When we first came up with the concept of National SQP Week, our aim was simple: to shine a light on the role of Suitably Qualified Persons (Animal Medicines Advisors) and to help more people understand the value they bring to animal health, animal welfare, and responsible medicines use. Fast forward to June and in collaboration with the other industry regulators, Vetpol and VetSkill, the inaugural National SQP Week launched.

SQPs are often highly visible to animal owners, farmers and equine clients, yet the breadth and professionalism, and depth of knowledge of their role is not always fully recognised. They are qualified, regulated and accountable professionals who are qualified to provide clear, practical and evidence-based advice at the point where it can make a real difference: when an animal owner is choosing, buying or using a veterinary medicine.

That advice matters. It helps ensure medicines are used safely, effectively and responsibly. It supports parasite control, antimicrobial and environmental stewardship, and good animal welfare. It also helps animal owners understand not only what treatment may be appropriate or conversely inappropriate, but also how to use medicines correctly, when to seek further advice, and why responsible use benefits individual animals, wider populations and the environment, as well as management approaches which may reduce the need for medicine use or reduce the pressure on resistance development.

That is why National SQP Week was so important. It gave us, our fellow regulators, SQPs themselves, employers, trainers and any stakeholders involved with the SQP profession a focused opportunity to actively celebrate the people behind the role, to raise awareness of the standards SQPs meet, and to encourage the wider sector to recognise the contribution they make across companion animal, equine and livestock settings.

We have been extremely pleased by the response to the campaign and the level of engagement it generated. From the many messages of support shared online, to the SQP profiles celebrating individuals across the profession, the enthusiasm was clear. Employers and teams also used the week to recognise their SQPs through team celebrations, CPD sessions and conversations with clients and customers about the value of the role. AMTRA was pleased to add to this by sharing video and written case studies, hearing from vets, farmers, SQPs and horse owners about the importance of trusted animal medicines advice and collaboration across the profession — all of which can be viewed on our website.

For AMTRA, National SQP Week was also a timely opportunity to celebrate those just entering the profession. At our summer event at the House of Lords, supported by Lord Trees and held the day before the campaign began, we were proud to present awards to the latest cohort of AMTRA-qualified SQPs. These awards recognised the hard work, commitment and achievement involved in reaching that milestone. Becoming an SQP requires significant learning, rigorous assessment and a readiness to take on professional responsibility.

Those newly qualified SQPs represent the future of a profession that continues to evolve. Their knowledge and confidence will be vital as animal health challenges become more complex, as expectations around responsible medicines use grow, and as animal owners increasingly look for trusted, accessible advice. They join thousands of registered SQPs who are already making that contribution in businesses, practices, stores and communities across the UK.

As the biggest SQP regulator, AMTRA’s is invested in supporting the profession, upholding standards and ensuring the register continues to command confidence. We are passionate about the quality of the SQPs on the AMTRA Register, and that is why we set expectations that go beyond the minimum, including in relation to continuing professional development. CPD is not simply about maintaining a qualification: it is about ensuring SQPs remain current, confident and equipped to respond to changing science, changing regulation, changing customer needs and changing expectations across the animal health sector.

The pace of change is significant. The industry is rightly placing more emphasis on responsible prescribing and supply, on collaboration between professionals, on resistance management, on environmental impact and on clear communication with animal owners. SQPs have a vital role to play in turning those priorities into practical advice and action. To do that well, they need access to high-quality, relevant and up-to-date learning.

That is why we continue to invest in AMTRA’s CPD provision, especially the AMTRA CPD Academy, which is now the biggest and most visited SQP CPD platform in the industry and why we will keep developing content that reflects the real-world responsibilities SQPs carry, as well as supporting third parties who offer high-quality CPD meeting SQP needs that run in tandem to the content on the AMTRA Academy. We want CPD to be meaningful, practical and forward-looking, supporting SQPs not just to retain their status, but to grow as trusted animal medicines advisors.

National SQP Week has shown there is a strong appetite to recognise and champion this profession. But it should not be seen as a one-off moment. It is part of a wider, ongoing commitment by AMTRA to raise awareness, support standards and build pride in a role that is pivotal to responsible veterinary medicines advice.
As we look ahead, our message is clear. SQPs are not simply part of the supply chain; they are a knowledgeable, professional and accessible source of advice. They help animal owners make informed choices, are a bridge to other veterinary professionals such as vets, groomers and farriers, support better outcomes for animals, and contribute to the responsible use of medicines across the sectors they serve.

We are proud of the engagement National SQP Week has generated, proud of the newest qualified SQPs joining the AMTRA register, and proud of the many SQPs already making a difference every day. Our job now is to keep that momentum going: to continue supporting the profession, to strengthen standards and to ensure SQPs are recognised for the important work they do.

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