4 Dec 2020
Devon-based practice North Park Veterinary Group named winner in “Animal Health, Agriculture and Food Supply” category of awards that reward innovation in efforts to prevent overuse and unnecessary use of antibiotics.
Paul Imrie
Job Title
A veterinary practice is celebrating landing a top award in an annual scheme that rewards innovators in helping to reduce antibiotic use.
North Park Veterinary Group in Devon was the overall winner in the “Animal Health, Agriculture and Food Supply” category in the 2020 Antibiotic Guardian Awards.
The Antibiotic Guardian campaign aims to increase commitment and raise awareness among the public and health care professionals across human and animal health sectors. It aims to showcase initiatives in the UK and worldwide to slow the development of resistant bacteria, and prevent the overuse and unnecessary use of antibiotics.
The awards, which were rescheduled and held online at the end of November, celebrate the work of health care professionals across the UK and worldwide in tackling antimicrobial resistance.
The awards form part of the ongoing Antibiotic Guardian campaign, led by Public Health England in collaboration with UK devolved administrations and professional bodies.
North Park had entered because of its efforts to end “the prophylactic usage of spectinomycin in neonates” and monitoring overall usage of antibiotics across its sheep farm clients.
The project was commended by judges for demonstrating a clear impact on reducing prophylactic usage of antibiotics in lambs, and pointed out the actions could be replicated at other practices handling sheep elsewhere in the UK.
Winners in other hospitals included NHS trusts, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, chemist Boots and the University of Leeds.
On the win, vet and North Park director Jonathan Hobbs said: “I am very proud – and surprised – to have won this award. It would not have been possible without the engagement and support of the entire team at North Park, nor the willingness of our clients to make significant and often scary changes to their usual farming practices.
“I hope that the lessons we learned with regard to successfully changing farmer behaviours can prove helpful to other vets. As indicated by the recent [Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture Alliance] report, we are certainly not alone in significantly reducing our usage of antibiotics in farm animals, and this award is good news and recognition for the whole profession.
“It is also particularly timely in light of Defra’s recently published Agricultural Transition Plan.”
For full details of all the night’s winners, visit the awards website.
