Review urged of laboratory closures

Halving animal health surveillance facilities will be putting both animal and human health at risk, experts have warned.

The Royal College of Pathologists has called for an “urgent” review of plans to cut the number of surveillance laboratories in England and Wales from 14 to seven.

In the past the College has warned that cuts to the network of laboratories could mean that new animal diseases go undetected, which in turn could jeopardise public health.

Today the College called for an review into the planned closures, saying the cuts are based on “cost cutting”.

President of the College Dr Archie Prentice said: “These plans do not seem to be based on sound evidence but on cost cutting; the effect will be a halving of the existing network of surveillance post-mortem examination facilities.

“We think these changes should have been piloted before roll-out. We are not opposed to change but it is vital that expertise in veterinary pathology is sustained and improve so that surveillance if more effective, not less.”

The organisation said that the labs are “key” in detecting new and emerging diseases.

In the past it warned that plans to halve the laboratories mean new and re-emerging animal infections could be missed. It said these diseases may be transmitted to humans so the health risks are shared by people.

If this happens there could be decreased “consumer confidence” in the livestock industry, a spokeswoman said.

But the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency said the new system will mean surveillance of diseases will improve.

An AHVLA spokesman said: “The new animal disease surveillance system will improve our ability to spot new disease threats by extending the network to include post mortems undertaken within the livestock industry and at other veterinary laboratories, as well as government run facilities.

“The current model has a good history of detecting diseases but some geographical areas and species are not well covered and the system does not make best use of resources and is becoming unaffordable. It is being replaced with a system that gives the best chance of identifying and acting on new and emerging threats.

“Whilst there will be a reduction in the number of government owned post-mortem centres this will be off-set by including other providers of expert pathology within the system.

“Surveillance for serious diseases such as BSE, foot and mouth and avian influenza is not affected by the changes and AHVLA will continue to investigate all reports of notifiable animal disease.”

Review urged of laboratory closures