RCVS Knowledge CPD: All courses

Farm Vet Champions is a major collaborative project that aims to unite and empower UK farm animal veterinary practitioners as they establish good antimicrobial stewardship in practice and on farms. The project builds on the work being done by Arwain Vet Cymru's Prescribing Champion Network.

You can work through the modules at your own pace, and pick and choose those that are appropriate for your work setting and the animals that you see in practice. From full-time farm vets to those that see an occasional chicken – Farm Vet Champions is for you!

To unlock access to the learning modules, watch our introductory video in 'Welcome to Farm Vet Champions'

By registering to access the Farm Vet Champions training, you are providing consent for us to contact you about the Farm Vet Champions project. We will process your data for as long as we have your consent to do so. We are committed to the privacy of your personal information and will process your data in line with our privacy policy and the General Data Protection Regulations. Your personal information will not be shared with any third parties and you have the right to withdraw your consent to the processing of your personal data at any time.

Badge for Antibiotic Guardian Award Shortlist

For more information

As a Farm Vet Champion, you will be a steward within your work setting for the responsible use of medicines. The training on this course is free to access and has been designed in collaboration with our Farm Vet Champion Steering Group. You will use what you learn on this platform to better champion the responsible use of medicines within your farm animal setting.

The modules promote three main values:

Plan
Prevent
Protect

For more information about Plan Prevent Protect, visit our website here.

Farm Vet Champions

Welcome to Farm Vet Champions

Description:

Welcome Farm Vet Champions!

Watch this mandatory video where Fiona Lovatt, Clinical Lead, discusses why this project was launched, how important it is and the main principles of being a Farm Vet Champion.

CPD: 5 minutes

Authors: Fiona Lovatt

Outcome 1: Know what the Farm Vet Champions project is.

Outcome 2: Understand who can be a Farm Vet Champion.

Outcome 3: Understand what the roles and responsibilities of a Farm Vet Champion are

Outcome 4: Sign up to be a Farm Vet Champion, if eligile.

Outcome 5: Obtain your site badge to access the rest of the training

Farm Vet Champions

Introduction to medicines

Description:

This module includes all the need-to-know facts about the use of antibiotics in practice, and why as a profession we should prioritise reducing our usage. From a reminder about what antimicrobial resistance is, to the legal and responsible use of antibiotics, this essential module will help you follow and create protocols for your medicine usage.

CPD: 3.5 hours

Authors: Pam Mosedale, Tim Nuttall, Fraser Broadfoot, Donal Murphey, Lee Grist, Tamsin Dewe and Naomi Bull.

Outcome 1: Be able to categorise antibiotics, and be aware of HP-CIAs

Outcome 2: Understand why antimicrobial resistance occurs

Outcome 3: Describe the legal requirements for prescribing, supplying and dispensing POM-V antibiotics

Outcome 4: Explain the overview of resistance monitoring that occurs in human and animals and what data reports tell us

Outcome 5: Discuss the links between antimicrobial resistance in animals and people.

Farm Vet Champions

Communications and Behaviour

Description:

Effective communication with your clients is critical in improving animal safety and antibiotic usage. Communicating is not simply just talking. This module contains a selection of webinars from a variety of organisations, covering a wide range of communication and behaviour models that you can implement to evaluate your own communication skills and improve your communication with your clients.

CPD: 3 hours

Authors: Suzanne Rogers, Jo White, Alison Bard, Jolanda Jansen, Kim Hamer, Lisa Morgans, Philip Robinson, Lucy Coyne and Gwen Rees.

Outcome 1: Discuss the different behaviour change models

Outcome 2: Explain how to apply a behaviour change model within practice

Outcome 3: Understand how using a behaviour change model can improve communication between the veterinary professional and the client

Farm Vet Champions

Cattle

Description:

The British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA) introduces how to use antibiotics responsibly in cattle, including dairy herds, sucklers and youngstock.

CPD: 2 hours 40 minutes

Authors: Rachel Hayton, Keith Cutler, Kat Hart, BCVA

Outcome 1: Define key areas where there is a risk of inappropriate antibiotic use

Outcome 2: Explain ‘Plan Prevent Protect’ principles to ensure good practice in each of these areas

Outcome 3: Establish these principles for direct application in herds under their care.

Outcome 4: Identify and implement relevant goals for responsible antimicrobial use at a personal and practice level

Farm Vet Champions

Goats

Description:

The Goat Veterinary Society (GVS) introduces how to use antibiotics responsibly in goat herds.

CPD: 1 hour

Authors: Nick Perkins, Goat Veterinary Society

Outcome 1: Define key areas where there is a risk of inappropriate antibiotic use.

Outcome 2: Explain ‘Plan Prevent Protect’ principles to ensure good practice in each of these areas.

Outcome 3: Establish these principles for direct application in herds under their care.

Outcome 4: Develop basic herd metrics for antibiotic usage and set targets and strategies for goat herds under their care.

Farm Vet Champions

Pigs

Description:

The Pig Veterinary Society (PVS) introduces how to use antibiotics responsibly in pigs, including pet pigs and small-scale producers.

CPD: 45 minutes

Authors: Mandy Nevel, Pig Veterinary Society

Outcome 1: Define key areas of pig production and keeping where there is a risk of inappropriote antibiotic use. Particular emphasis on small-scale or pet pig keeping.

Outcome 2: Outline appropriate strategies for reducing this risk.

Outcome 3: Explain 'Plan Prevent Protect' principles to ensure good practice in each of these areas.

Outcome 4: Understand the principles of health planning for small-scale pig units.

Outcome 5: Know where to calculate antibiotic usage for pigs under your care.

Farm Vet Champions

Poultry

Description:

The British Veterinary Poultry Association (BVPA) introduces how to use antibiotics responsibly in poultry, including turkeys, laying flocks and gamebirds.

CPD: 2.5 hours

Authors: Henrietta Kodilinye-Sims, Emma Youngs, John Tasker, British Veterinary Poultry Association.

Outcome 1: Define key areas in poultry management where there is a risk of inappropriate antibiotic use

Outcome 2: Explain ‘Plan. Prevent. Protect’ principles to ensure good practice in each of these key areas

Outcome 3: Establish these principles for direct application in flocks under their care.

Outcome 4: Calculate and compare antibiotic usage for flocks under their care.

Outcome 5: Use 'Monitor. Measure. Manage' principles to inform flock health planning and help improve client relationship.

Farm Vet Champions

Sheep

Description:

The Sheep Veterinary Society (SVS) introduces how to use antibiotics responsibly in sheep herds.

CPD: 60 minutes

Authors: Fiona Lovatt, Sheep Veterinary Society

Outcome 1: Define key areas in sheep where there is a risk of inappropriate antibiotic use.

Outcome 2: Explain ‘Plan Prevent Protect’ principles to ensure good practice in each of these areas.

Outcome 3: Establish these principles for direct application in flocks under their care.

Outcome 4: Calculate and compare antibiotic usage for sheep flocks under their care.

Farm Vet Champions

Collating and recording antimicrobial use

Description:

These links from Farm Vet Champions collaborators provide a central platform to collate, report and compare antimicrobial use.

Farm Vet Champions

How to set your SMART goals

Description:

In this section there are informative videos to explain what a SMART goal is and a demonstration of how to use the Farm Vet Champions SMART goals tool.

CPD: 5 minutes

Authors: RCVS Knowledge

Outcome 1: Understand what SMART stands for.

Outcome 2: Give an example of a SMART goal.

Outcome 3: Understand how the SMART goal platform works.

Outcome 4: Use the SMART goal platform.