Review of Rural Veterinary Services Report Reviewer: Peter T. Frawley January 2003 ISBN: 0 642 77334 3 © Commonwealth of Australia 2003 This work is copyright and apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced without written permission from the Department of Education, Science and Training and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the publishers. The views expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Education, Science and Training or the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Contents List of Acronyms ............................................................................................ v Executive Summary.......................................................................................vii Recommendations .........................................................................................1 Introduction Review of Australia’s Rural Veterinary Services........................7 1 Livestock Industry Needs for Veterinary Services.....................................9 2 Australia’s Animal Health System ........................................................29 3 Government Veterinary Services..........................................................37 4 Veterinary Science Education, Training and Accreditation.....................47 5 Private Rural Veterinary Practice ..........................................................63 6 Producers’ Utilisation of Veterinary Services .........................................79 7 Specialist Personnel and Facilities ........................................................87 8 Surveillance.........................................................................................99 9 Addressing the Terms of Reference ....................................................107 Appendix 1 Terms of Reference.............................................................117 Appendix 2 Consultative Group Members .............................................119 Appendix 3 Submissions to the Review..................................................121 Appendix 4 List of Organisations and Persons Consulted.......................127 iii List of Acronyms AAHL Australian Animal Health Laboratory ABARE Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics ABS Australian Bureau of Statistics ACVO Australian Chief Veterinary Officer ACVS Australian College of Veterinary Scientists ADSP Animal Disease Surveillance Programme AFFA Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry Australia AHA Animal Health Australia APAV Accreditation Programme for Australian Veterinarians AQIS Australian Quarantine Inspection Service AVA Australian Veterinary Association AVBC Australian Veterinary Boards Council AVMA American Veterinary Medical Association AVMACOE American Veterinary Medical Association Council of Education AVR Australian Veterinary Reserve (Proposed) BA Biosecurity Australia BSE Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy BTEC Brucellosis and Tuberculosis Eradication Campaign CCEAD Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases CPD Continuing Professional Development COAG Council of Australian Governments CRC Cooperative Research Centre CSIRO Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation CSU Charles Sturt University CVE Continuing Veterinary Education DEST Department of Education, Science and Training DVO District Veterinary Officer EAD Emergency Animal Diseases EBL Enzootic Bovine Leucosis EMAI Elizabeth MacArthur Agriculture Institute EU European Union FMD Foot and Mouth Disease HECS Higher Education Contribution Scheme HSC Higher School Certificate v ISO International Standards Association MAP Market Assurance Programme MLA Meat and Livestock Australia NAHIS National Animal Health Information System NAMP National Arbovirus Monitoring Programme NAQS Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy NATA National Association of Testing Authorities NEADMG National Emergency Animal Disease Management Group NGV Non-Government Veterinarian NOJDP National Ovine Johne’s Disease Control and Evaluation Programme NTSESP National Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Surveillance Programme NVE National Veterinary Examination NZ New Zealand OIE Office International des Epizooties OJD Ovine Johne’s Disease PIAPH Product Integrity Animal and Plant Health PIHC Primary Industries Health Committee PIMC Primary Industries Ministerial Council PISC Primary Industry Standing Committee PTP Professional Training Phase QA Quality Assurance RCVS Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (UK) RLPB Rural Lands Protection Board RSPCA Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals SCAHLS Sub-Committee on Animal Health Laboratory Standards SEAFMD South East Asian Foot and Mouth Disease Eradication Campaign SPS Sanitary and Phytosanitary TAFE Technical and Further Education TSE Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy UK United Kingdom USA United States of America VIAS Victorian Institute of Agricultural Science VSAAC Veterinary School Accreditation Committee VSB Veterinary Surgeons Board WEDPP Australian Wildlife Exotic Disease Preparedness Programme WTO World Trade Organisation vi Executive Summary E.1 This Review was commissioned to address Australia’s future animal health needs and the roles, availability and capabilities of rural veterinarians to meet those needs. E.2 The Review has reached three broad conclusions. E.3 First, Australia’s animal health needs are being met on a day-to-day basis but Australia’s animal health system will need to be enhanced to meet more stringent requirements for international trade in the future. The immediate priorities are the establishment of an Australian Veterinary Reserve (AVR) and the strengthening of surveillance1. E.4 Second, there is no current crisis in the availability of veterinarians. However, rural veterinarians have to contend with rising costs, a reluctance of producers to utilise their services, long hours, limited social opportunities and schooling for their families. These factors all impact on the willingness of veterinarians to live in rural areas, create local shortages and could lead to a chronic shortage of production animal veterinarians. E.5 Third, the Review finds that the opportunity for the most lasting solutions is offered by policies that will build up the demand for veterinary services rather than policies which might artificially induce supply. E.6 Most issues cannot be successfully addressed by any one sector. There is a need for all involved in rural veterinary services to make changes to their current approaches – governments, producers, veterinary practitioners and Veterinary Schools. Australia’s Animal Health System E.7 The animal health system is complex and somewhat cumbersome. The Commonwealth has clear responsibility for meeting international trade requirements and the States for production policies and associated day-to-day disease management control. Animal Health Australia (AHA) is an important link between the Commonwealth and State governments and industries. But the system lacks clear lines of demarcation with regard to policy initiation, development of accepted plans and, most importantly, implementation. Differing priorities, legislation and resource allocation in jurisdictions and industries has led to variability in services and the acceptance of national programs. E.8 The Review recommends a clearer definition and acceptance of responsibility and accountability of the stakeholders in animal health policy and implementation, as a matter of priority. 1 For the purposes of this Review, the term surveillance is used to embrace both the activities of monitoring and surveillance as defined in the OIE International Animal Health Code. The OIE defines surveillance as the detection of disease and monitoring as measuring the change in occurrence of disease. vii Surveillance E.9 Australia’s ability to meet certification requirements is dependent on the outcome of ongoing surveillance programs. E.10 An efficient and effective surveillance system needs to comprise both “active” and “passive” components. Australia currently employs both systems but “passive” surveillance predominates. E.11 Australia’s capacity for surveillance depends on having skilled people in the field, an accessible and capable diagnostic infrastructure and an effective system for recording and retrieving data about animal diseases. All these elements are currently present but the Review has recommended that the system be enhanced through: ! establishment of an Australian Veterinary Reserve to be on standby in the event of an emergency disease outbreak and to participate in surveillance; ! progressive assessment of disease threats region by region; ! an enhanced Accreditation Program for Australian Veterinarians (APAV); ! more active involvement by private veterinarians in surveillance programs; ! integrated data capture and management systems to facilitate investigation and follow up; ! measures to ensure availability of suitably qualified personnel; and, ! a national plan for laboratory utilisation. Private veterinarians E.12 Only 20% to 30% of individual producers in livestock industries regularly engage private veterinary surgeons. In most instances, veterinarians are only called to treat an individual animal and whole herd/flock care is seldom undertaken. The explanation most frequently offered for the low utilisation is a belief by livestock owners that veterinarians are costly and do not add value.