for the first time on 5 September 2007 (minutes are available through the Steering Group webpages).
See also
Page last modified: 5 September, 2008