AHVLA has announced changes to scanning surveillance, which it claims will allow better detection of new and re-emerging animal diseases and threats in England and Wales. The new scheme will be introduced progressively during 2014, though vets, who are expected to shoulder fresh burdens and potentially reap financial benefits, have expressed concerns over the new plans.

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According to the government's animal health agency, the new system will be introduced to improve both the geographical and species-specific coverage of disease surveillance across England and Wales. AHVLA plans to increase its reach by looking to private vets, universities and the livestock industry, having come under pressure to cut costs.

Under the new regime, a greater emphasis will be placed on gathering intelligence from other sources to contribute to surveillance work. As a result, government laboratories will be closed, meaning a number of facilities across the country will no longer be carrying out post-mortems. AHVLA claims that the deficit would be made up by better collaboration across the private and public sector, and on Wednesday offered the example of post mortems carried out in the poultry sector and by some private vets, which could inform surveillance efforts.

As part of the new scheme, seven of AHVLA's labs around the country will close, with an eighth expected to shut its doors in 2015. The remaining AHVLA surveillance centres have survived and will continue to carry out post-mortem investigations across England and Wales. These are at Bury St Edmunds, Carmarthen, Penrith, Shrewsbury, Starcross, Thirsk and Winchester (which will close in 2015).

Government welcomes changes

AHVLA Director of Veterinary Surveillance Rupert Hine said, "The current surveillance system has a good history of detecting disease threats such as the first cases of Schmallenberg and bluetongue, but we know improvements can be made to give us better coverage across England and Wales."

Commenting on the new model, Farming Minister George Eustice said, "I welcome this new approach to surveillance. Detection of new diseases and improving our resilience to them is a key part of safeguarding animal health. It is a responsibility shared by the farming industry and government, and I fully support this vision of partnership working, sharing skills and expertise to manage disease risk and support our livestock farming industry."

AHVLA said on Wednesday that a carcase collection service will be introduced for a three year period, whilst a network of private sector pathology providers is established. This service will collect carcasses from areas where AHVLA post-mortem facilities have been closed, but which are not currently covered by non-AHVLA providers.

Under the new scheme, livestock keepers will be responsible for transporting carcases to the collection points, with AHVLA funding the onward journey to a post-mortem facility. Statutory disease surveillance, such as testing for tuberculosis in cattle and exotic disease investigations will not be affected by the changes, AHVLA said.

Vets raise questions about new approach

In response to the new scheme's publication, the British Veterinary Association (BVA) repeated earlier warnings that the function of AHVLA's changes must be to enhance the current system rather than simply reducing costs.

Commenting on the announcement, BVA President Robin Hargreaves urged caution. He said, "It is good practice to review current systems with a view to improving them but we have said repeatedly that any changes to the veterinary scanning surveillance system must not be based on cost alone. The cost of disease outbreak far outweighs the cost of providing a robust surveillance system."

BVA welcomed certain positive elements of the changes, such as the increased focus on data collection and efforts to increase access to facilities across England and Wales, but, Hargreaves said, the announcement raises questions over risks which have not been addressed.

BVA president Hargreaves continued, "Some of the initial challenges we have identified are that the changes must not create a disincentive for farmers to utilise [post-mortem] services… we must ensure that veterinary practices see value in investing in the additional training requirements to provide [post-mortem] services; and we need to be sure that there isn't a loss of veterinary expertise at AHVLA."

He added, "On the face of it the announcement appears to make a lot of assumptions that will need to be tested and so we look forward to seeing more detail."