Compulsory Farm CPD

Managing parasite control for farm-animals is a critical part of the role of the farm-animal RAMA. Acting consistent with the guidance from SCOPS and COWS is a requirement of the Code of Practice.

Understanding anthelmintic resistance, and how it impacts on choices in parasite control strategies, is thus a key part of the prescribing process for RAMAs, and is factored into much of the CPD that AMTRA RAMAs undertake in each two-year CPD period.

The AMTRA Council and Board, acting on a recommendation from the AHDA Council, has agreed that in the two-year CPD period from July 2021, there will be an element of compulsory farm CPD, with a focus on resistance and its management, within the existing CPD points target.

  1. The CPD in question gains extra points, earning 10 points per hour rather than 4 to 8 points per hour typically given to other CPD.
  2. All farm RAMAs (categories R, G, K, L) must gain at least 24 points of enhanced farm CPD by the end of this CPD period (30 June 2023).
  3. There is no change in the overall personal points targets, which normally range from 50 points for those in the “L” category (farm-animal only) to 80 points for those in the “R” category (all species). It will be necessary to gain the overall total and the 24 points of enhanced farm CPD – but the enhanced farm CPD points count towards the overall total, so there is no increase in CPD being required.
  4. Those who are qualified and on the AMTRA Register by the end of 2021 and who have gained the farm element of the qualification by the end of 2021 are required to do this enhanced farm CPD by 30 June 2023. Those qualifying for the first time after 2021 or gaining the farm element after 2021 are not, nor are those given points reductions for other reasons, at least until CPD period 8.
  5. Those not gaining the required 24 points by 30 June 2023 will lose the farm-animal element of their AMTRA registration; if they are in the "L" category (farm-animal only), they will lose their overall AMTRA registration.
  6. There are 24 enhanced farm CPD points available from AMTRA on sheep parasite control with a focus on resistance, written by Lesley Stubbings of SCOPS, hosted for AMTRA by VBMS SQP Learning. (See further down for how to gain access.)
  7. In addition to the Lesley Stubbings material mentioned above, a NADIS programme offers up to 57 points towards the compulsory farm points. Additional material may be added, so that RAMAs can make personal decisions about which CPD is most relevant to them – but AMTRA encourages all farm RAMAs to take all of the AMTRA enhanced farm CPD as we believe it is all valuable (and it all benefits from the extra points per hour): details of what currently contributes to these compulsory points is on the AMTRA website.
  8. While most material is currently AMTRA-initiated and hosted online by VBMS SQP Learning, AMTRA is open to considering applications for accreditation from third parties for CPD with a strong focus on resistance management. In deciding whether to accredit such material, the independence of the content will be important, as will the extent to which it adds to rather than replicates the existing accredited material.
  9. AMTRA CPD points summaries, available on the AMTRA website, and routinely sent by email and post, will show how many points of the enhanced farm CPD, and how many overall, have been earned, and thus whether the combined target has been met.

Accessing the enhanced farm CPD modules from AMTRA

AMTRA has commissioned four SCOPS modules from Lesley Stubbings. These are hosted for AMTRA on the VBMS SQP Learning platform and together are worth 24 points towards the compulsory farm points target.

  • SCOPS 1 - INTRODUCTION TO ANTHELMINTIC RESISTANCE (AR)
  • SCOPS 2 - CLASSES OF ANTHELMINTICS
  • SCOPS 3 - SLOWING AR ON SHEEP FARMS
  • SCOPS 4 - MANAGING LIVER FLUKE

See the main CPD Opportunities page on the AMTRA website for how to access the VBMS platform. Once logged in, look for the four SCOPS modules.

Parasite control training from NADIS

NADIS have developed an advanced training module for qualified RAMAs to build on their knowledge of parasite control in sheep and cattle. RAMAs completing this course will be confident to provide advice, prescribe appropriate medicines, and produce a parasite control plan using NADIS' unique online parasite control planner which is electronically integrated with the localized parasite forecast for farmers RAMAs who pass the assessment module will be accredited by NADIS and AMTRA in advanced parasite control and eligible to use the NADIS parasite control planners.

The programme carries 57 CPD points in total and gains you all of your compulsory/enhanced farm CPD points required.

For more information visit the NADIS website.