11 Sep Contract timeline news
Defra recently held their first engagement meeting in relation to their plans for renewing the Veterinary Delivery Partnership (VDP) contracts across England and Wales. The existing contract holders were in attendance, eager to hear what changes are likely to be made in the next round of service contracts which are due to begin in April 2021.
Perhaps surprisingly, Defra/APHA seem likely to make only minor changes to the geographical delivery regions. Some people thought that there may be a move towards a recognition of the vastly different approaches required for testing in low risk versus high risk areas. Others thought that the regions were likely to remain unchanged.
Instead, the contracts team suggested that they might divide the counties of the Midlands region between its three neighbours. This would have the effect of increasing the value of the South East and Northern regions and it was felt that this would make all the remaining four English regions more attractive for businesses who might wish to compete in service delivery. There is no suggestion for similar changes in Wales.
The proposals were presented as suggestions and ideas rather than fully-formed decisions and it remains to be seen whether this proposal will appear in the final ‘invitation to tender’ documentation which will be published in the early summer of 2020.
There were very few suggestions for further radical change, although several minor veterinary tasks including follow-up visits for new TB breakdowns were proposed as additions for contractual services. XL Farmcare were pleased to hear that the clinical skills of veterinary practice, including the surveillance for notifiable diseases, will remain linked to the big budget bovine TB testing services. We hope that this will ensure that private veterinary practices remain best placed to deliver the full range of services to their farm clients, should they wish to do so.
Many practices will already be aware that the first five years of the first iteration of the VDP contracts expire in March next year. The Authority wanted to add an extra year to these five to help them transition past the extraordinary political uncertainty that currently surrounds those tasked with delivery of government services. Having negotiated terms that help to reflect the significant inflationary pressures experienced in the veterinary sector the XL Farmcare regional companies will be contacting practices early in the New Year to discuss the finer details of a one-year supply contract for the period from March 2020 to April 2021.
After that; who knows! XL Farmcare will certainly be attempting to continue to ensure that private veterinary practices which are currently providing clinical services to farmers can choose to stay involved with management of TB and the other diseases that are subject to statutory controls. Corporate acquisition activity is changing the balance of power in terms of who carries out the work and we will endeavour to learn more about the wishes and aspirations of all types of farm practice. We continue to encourage the decision makers within Defra/APHA to recognise the important role of local practitioners and to try to ensure that the pressures of private practice are fully understood by those working for Government