Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain PVS self-evaluation of the Belgian Veterinary Services REGIONAL INFORMATION SEMINAR FOR RECENTLY APPOINTED

Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain

PVS self-evaluationof the

Belgian Veterinary Services

REGIONAL INFORMATION SEMINAR FOR RECENTLY APPOINTED OIE DELEGATESBRUSSELS / BELGIUM 18-20 FEBRUARY 2014

Pierre Naassens, CVO Belgium 20/02/2014


Presentation

• Context of self-evaluation• Preparations• Course of evaluation• Methodology• Results• Conclusions

2


Context of self-evaluation

• EU context (Com non-paper 04-05-2012)

– Advocated by the Commission– To eventually have a global EU PVS evaluation as a capital argument

in EU trade discussions with Third Countries, there was a need for around ten self evaluations done between 2012 and 2013.

– MS self evaluation missions are completely voluntary; they can be performed by the trained experts of the MS concerned.

– If and only if needed and requested by the MS concerned, help could be sought from the Commission and even the OIE through trained EU experts.

– Reports are strictly under the concerned MS responsibility and are to be used, as far as the EU strategy is concerned, only to prepare for a wider evaluation and comparison with the current EU auditing tools to help in the EU trade with Third Countries.

3


Context of the self-evaluation

• According to OIE– To assess a country’s own Veterinary Service performance

• Governmental and non-governmental organisations that implement animal health and welfare measures and other standards and recommendations in the Terrestrial Code (and the OIE Aquatic Animal Health Code) in the territory.

• The Veterinary Services are under the overall control and direction of the Veterinary Authority

• Private sector organisations, veterinarians, (veterinary paraprofessionals or aquatic animal health professionals) are normally accredited or approved by the Veterinary Authority to deliver the delegated functions

– Performed by internal experts with possible input by OIE experts

4


Context of the self-evaluation

• In Belgium

All authorities / organisations of the VS cooperated on voluntary basis

5


Veterinary Service in Belgium

FASFC

FPS PHSFCE (incl.

CODA/CERVA & WIV/ISP)

FAMHP

Regions (Wildlife)

Veterinary Statutory

Body

Animal Health

Associations

Approved Veterinarians

Public Service

(Veterinary Authority)

Private Service

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Preparations

• PVS course December 2011– 3 day training course by OIE on the “OIE PVS

Tool”

• Composition of evaluation team– 2 experts from the FASFC

• certified to perform OIE PVS Evaluation missions

• Veterinarians

– 1 veterinary policy officer

– 1 internal auditor

7


Course of evaluation

• Invitation to be part of the evaluation to all parties concerned

• Opening meeting• Request for information to all parties

concerned• Visits and interviews• Closing meeting• Draft report and remarks• Final report

From January to September 2012

Ongoing

8


Course of evaluation – Site sampling Table 5: Site sampling

Terminology or names used in the country

Number of sites

Actual sampling

ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANISATION OF THE COUNTRY

1st administrative level Federaal 3 32nd administrative level Regio’s 3 13rd administrative level Provincies 11 2

VETERINARY SERVICES ORGANISATION AND STRUCTURE

Central (Federal/National) VS FAVV, FOD VVVL, FAGG 3 3

Internal division of the central VS

FAVV (DG Controle, DG Controlebeleid, DG Laboratoria en DG Algemene Diensten)

4 4

FOD (DG 4, WIV en CODA) 3 3FAGG (DG PRE, DG POST en DG Inspectie) 1 1

1st level of the VSPCE 11 2Laboratoria van het FAVV 5 1

FIELD ANIMAL HEALTH NETWORK

Field level of the VS (animal health)

DGZ en ARSIA 2 1Réseau de Surveillance sanitaire de la Faune Sauvage (RSSFS)Agentschap voor Natuur en Bos (ANB) 2 0

Private veterinary sector Orde der dierenartsen 2 1VETERINARY MEDICINES & BIOLOGICALS

Production sector FAGG 1 1VETERINARY LABORATORIES

National labs CODA en WIV 2 2Regional and local labs FAGG 2 1

ANIMAL AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS MOVEMENT CONTROL

Airports and ports border postsGIPs: 3 luchthavens en 3 zeehavens (zie coördinaten in bijlage C.5)

5 1

PUBLIC HEALTH INSPECTION OF ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS

Export slaughterhouse Hoefdieren, gevogelte en lagomorfen 117 1TRAINING AND RESEARCH ORGANISATIONS

Veterinary university UGent en ULiège 2 1

Veterinary research organisationsUCL, VUB, ILVO, CER, WIV, CODA, KUL, ULG, UG, UA 10 2

• 14 sites were visited in 15 days• 73 persons were interviewed

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Methodology

• Use of the PVS tool– Four fundamental components – Divided into 46 critical competencies– For each critical competency a list of suggested

indicators was used to help determine the level of advancement

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Methodology

– Five qualitative levels of advancement for each critical competency

– A higher level assumes compliance with all preceding levels

• Underrate – emphasize the strengths

• Overrate – emphasize theweaknesses

Advancement Level 1

no compliance

Advancement Level 5

Full compliance with OIE standards (incl. audits)

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Methodology

• Information taken into account – Gathered over the internet– Documentation given during interview or sent by

the different organisations / authorities– Interviews– Visits– Results of internal audits and FVO missions

12


Results

FUNDAMENTAL COMPONENTS1. HUMAN PHYSICAL AND FINANCIAL

RESOURCES2. TECHNICAL AUTHORITY AND CAPABILITY3 INTERACTION WITH STAKEHOLDERS4. ACCESS TO MARKETS

• For each critical competency of each fundamental component– Level of advancement– List of main weaknesses

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I: Human, physical and financial resources

• I-2B. Education in animal health is not required for ‘controllers (paraprofessionals)’

• I-3. Procedures are not foreseen for the follow up of the ‘quality’ of the work of the approved veterinarian (notification of disease, sampling, etc.) and of their continuing education

• I-6. Evaluation of internal and external coordination is not always foreseen

• I-11. Audits are not performed in all sections of the VS concerning management of resources and operations

PVS results summary of 2012.Level of

advancement

I. HUMAN, PHYSICAL FINANCIAL RESOURCESI-1.A. Staffing: Veterinarians and other professionals

5

I-1.B. Staffing: Veterinary paraprofessionals and other

5

I-2.A. Professional competencies of veterinarians 5I-2.B. Competencies of veterinary paraprofessionals

2

I-3. Continuing education 3

I-4. Technical independence 5I-5. Stability of structures and sustainability of policies

5

I-6.A. Internal coordination (chain of command)

5

I-6.B. External coordination 5

I-7. Physical resources 5

I-8. Operational funding 5

I-9. Emergency funding 5

I-10. Capital investment 5

I-11. Management of resources and operations 4

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II: Technical authority and capability – part 1• II-2. Outsourcing of analyses by

NRL not always to accredited labs

• II-3. Obligations to OIE are not included in the risk assessment by the Scientific Committee

• II-4. Risk through illegal import of pets from countries at risk for rabies

• II-5. No supervision on knowledge and on implementation of notification of recognized vets

• II-5. No obligations to notify outbreaks/cases between authorities

• II-6. Wildlife is not included in the national disease contingency plans

• II-7. Obligations to OIE are not included in the risk assessment


advancement

II. TECHNICAL AUTHORITY CAPABILITY

II-1. Veterinary laboratory diagnosis 5

II-2. Laboratory quality assurance 5

II-3. Risk analysis 5

II-4. Quarantine and border security 5

II-5.A. Passive epidemiological surveillance 5

II-5.B. Active epidemiological surveillance 5

II-6. Early detection and emergency response 5

II-7. Disease prevention, control and eradication 4

II-8.A. Ante and post mortem inspection 4

II-8.B. Inspection of collection, processing and distribution

5

II-9. Veterinary medicines and biologicals 5

II-10. Residue testing 5

II-11. Emerging issues 5

II-12. Technical innovation 4

II-13.A. Animal identification and movement control 5

II-13.B. Identification and traceability of animal products

5

II-14. Animal welfare 5

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II: Technical authority and capability – part 2• II-8B. Administration of veterinary

drugs only registered in ‘risk period’

• II-9. No controls on the ‘quality’ of the prescriptions of veterinary drugs

• II-9. Inspections are not based on an ‘inspection plan’

• II-11. Not al concerned parties are included in the simulation exercises

• II-12. Procedures sometimes take too long to rapidly implement technical innovations

• II-13. Registration of poultry at flock level is not implemented


advancement

II. TECHNICAL AUTHORITY CAPABILITY

II-1. Veterinary laboratory diagnosis 5

II-2. Laboratory quality assurance 5

II-3. Risk analysis 5

II-4. Quarantine and border security 5

II-5.A. Passive epidemiological surveillance 5

II-5.B. Active epidemiological surveillance 5

II-6. Early detection and emergency response 5

II-7. Disease prevention, control and eradication 4

II-8.A. Ante and post mortem inspection 4

II-8.B. Inspection of collection, processing and distribution

5

II-9. Veterinary medicines and biologicals 5

II-10. Residue testing 5

II-11. Emerging issues 5

II-12. Technical innovation 4

II-13.A. Animal identification and movement control 5

II-13.B. Identification and traceability of animal products

5

II-14. Animal welfare 5

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III: Interaction with stakeholders

• III-4. Private vets are approved to perform certain tasks but there is no follow up of the quality of tasks performed

• III-5A. There is no control on the implementation of the deontology by the VSB. Inquiries starts and disciplinary measures are taken after complaints

• III-5B. The financial and institutional management of the VSB has not been audited by an external organisation

III. INTERACTION WITH STAKEHOLDERS

III-1. Communications 5

III-2. Consultation with stakeholders 5

III-3. Official representation 5

III-4. Accreditation/authorisation/delegation 4

III-5.A. Veterinary Statutory Body Authority 3

III-5.B. Veterinary Statutory Body Capacity 4

III-6. Participation of producers and other stakeholders in joint programmes

5


advancement

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IV: Access to markets

• IV-1. Evaluation of legislation not on periodic basis

• IV-1. Legislation on wildlife disease management does not exist

• IV-6 . There is no central registration of legislation of other EU member states or trading countries

• IV-6. Exchange of information between authorities is on voluntary basis

• IV-6. The information in WAHID is not really correct (endemic disease instead of not reported)

IV. ACCESS TO MARKETS

IV-1. Preparation of legislation and regulations

4

IV-2. Implementation of legislation and regulations and stakeholder compliance

5

IV-3. International harmonisation 5

IV-4. International certification 5

IV-5. Equivalence and other types of sanitary agreements

5

IV-6. Transparency 4

IV-7. Zoning 5

IV-8. Compartmentalisation 5


advancement

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Results• Recommendations were given for all weaknesses

EXAMPLES– Elaboration of procedures for the control of approved vets– Involvement of all concerned parties in simulation exercises– Internal and external audits of all authorities involved– Elaboration of conditions for laboratories that perform

analyses for accredited labs or NRL’s– Federal and regional contingency plans must be in line with

each other– Registration of each administration of veterinary medicines– Facilitation to implement technical innovations in existing

programmes– ...

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General conclusions

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General conclusions• PVS-tool

– The tool itself is well documented, practical and easy to use

– Seen the high level of advancement, details and in-depth evaluation are important

– Seen the variety of aspects considered (cfr. OIE Terrestrial Code) it is not feasible to have an in-depth evaluation of every aspect in a reasonable time frame

– PVS is a severe tool. A low score of one part of the VS determines the score for the whole critical competence. There is no average.

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Documents

Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain PVS self-evaluation of the Belgian Veterinary Services REGIONAL INFORMATION SEMINAR FOR RECENTLY APPOINTED