Champion antibiotic prescribing group exceeds target milestones

A Welsh Government-funded programme working to reduce antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in animals and the environment has almost achieved nationwide coverage, officials said.

The Veterinary Prescribing Champion (VPC) network, part of Arwain DGC, is said to have experienced a significant increase in activity and participation over the past 12 months.

In the year up to March 2026, six new practices signed up to the programme, meaning 91% of eligible practices in Wales have engaged with it.

The new practices contributed an intake of 14 new VPCs, taking the total to 89. The champions received a total of 9.9 days of training – exceeding the annual target of 3.5 – and they delivered 47 farmer-facing events.

Champion workshops

Between October and March, VPCs led 13 peer-to-peer workshops and discussion groups – covering antimicrobial stewardship topics including antibiotic prophylaxis, prescribing pathways and clinical audits – against a target of four per quarter.

In that same time frame, clinical leads provided more than 50 tailored one to one supportive interactions such as practice visits, support with clinical audit and assistance with client events, against a target of 40.

The target milestones are said to have been backed by data from a recent support and training survey in which almost 96% of respondents felt opportunities to discuss AMR were important to their CPD, with high demand for in-person regional events and webinars.

‘Sense of pride’

Daleside Vets VPC Lara Robinson-Fletcher said participating in the network “brings a sense of pride” to her work and “means being part of a community of like-minded vets who all recognise the importance of antimicrobial stewardship and who are similarly passionate about prescribing responsibly”.

VPC Joe Angell, of Wern Vets Cyf, said Arwain DGC overall had been “hugely impactful in Wales” and was a “great example of academics, vets, and farmers working positively together on a major public health issue”.

Arwain’s “Proof of Concept” project, which included 11 farms piloting new technologies and best practices to find effective ways to reduce reliance on antibiotics, led to significant reductions in antimicrobial usage in each case.

As part of the project, one site – Upper House Farm in Abergavenny, working with VPC Victoria Fisher of Farm First Vets – reported a 92% reduction in usage between 2021 and 2024.

Outcomes clear

Dr Angell added: “The outcomes are clear and speak for themselves: a major countrywide reduction in antimicrobial use, the recovery of antimicrobial sensitivity in some areas, and successful examples of farmers and vets collaborating to achieve tailored reductions while maintaining and improving animal welfare and production outcomes.”

VPC clinical lead Amelia Sidwell, who has taken over from BVA junior vice-president Gwen Rees as Arwain’s veterinary development manager, said future plans for the network included offering training in human behaviour change to support antibiotic stewardship goals, more research to guide prescribing practices and increased support for wider practice teams.

She added: “It’s incredible how far the VPC network has come since its initial inception, and I am looking forward to being part of this next phase – building on the strong foundations already in place and continuing to support practical, collaborative approaches to antimicrobial stewardship.”