11/03/2011 by Stephen Dawson.

If you’re an SQP, did you know that you can get an update on your CPD points by email? Provided that we have your email address on record, just go to http://www.amtra.org.uk/cpdpoints.htm and fill in your SQP number and email address and we’ll send you back a CPD summary in a couple of minutes.

As always, remember to allow a month for CPD providers to advise AMTRA of points before you contact them with any queries.

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04/03/2011 by Stephen Dawson.

Thanks to Eblex’s “Better Returns Programme”, all farm animal SQPs and student SQPs are currently being sent by AMTRA a copy of the 2011 edition of the Cattle & Sheep Parasite Control Guide, which we hope will be useful. This includes a comprehensive list of products for the control of internal and external parasites in cattle and sheep, and now incorporates milk withhold times too.

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02/03/2011 by Stephen Dawson.

As part of AMTRA’s online CPD Programme for livestock SQPs, each month AMTRA will be emailing farm animal SQPs the NADIS Parasite Forecast which will highlight the parasitic challenge facing livestock in their area for that month.

At the end of the Parasite Forecast there is a link to a series of multiple choice questions based on its contents. Those successfully answering the quiz online will be emailed a certificate with their score and awarded an AMTRA CPD point.The Parasite Forecast has been developed by NADIS (National Animal Disease Information Service) and is written by leading veterinary parasitologists and is based on detailed data from the Met Office. This programme is supported by Merial Animal Health.

Also available from NADIS to farm animal SQPs each month is a Bulletin on animal health issues - this month on fascioliasis (liver fluke) in cattle. This also has a link at the end to an online quiz with associated CPD point.

We hope that SQPs find both the Parasite Forecast and the Bulletin interesting and helpful.

If you’re a farm animal SQP and haven’t received this, it may be because we don’t have an email address for you, or the email didn’t reach you - perhaps because it went to a shared computer. Contact the AMTRA office to advise us of a personal email address and you can be sure of getting the forecast and bulletin next month.

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01/03/2011 by Stephen Dawson.

The first six AHDA and AMTRA CPD events have taken place over the last two weeks from Devon to Aberdeen, and have been well received by SQPs. We’re expecting over 500 SQPs will have attended one of the series of events.

On Monday 7 March we are in Carmarthenshire, moving to Wrexham, Hexham and Penrith by 10 March. Those four events have companion animal and VMD content in the afternoon, with farm animal worm and fluke control, plus VMD content, in the evening. We move to eastern and central England from 28 March for five companion animal events. More details and booking forms on the AMTRA website.

Don’t forget there are still four more of the very popular BETA events (including a new date of 7 April near Wetherby), and the Merial events at Twycross and Bristol Zoos - more details on the AMTRA website.

In response to demand we are in the early stages of planning an AHDA/AMTRA CPD event in Northern Ireland in mid-May. More details soon.

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21/01/2011 by Stephen Dawson.

Congratulations to the nine SQPs whose hard work in studying to pass their SQP exams in 2010 was recognised in the AMTRA SQP Prize Ceremony at the AHDA Conference on 18 January.

R-SQP (all-species SQP) winners, sponsored by Pfizer Animal Health

• 1st - Debbie Dickinson of Farmway, who won the Simon Fleet Cup
• 2nd - Alison Holloway of Fenwold Vet Practice
• 3rd - Anthony Morris of Wynnstay

E-SQP (equine and companion animal SQP) winners, sponsored by Battles

• 1st - Stephanie Asquith of The Blue Barn, who won the Battles Cup
• 2nd - Ingrid Hendry, self-employed (not able to attend)
• 3rd - Heather Walsh of SCATS

C-SQP (companion animal SQP) winners, sponsored by Merial

• 1st - Anne Mountford of Pets At Home (not able to attend)
• 2nd - James Dellow of Pets At Home
• 3rd - Adam Gibson of Pets At Home

AHDA Cup, sponsored by Novartis

The winner of the AHDA Cup for the best SQP overall, from an AHDA member, was Debbie Dickinson of Farmway.

Adam Gibson, Heather Walsh, Stephanie Asquith, James Dellow, Alison Holloway, Debbie Dickinson, and Anthony Morris

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20/12/2010 by Stephen Dawson.

BETA have announced a CPD programme for SQPs taking place at six locations from January to April.

With this CPD programme, BETA have concentrated on areas which can assist SQPs within their work environment. The day looks at the likely changes in the legislation but also at potential profit advancement. For some, this could come from the changing approaches to Worming Horses, current thoughts on worming programmes and better knowledge of how to sell testing kits and monitor the results. For others, the Small Animal Exemption Scheme could add ideas for new products or to consider AVM-VPS products for different species. It will be a busy day, but should give new inspiration and have an element of fun. You also get you 44 CPD points!

More details including the dates and application form on the CPD events page of the AMTRA website.

(This article was amended on 7 January to reflect a slightly amended timetable which is now shown on the AMTRA website.)

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20/12/2010 by Stephen Dawson.

The VMD’s Animal Medicines Inspectorate’s (AMI’s) office at Stoneleigh Park will close by 31 December 2010. This is for information only as the service provided to SQP businesses by the AMI will not change.

The Government’s agenda to reduce the size of the Crown Estate requires Departments to take licence breaks on properties as they fall due. The licence on the Stoneleigh property is an annual year by year lease and as such falls due for renewal at the end of 2010.

The VMD have looked at the costs and benefits of maintaining a small out stationed office in the Midlands and have concluded that this cannot be financially justified. With regret, they have decided to close the AMI’s Stoneleigh Park office.

The VMD is making arrangements for the AMI Administration Team currently located at Stoneleigh Park to continue their work using the VMD Weybridge office as their base.  The team will retain their current e-mail addresses but will use VMD based phone numbers and the VMD’s postal address:

Phone numbers:

Clare Crowley: 01932 338474
Marion Yapp: 01932 338475

Postal address:

Animal Medicines Inspectorate
Veterinary Medicines Directorate
Woodham Lane
New Haw
Addlestone
Surrey KT15 3LS

It is the VMD’s aim that you will receive the same level of service from Clare Crowley and Marion Yapp as before and have the same level of access to them.

If you require any further information about these changes, please contact John Millward at  j.millward@vmd.defra.gsi.gov.uk

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01/12/2010 by Stephen Dawson.

AHDA is coordinating a series of 10 regional CPD meetings, AMTRA-accredited. At each venue there will be an afternoon session on companion animals and an evening session on farm livestock. SQPs may attend either or both.

AMTRA is following on at a further five venues, repeating the companion animal content in more eastern locations.

SQPs from AHDA members can attend the AHDA events free of charge – subject to available space, so book now. Other SQPs at the AHDA events, and all SQPs at the AMTRA events, £18 inc. VAT per person.

All the afternoon courses will run from 2.15pm until 4.45pm, with registration and a hot buffet available from 1.30pm. The course will cover companion animal ectoparasites, endoparasites, and a regulatory update from VMD/AMI and AHDA.

All the evening events will run from 5.30pm until 8.00pm, with registration from 5.00pm, followed by a hot buffet. The course will cover the new COWS (Control of Worms Sustainably in Cattle) recommendations, a fluke presentation, and a regulatory update from VMD/AMI and AHDA.

Each event will be worth 19 CPD points, or 35 for both (because the VMD/AHDA content is duplicated).

Confirmation of your place and details of the venue and how to get there will be sent on receipt of your application form and payment (where appropriate).

We advise you to book early as demand for places will be high. Click here to download an Application Form.

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15/11/2010 by Stephen Dawson.

I was delighted to be able to join with the celebrations at the fourth annual OvertheCounter Awards event on Friday.

The celebrations awarded some of the people, including a number of exemplary SQPs, that make a difference in terms of quality of advice, customer service and their commitment to ongoing learning. The judges, comprised of industry peers including myself, were pleased to see winners clearly demonstrating their commitment to their own, and others’, CPD and training combined with clear examples of how they are working with other channels in order to offer the best advice to their customers.

Congratulations to all the winners, and to the many excellent entries which narrowly missed out. Watch out for the AMTRA SQP awards at the AHDA Conference in January.

The 2010 OvertheCounter Awards’  winners are:

Merial R-SQP of the Year
Winner: Mark Cox, from Mole Valley Farmers
Highly Commended: Mark Matthews, from Wynnstay

Eqvalan E-SQP of the Year
Winner: Sally-Anne Hoyle from Bellingdon End Farm Supplies
Highly Commended: Caroline Alexander from Countrywide Farmers

Frontline C-SQP of the Year
Winner: Emma Raynes from Pets at Home
Highly Commended: Ian Jones at Just for Pets

Merial Overall SQP of the Year
Winner: Mark Cox, from Mole Valley Farmers

Volac Agricultural Store Manager of the Year
Winner: Paul Tippett, from Mole Valley Farmers
Highly Commended: Catriona Crawford from Harbro

Harper Adams Mastermind Award
Winner: Andrew Pattison from RM Jones.
Highly Commended: David MacKenzie from Harbro

AHDA Award for Commitment to Excellence
Winner: Martyn Channon, from Martyn Channon Country Store

Elanco Distributor of the Year
Winner: Countrywide

Mole Valley Trade Supplier of the Year
Winner: Lynne Gollop from Novartis
Highly Commended: Rob Howells from Merial

Pfizer- VPS Independent Store of the Year
Winner: Green Farm Health

Pfizer- VPS Multiple Store of the Year
Winner: Pets at Home, Wigan

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25/10/2010 by Stephen Dawson.

The AMTRA website has been refreshed over the last week, with both the structure and the content undergoing a modest change in response to feedback from users. We’ve tried to make the information more accessible and easy to understand - for those who don’t know about SQPs, for students, and for current SQPs. The revised structure will also allow us to add new information more easily.

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