The Official Veterinarian Reform Programme - Questions & Answers
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What is the Official Veterinarian Reform Programme?
The Official Veterinarian Reform Programme (OVRP) is seeking to improve the relationship that exists between Animal Health and Official Veterinarians (OVs) by exploring the introduction of a new agreement between the two parties.
It aims to work closely with the veterinary profession to identify improvements offering mutual benefits and to identify the business standards that are required for an overarching framework agreement between Animal Health and OV practices.
The programme uses the term Official Veterinarian (OV) as this is the EU officially designated description for veterinarians performing work on behalf of member states. Whilst the term Local Veterinary Inspector (LVI) has traditionally been used to describe work for which fees and allowances are payable by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), it is inadequate to describe the wider role and status of OVs.
What is a framework agreement?
A framework agreement is an agreement between two parties, in this case the Animal Health and veterinary practices, the purpose of which is to establish the terms governing future arrangements between the two.
What does framework supplier status mean?
OV practices which demonstrate that they meet the business standards defined in the framework agreement will be able to apply for 'framework supplier' status.
Framework supplier status does not disrupt the tripartite relationship between owners of animals, OVs and Animal Health. Owners of animals will largely remain free to choose any OV to undertake required work, although as now, there will be exceptions to this in certain circumstances, whereby Animal Health appoint a veterinarian to perform specific work.
For this reason, whilst framework supplier status will bring real benefits to both parties, it will not offer guaranteed or extra work. The pilot will however explore ways to allow OV practices better visibility of forecast work, which should improve their ability to plan, and resource business activity.
What happens to OV Practices which cannot or choose not to meet the framework supplier standards?
OV practices that cannot meet the framework supplier standards will not be excluded from undertaking OV work, but in order to provide the necessary audit trails and quality assurance requirements there may be a need for the Animal Health to introduce additional accounting and audit requirements including the possibility of more frequent audit and monitoring visits to practices.
These business standards are yet to be defined and will be the subject of discussion in the initial (pilot) phase of the programme being undertaken from April 2007.
What are the benefits of framework supplier status?
Framework supplier status will confer certain benefits to both parties. Whilst it is the aim of the pilot phase to better identify and understand possible benefits, they may include:
For OV practices
- Finding ways to reduce bureaucracy leading to a reduced administrative burden on practices and therefore less cost;
- A quicker payment process;
- Better access to information and new technology being introduced by Animal Health 's Business Reform Programme;
- Exception reporting, e.g. removing the need to report negative test results;
- Other benefits to be explored in the pilot phase: for example exploring the benefits of genuine partnership working; better work planning; and the possibility of exploring how public funding is best spent in meeting governments' animal health and welfare strategies. This may include exploring how much of the work Animal Health delivers could be performed by private practice.
For Animal Health :
- Better assurance of quality control processes;
- Improved assurance of financial propriety;
- Less bureaucracy leading to improved efficiency;
- The introduction of a risk-based approach to reporting;
- Improved information flow.
For the end customer:
- Assurance that veterinary work is undertaken in an efficient and quality assured manner, and that reduced bureaucracy, together with the better use of technology, will minimise the impact on their business. For example increased efficiencies leading to quicker lifting of movement restrictions.
For Government:
- An auditable, quality assured, efficient process which provides assurance that public funds are being used effectively.
Why Change?
Currently the contractual relationship between Animal Health and OVs is poorly defined. Business arrangements are detailed only in a Memorandum of Understanding between the then Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries (MAFF) and the British Veterinary Association (BVA). This allowed for veterinary surgeons to be appointed by MAFF to carry out as agents, certain activities on the Minister's behalf.
This relationship has proved very successful. The OVRP is not seeking to sweep it away, but rather to enhance it, for the mutual benefit of both parties.
Reform is needed because the current arrangements:
- provide insufficient assurances of the quality of work undertaken;
- do not encourage improvements in partnership working with the profession;
- fail to meet modern accounting standards: public sector auditors require additional assurance of financial propriety - the programme seeks to identify ways of providing such without imposing unnecessary bureaucracy;
- are unduly bureaucratic;
- fails to provide a clear contractual basis for the work undertaken - the programme will seek to clarify the relationship, roles and responsibilities when performing duties.
Key elements of the programme
The programme aims to:
- Recognise the professionalism of OVs and the importance of the work performed on behalf of Animal Health;
- Build on the success of the existing relationship;
- Identify mutual benefits by exploring improved ways of working and other incentives;
- Introduce 'framework agreement supplier' status for OV practices which demonstrate that they meet agreed, yet to be determined, quality business standards;
- Not disrupt the tripartite relationship between owners of animals, OVs and Animal Health . Owners of animals will largely remain free to choose any OV to undertake required work. As now, there will be exceptions to this in certain circumstances, whereby Animal Health appoint a veterinarian to perform specific work. The OVRP does not seek to introduce competitive tendering for OV work;
- Introduce a pilot phase to work in partnership with the veterinary profession to identify both the standards required for framework supplier status and mutual benefits that can be achieved through improved working;
- Not to change existing arrangements between Animal Health and OV practices during the pilot phase. OV practices involved in the pilot will similarly continue to perform normal, day-to-day work under the existing arrangements.
What is the pilot phase?
The programme will begin with a pilot phase which will run between April-October 2007, with an option to extend.
The pilot involves Animal Health identifying a limited number of OV practices (approximately 10) who will be willing to work with Animal Health in identifying:
- appropriate business standards required for approved suppliers status. Standards would probably include such areas as quality assurance, governance, audit, communications and training arrangements;
- procedural improvements leading to efficiencies. This could include such areas as reducing or eliminating the need to report negative test results or enhanced use of technology;
- mutual benefits that can be realised.
The pilot will initially take place in the region covered by the Government Office of the West Midlands . This area has been chosen because it includes a sufficient number of OV practices of different size and a diverse range of work to appropriately explore all issues. It is also an area of considerable OV work as a result of the prevalence of bovine TB in the region's herds. By concentrating on one region, Animal Health will also be able to make best use of resources.
Suitable existing practices have been identified and offered the opportunity to participate in the pilot phase. These practices, whilst agreeing to commit some resources to the programme, will in return have a unique opportunity to shape the future arrangements for government funded veterinary work, and to identify mutual benefits.
What is pilot phase 2?
The programme may introduce a second pilot phase if necessary. This will be required if it is felt that issues identified during phase 1 need to be tested more widely.
Phase 2, if required, may be increased to allow practices based in either Scotland or Wales , to test any differences which may exist within the devolved administrations.
What OV work will be included in the programme?
All OV work - Panel 1 (General) to Panel 10 (Contingency LVIs) - will be included in the pilot. This includes all OV work, both that paid for by Animal Health and that by private clients.
OV practices not participating in the pilot?
Existing ways of working will continue for all OV practices not involved in the pilot.
OV practices participating in the pilot?
Existing ways of working will continue for veterinary work currently performed by OV practices involved in the pilot.
In addition these practices will be participating in a series of work streams aimed at defining the constituents of a framework agreement. This will involve practices working with representatives of Animal Health in examining how existing arrangements can be improved and what needs to be included in a framework agreement.
What work streams will be undertaken during the pilot?
The pilot phase work streams will include, but are not necessarily limited to:
- reducing administrative costs;
- reviewing payment arrangements;
- the constituents of the framework agreement;
- the infrastructure to support compliance with audit controls (both fiscal and quality);
- communications;
- contingency planning.
Each work stream will be led by a work stream manager appointed from within Animal Health.
These work streams represent broad areas in which to explore benefits. The pilot phase and the work of the Assurance Group will seek to identify others.
What happens after the pilot phases?
At the completion of the pilot phases Animal Health will, in consultation with the veterinary profession, be able to decide whether to proceed with the introduction of framework agreements, and how.
Is this reform supported by the veterinary profession?
Both the BVA and British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA) recognise the need for reform and for greater certainty in the arrangements. They have welcomed the opportunities in the reform programme to develop arrangements between the two parties to mutual benefit.
The BVA, BCVA and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) are members of the programme's Assurance Group.
Who is managing the programme?
The programme is managed by a Programme Team who can be contacted at: supplier.reform@Animal Health.gsi.gov.uk .
Two management groups oversee the Programme Team's work:
- The Steering Group represents the wider interests of Animal Health and Defra, and consists of senior managers from both organisations.
- The Assurance Group provides advice and assurance on the feasibility of the project. It consists of representatives from RCVS, BVA, BCVA and the Chief Veterinary Officers in Scotland and Wales . It will also include representatives from two pilot practices.
How are OVs and the wider veterinary profession being communicated with?
The BVA, BCVA and RCVS are members of the programme's Assurance Group. Private veterinarians are able to express views through their representatives in the BVA or BCVA.
To inform the wider veterinary profession, articles will be submitted to the BVA publications Veterinary Record and Off-the-record . Articles will also be submitted for publication in the Veterinary Times .
Page last modified: 2 April 2007
Page published: 2 April 2007