Enhanced/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 2023, there will be an element of enhanced/compulsory farm CPD, with a focus on resistance and its management, within the existing CPD points target.

Note that this CPD is 'compulsory' in the sense that all farm RAMAs/SQPs must obtain at least 24 of these points, but there are more than 24 points available, so which CPD is undertaken by each person is up to them - none of the individual pieces of CPD is 'compulsory'.

  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 2025).
  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 2023 and who have gained the farm element of the qualification by the end of 2023 are required to do this enhanced farm CPD by 30 June 2025. Those qualifying for the first time after 2023 or gaining the farm element after 2023 are not, nor are those given points reductions for other reasons, at least until CPD period 9.
  5. Those not gaining the required 24 points by 30 June 2025 will lose the farm-animal element of their AMTRA registration on 30 September 2025; if they are in the "L" category (farm-animal only), they will lose their overall AMTRA registration on 30 September 2025.
  6. There are various options available to gain the minimum 24 enhanced/compulsory farm CPD points - these are listed on the AMTRA website at amtra.org.uk/FarmCPD [further down this page]
  7. While much material is currently AMTRA-initiated, 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.
  8. 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.

Enhanced farm CPD options in the AMTRA CPD Academy

To access CPD on the AMTRA website, make sure you are logged in, and then go to the AMTRA CPD Academy page.

Enhanced farm CPD SCOPS 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 enhanced/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.

Enhanced farm COWS and SCOPS CPD in OvertheCounter funded by AMTRA

From the September 2023 issue of OvertheCounter magazine, AMTRA is paying for the inclusion of SCOPS and COWS CPD which will carry the normal 2 CPD points, but these will count towards the enhanced/compulsory farm CPD obligation.

  • SCOPS module on "Sheep scab - an update for prescribers" (A3347) in the September 2023 issue of OTC
  • COWS module "Controlling parasites in cattle at housing" (A3367) in November 2023
  • SCOPS module "Targeting anthelmintic use in ewes at lambing" (A3383) in January 2024
  • COWS module "Controlling parasites in cattle at turnout" (A3401) in March 2024
  • SCOPS module "How to get the most from Faecal Egg Counts in lambs (FECs)" (A3431) in May 2024
  • COWS module "Controlling cattle parasites in summer" (A3459) in July 2024
  • SCOPS module "Enhancing the Sustainability of Parasite Control" (A3489) in September 2024
  • COWS module "Parasite control in cattle in winter" (A3515) in November 2024

These can be completed in the magazine and submitted from there, or are available to be completed online on the OTC website.

University Diploma in Animal Medicines Advice - module on Herd Health Planning

Harper Adams University in conjunction with AMTRA is now offering a University Diploma in Animal Medicines Advice - this first of its kind Diploma is the only formal post-registration qualification for RAMAs (SQPs).

You can read more about the Diploma and the modules within it. Each module is available for individual study as CPD if desired, without the requirement of completing the full Diploma. Upon successful completion, you'll earn the right to use the postnominals 'Dip AMA' in addition to your RAMA/SQP qualifications.

The module on Herd Health Planning gains 105 CPD points including satisying the enhanced/compulsory CPD points requirement - but if you're considering relying on this as a source of your CPD points, do check with Harper Adams about when the course and qualification will run: they start only from time to time, so that may run into the next AMTRA CPD period.

Enhanced farm CPD: 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.

More coming soon

Both AMTRA and others are working on additional CPD options that will count towards the minimum 24 enhanced/compulsory farm points. Where these are available over an ongoing extended period, they will be listed here.

A range of one-off events have also been accredited in the past, and we expect that to continue. The one-off events and the material available over the longer term will be highlighted in email newsletters from AMTRA - make sure we have an up to date email address for you to avoid missing out.