Brexit and the veterinary - IC.cz and RCVS Brexit.pdf · 7. Brexit and the veterinary profession. Nick Stace. Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. Sean Wensley. British Veterinary

7Brexit and the veterinary profession

Nick StaceRoyal College of Veterinary Surgeons

Sean WensleyBritish Veterinary Association

Pre-referendum planning

Brexit means Brexit

RCVS Presidential Brexit Taskforce

EU-qualified vets work in every sector...

Brexit means... What exactly?

• We’ve decided on takeaway... but what’s on the menu?

The Taskforce’s work

• The RCVS Taskforce work includes:• Writing to the Prime Minister to raise our concerns, press

statements• A roundtable event to discuss potential shortages in the meat

hygiene sector• Commissioning a substantial piece of research to understand

the views and intentions of EU-qualified vets in the UK• Considering options for a post-MRPQ future, for instance

closer cooperation with the European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education (EAEVE)

• Considering how vet numbers could be boosted, e.g. by improved retention or increased graduate numbers

• Discussing how best to boost its international influence via closer co-operation with the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE) and the world Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)

“BVA will work hard to ensure the voice of the veterinary profession is heard during the negotiation and discussions…”

“BVA will retain an outward looking and inclusive perspective through our relationships with international partners, including FVE, CVA, and WVA to ensure the UK veterinary profession continues to influence and engage on cross border issues such as disease surveillance, veterinary medicines and antimicrobial resistance."

24 June

Presenter

Presentation Notes

SEAN BVA statement immediately after the result of the referendum

BVA activity

Presenter

Presentation Notes

SEAN First priority was to our members…. Seeking reassurances over working rights for non-British EU citizens living and working in the UK But ALSO for British vets and VNs living, working and studying in other Member States. Responses from the four governments of the UK have been inconclusive. Some warm words and positive indications but as yet, no guarantees.

BVA principles for negotiating Brexit

Public money to replace CAP should

support and incentivise ‘public

goods’

Working rights for vets and VNs must

be guaranteed

All existing standards must be

maintained

Seek opportunities to improve standards

UK should maintain link with

the EU central approval system

for vet meds

Immigration systems must take account of

workforce need

Veterinary involvement from farm to fork underpins AH, AW & public health

Reciprocal surveillance data sharing must be

maintained

Presenter

Presentation Notes

SEAN Like the RCVS, BVA has formed a working group to consider all of the issues in detail. We are working alongside the RCVS to ensure we coordinate activity as much as possible (eg recent roundtable on meat hygiene organised by RCVS) First task of the Working Group was to establish our principles for negotiating Brexit (available in more detail on our website). The principles have been sent to the four governments in the UK to set out our position. (Talk around the slide) Additional points: Importance of veterinary involvement is paramount. We see opportunities in continuing to work with and through FVE to constantly push for high animal health and welfare standards underpinned by evidence and risk analysis. The new EU Animal Health Law is a good, solid framework that shouldn’t be lost in Brexit.

BVA Brexit working group

• Workplan:– Workforce issues

• Public health/government• Clinical practice• Research & academia

– Medicines and research– Animal health and welfare, trade

=> Overall lobbying position

Presenter

Presentation Notes

SEAN The Working Group has recently been looking in detail at the issues around workforce and ensuring that the UK has access to an appropriately qualified workforce across all areas of the profession. We plan to look in detail at medicines, R&D, animal health and welfare, and trade issues in the coming months – all of which will inform our lobbying position which we are aiming to agree in April 2017. We are very keen to find and promote opportunities for animal health and welfare and for the veterinary profession. We have a dedicated meeting in Northern Ireland to look at the specific issues that relate to the profession where we have a land border with another Member State (and hoping to speak to OR have spoken to colleagues from Veterinary Ireland here). We have met with government officials on a number of occasions and they are all working on Brexit but it is currently not clear exactly when and how they will be seeking input from relevant sectors. We are keeping an ongoing dialogue through the Chief Veterinary Officers and other senior officials to ensure.

Working together

• RCVS and BVA will work closely to co-ordinate the veterinary profession’s response.

• We will also work with FVE to maintain our influence at a European level– VetFutures Europe– Bilateral talks with Veterinary Ireland and

the Veterinary Council of Ireland (VCI)

Presenter

Presentation Notes

SEAN

We’re not Brexiting FVE!

• Out of the EU… but notout of Europe!

• FVE will still be very important to us – perhaps even more than before.

• We will still be the third largest financial contributor – and we will still pull our weight!

Presenter

Presentation Notes

SEAN and NICK

Documents

Brexit and the veterinary - IC.cz and RCVS Brexit.pdf · 7. Brexit and the veterinary profession. Nick Stace. Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. Sean Wensley. British Veterinary