Practical Training for ABSs

Once you have passed the OCQ(AHP) - ABS online exam, you will need to nominate your Approved Veterinary Supervisor - Blood Sampling (AVS-BS). This can be done via the ‘Practical training phase’ section of your training details on your Personal Training Dashboard.

Nominating an AVS-BS will trigger an email to your nominee, asking them to confirm that they are prepared to undertake the AVS-BS role. Your AVS-BS may nominate up to two deputies, who will provide cover when required.

When your AVS-BS has completed this process, APHA will process your authorisation for conditional ABS status. Once you have received an email confirmation from APHA that your conditional authorisation has been granted, you may start your practical training.

Please note: This can take up to ten working days. You must not start your practical training until you have official confirmation from APHA that you are conditionally authorised. 

Conditional ABS authorisation

Blood sampling under supervision

Your AVS-BS will teach you the practical skills required to blood sample cattle correctly. They must provide direct and personal supervision of you blood sampling until you pass your Practical Assessment and have been granted full ABS authorisation by APHA.

When you are under the direct and personal supervision of your AVS-BS and are learning to blood sample cattle you must fulfil the following requirements:

• Blood sample at least 100 cattle (a maximum of 35 animals on each holding may count towards the minimum sampling requirements)
• Take blood samples from cattle on at least three different farms
• Undertake blood sampling on a mixture of beef and dairy type cattle
• Collect a minimum of 95 coccygeal samples and a minimum of 5 jugular samples
• Upload case logs that evidence the blood sampling you have completed and share these with your AVS-BS
• ABSs in Wales only: Conditionally authorised ABSs in Wales can blood sample cattle for bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) as part of the eradication scheme in Wales under the direct supervision of their AVS-BS. These cattle will count towards the minimum sampling requirements. However, BVD-specific face to face training organised by the Welsh Government must be completed before an ABS can blood sample cattle for BVD in Wales under full authorisation (i.e. without direct supervision). Please see APHA briefing note 34/25 for further details. 

When you have completed all the above requirements, your AVS-BS must sign you off on the database

RVN Exception

If you are a Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN) with experience of blood sampling cattle, APHA may be able to grant an exception to part of the practical training requirements. To be eligible, you will need to have access to evidence of cattle that you previously blood sampled under direct supervision of a veterinary surgeon. If the exception is approved, blood samples collected prior to conditional authorisation (as well as any collected during the period of conditional authorisation) can be counted towards the practical training requirements if your Veterinary Supervisor Blood Sampling (AVS-BS) certifies that they have been carried out under supervision, either by themself or another veterinary surgeon.  You will still be required to complete a practical assessment by your AVS-BS. 

To apply for an exception, please email the APHA OV Team (CSCOneHealthOVTeam@apha.gov.uk), stating your RCVS reference number and confirmation that you have experience of blood sampling cattle. 

Practical Assessment

The Practical Assessment must be completed within six months of receiving your conditional ABS authorisation. You must arrange the Practical Assessment with your AVS-BS. 

The following questions and answers explain more about the Practical Assessment: 

• How do I know I am ready to book my Practical Assessment?
• What should I consider when arranging my Practical Assessment? 
• What should I expect during the Practical Assessment?
• What happens after I have passed the Practical Assessment?
• I work in Wales and have passed the Practical Assessment, do I need to do anything else?
• What if I need to retake the Practical Assessment?

How do I know I am ready to book my Practical Assessment?

You will be ready when you have: 

1. Blood sampled a minimum of 100 cattle on at least 3 different farms during your conditional training phase.
2. Completed and shared your case logs with your AVS-BS and uploaded your case logs to your Personal Training Dashboard.
3. Been signed off by your AVS-BS using the link they were emailed upon their nomination.

What should I consider when arranging my Practical Assessment? 

Your Practical Assessment will take place on a farm belonging to one of your practice’s clients. When selecting suitable blood sampling, please consider the following:

• We suggest that you have your Practical Assessment on a farm with good, safe handling facilities and quiet adult cattle.
• You must sample a minimum of 30 animals during the Practical Assessment.
• Ensure that the farmer understands that the AVS-BS will be assessing you, so it may take longer than usual.

• For instances where there are not 30 cattle to sample at a single sampling event on a single farm, some flexibility can be allowed for ABSs to complete the Practical Assessment across multiple farms/days. Please contact the APHA OV Team for more information: CSCOneHealthOVTeam@apha.gov.uk

What should I expect during the Practical Assessment?

You will be assessed on:

• What you have been taught in the online course and by your AVS-BS during your practical training.
• The manner in which you present yourself on the farm. Disease control is important, so if you present yourself, your car or your equipment in a way that presents a disease risk to the farm you are visiting, you will fail the Practical Assessment on these grounds.

Your AVS-BS will:

• Be present at the start of the sampling to check your equipment and your biosecurity practices.
• Discuss the first few animals with you, giving you time to ask questions and for your AVS-BS to correct any inconsistencies in your sampling technique.
• Watch you blood sample sufficient cattle, then give you feedback on how you have done. 

Please note: A copy of the Assessment Report Form (OV74) can be found here. Please ensure that you read this carefully so that you understand what is expected of you.

What happens after I have passed the Practical Assessment?

• You are responsible for uploading a completed copy of the Assessment Report Form (OV74) to the ABS case log section of your Personal Training Dashboard.
• Your AVS-BS must continue to be with you when blood sampling until APHA have granted you full ABS authorisation.

• Improve International will notify APHA once you have passed your Practical Assessment.

• APHA will then award you full ABS authorisation for blood sampling. You will receive an email notification when your authorisation status is changed and can check that this has been done on your Personal Training Dashboard. Please allow five working days for APHA to complete this process.

• When you are granted full authorisation, you will be allowed to blood sample cattle alone but must be under the general direction of your AVS-BS who must always be available to join you on a farm if needed.

• Your AVS-BS must audit your blood sampling, four to six months after you pass your Practical Assessment, for you to maintain your authorisation.

• You must upload a copy of the Audit Report Form (OV72) to the ABS case log section of your Personal Training Dashboard.

I work in Wales and have passed the Practical Assessment, do I need to do anything else?

• If you have passed the Practical Assessment and been granted full authorisation by APHA and wish to blood sample cattle for BVD as part of the eradication scheme in Wales, you will need to attend BVD-specific face to face training organised by the Welsh Government. This BVD-specific training can be completed at any time but, please note that:
  • It is not compulsory to have completed the face to face training to blood sample cattle for BVD in Wales during your period of conditional authorisation (whilst under direct supervision of your AVS-BS)
  • BUT fully authorised ABSs can only blood sample cattle independently for BVD in Wales once the face to face BVD-specific training has been completed. 
• Please see APHA briefing note 34/25 for further details.

What if I need to retake the Practical Assessment?

• If you fail the Practical Assessment, you will be required to undertake further training under the direct and personal supervision of your AVS-BS before you retake it.
• If you fail a second Practical Assessment you will be required to retake the full OCQ(AHP) - ABS course. In such cases, the full enrolment fee of £199 plus VAT must be paid again