England Implementation Plan
A 10-year UK Veterinary Surveillance Strategy (VSS) was launched in October 2003 as an integral part of the Animal Health and Welfare Strategy (AHWS) for Great Britain. The VSS aims to deliver earlier warnings and quicker detection of disease threats. It sets out 5 strategic goals and an outline delivery plan.
Initiatives under the VSS include:
- A Veterinary Sentinel Network Pilot Study on how to capture representative surveillance information (for cattle) from private vets. Such networks can accurately show endemic disease levels on farms but if designed well could help track disease trends in the national herd. As at March 2008, the results of the pilot study are being analysed.
- The Rapid Analysis and Detection of Animal-related Risks (RADAR) system collating surveillance data from different sources around the UK and producing reports on veterinary threats to public and animal health.
- The Prioritisation Project aiming to provide an evidence based tool to guide animal health and welfare policy making, in particular in line with AHWS goals.
- A Great Britain Poultry Register, established by Government with industry, to gather essential information about the nation’s birds to help manage disease outbreaks better.
In June 2006, an EIG Surveillance Subgroup published a report on surveillance 
(58 KB) making 10 recommendations on how the surveillance systems could be improved, especially around making more use of the wealth of privately collected surveillance data. Defra published a response (67 KB) in November 2006.
One recommendation was to explore the opportunity to use data collected on fallen stock, in particular by the National Fallen Stock Scheme Company (NFSCo). Encouraged by the Chief Veterinary Officer (UK), the EIG and the England Cattle Health and Welfare Group (ECHAWG) held a Fallen Stock Workshop (33 KB) in November 2007 to explore the opportunity. ECHAWG is going to take this idea forward with NFSCo in 2008.
See also
Page last reviewed:
20 March 2008