Prizes Awarded to Top SQPs

The UKs best new SQPs (Suitably Qualified Persons) have been announced in a ceremony at the recent AHDA (Animal Health Distributors Association) conference. Prizes were awarded to students with the best scores in the 2010 SQP examinations.

We are delighted to make these awards, says Stephen Dawson, Secretary General of AMTRA (Animal Medicines Training Regulatory Authority), who oversee the SQP qualification. The SQP syllabus is challenging and it is a considerable achievement for all our prize winners to have done so well, he continues. The diversity of our winners illustrates the range of roles that SQPs undertake. They have come from all sectors of the animal health industry from veterinary practices and country stores, equine suppliers and the pet sector, Stephen Dawson explains.

The AHDA Cup for Best Overall Student, sponsored by Novartis, was awarded to Debbie Dickinson of Morpeth, Northumberland. Debbie, who works at Farmway, was also presented with the Simon Fleet Cup sponsored by Pfizer for the best SQP specialising in all animals from livestock to companion animal. Second and third prizes went to Alison Holloway of Fenwold Vet Practice and to Anthony Morris of Wynnstay,

The Battles Cup for the top equine specialist SQP was presented to Stephanie Asquith of Otley, West Yorkshire, who works for The Blue Barn. Second and third prizes went to Ingrid Hendry, and to Heather Walsh of SCATS.

The best companion animal SQPs, sponsored by Merial, were Anne Mountford of Peterborough, James Dellow of Harlow, Essex, and Adam Gibson from Dudley in the West Midlands, all of whom work for Pets At Home.

659 new SQPs qualified in 2010, bringing the total number of SQPs working across the UKs animal health industry to just short of 4000. SQPs are a trusted source of advice and expertise for customers, and they play a vital part in maintaining the best standards of animal health and welfare in this country, Stephen Dawson explains. We wish all our newly qualified SQPs every success for the future, he concludes.

AMTRA is an independent regulatory body whose task it is to ensure that the prescription and supply of VPS animal medicines in the UK is undertaken in a responsible manner by AMTRA qualified persons. Under the Veterinary Medicines Regulations, AMTRA is the body appointed by the Secretary of State to keep a register of Suitably Qualified Persons. AMTRA’s tasks include:

• working with Harper Adams University College to develop and maintain a qualification syllabus at Higher Education Level 4 which meets the needs of SQPs and the requirements of the Secretary of State
• working with training centres to support course provision
• provision of information and advice to SQPs
• maintenance of the Register of SQPs
• monitoring and accreditation of continuing professional development for SQPs
• regulation of professional conduct (including powers to suspend registration or strike off the Register for misconduct).

SQPs are permitted under the Veterinary Medicines Regulations to prescribe and supply medicines classified as POM-VPS and NFA-VPS these are medicines used to reduce/prevent effects of endemic disease in herds, flocks or individual animals (e.g. internal and external parasites), where there are risks for the user/animal/consumer/environment but these can be moderated by oral & written advice from professional non-vets.

There are almost 4000 SQPs, all of whom have passed specifically designed Higher Education exams. Of these, more than 300 are veterinary nurses.

More about AMTRA can be found on its website at www.amtra.org.uk