Supervisor Requirements

Supervision of ATT candidates
Supervision of CSO candidates
Supervision of FCCO candidates

Eligibility checks

Overview

All candidates will be required to nominate their employer or a representative of their employer when they register on the AHP database. The nominated person will receive an email request to confirm the candidate's eligibility to apply for the intended course. The nominated person must respond to this request before the candidate can proceed to enrol on their chosen course.

APHA requires employers to confirm the following:

the identity and age of the candidate
the candidate's basic disclosure as required in their country of residence (click the links for further information for England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland)
the candidate's academic or equivalent qualifications
the candidate's English language skills
that the candidate has no known Conflict of Interest in the proposed work

For the CSO course

The employer or representative of the employer must be a Certifying Officer (CO) who is either an Official Veterinarian (OV) who holds the OCQ(V) - PX qualification or an FCCO. The CO must carry out a number of eligibility checks, listed below, and confirm that they have done so. The CO must confirm:

the candidate’s identity, by checking a combination of: (a) one valid official photo-identity document such as a passport or driving licence, with (b) at least two other recent documents establishing their address, such as a bank statement, utility bill or demand for Council Tax. Further guidance is available here.
that the candidate is over 18 years of age
that the candidate has the right to work in the UK
that the candidate meets at least the minimum requirement of three A levels, one of which must be in a science or a food technology subject. Equivalent qualifications are eligible, for example Scottish Highers or qualifications awarded outside the UK. All UK university degrees are eligible. The candidate may be eligible based on relevant experience if they cannot meet the above criteria. As a guide, at least three years’ experience of working in a regulatory, industrial food processing environment or working as a veterinary paraprofessional will be considered.
- Candidates in GB should make an application for eligibility by email to CSCOneHealthOVTeam@apha.gov.uk, stating relevant experience and other relevant information. The APHA will then consider the application and advise them, in writing, on their eligibility. Note that if candidates are applying for eligibility based on experience, they must detail the specifics of their role and how this relates to the work of a CSO. Without this, an accurate assessment cannot be made and the application will be rejected.
- Candidates in Northern Ireland should apply to tradecertificationstandards@daera-ni.gov.uk. DAERA will then assess eligibility (based on relevant experience) and send a confirmation to the candidate if they are eligible.
that the candidate has shown their CO the APHA/DAERA eligibility confirmation communication before their CO is able to confirm the candidate's eligibility details
that the candidate has presented their CO with a ‘basic disclosure check’ with no unspent convictions relating to fraud or animal and public health
that the candidate is proficient in English, being able to communicate for the purposes of the role of an Animal Health Paraprofessional
that the candidate has no known Conflict of Interest in the proposed work

CSO theory training must be completed by an exam to be invigilated by a Certifying Officer.

Change of employment

If an ATT or CSO subsequently changes their place of work they must update the database and nominate their new employer or a representative of their new employer. The eligibility criteria must be confirmed with every change of employment.

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Supervision of OCQ(AHP) - ATT candidates

To be eligible to supervise OCQ(AHP) - ATT candidates, an Approved Veterinary Supervisor (AVS) must be an Official Veterinarian who holds the OCQ(V) - TT qualification. The AVS must have had a fully compliant UK Farmcare, APHA, Improve International or other Veterinary Delivery Partner (VDP) audit within the two years prior to accepting the AVS role. Where there have been multiple audits within that period the last audit must have been fully compliant. Please be aware that APHA will review the most recent audit outcome for each nominated AVS and deputy AVS. If there are any recorded non-compliances, regardless of whether penalty points are awarded, an individual will not be considered suitable to fulfil the AVS or deputy role.

At any one time an AVS can supervise:

one ATT in training plus one authorised ATT, OR
two authorised ATTs

In addition to the above, they may also act as a deputy AVS for other ATTs (who are either in training or authorised) simultaneously.

Each candidate must nominate an AVS prior to being granted conditional authorisation by APHA. The AVS will receive an email asking them to follow a link which will give them the information on the supervision requirements. The AVS will be asked to confirm that they understand and are prepared to undertake the role. They will also be asked to nominate a deputy AVS who will be available to cover holidays and other occasions when the AVS is not available. A second deputy can be nominated if required.

Whilst the ATT is in their conditional testing phase the AVS must provide direct and continuous supervision at every test. Once the ATT has tested the required number of cattle and seen the prescribed number of reactions, their AVS must confirm that this has been done. The ATT will then be required to undertake a Practical Assessment with an Improve International Assessor in order to be given full authorisation by APHA. The AVS must be present at the ATT's Practical Assessment and continue to provide direct and continuous supervision until the ATT is notified by APHA that they have been granted full authorisation to conduct TB testing.

Once an ATT has been granted full authorisation by APHA they may test alone, under the direction of their AVS, and the AVS must be available to join them, on a farm, if required. The ATT must report all test results to their AVS who, following consultation of the findings, will confirm the result of the test.

The AVS must audit every ATT under their supervision six months after the ATT passes their Practical Assessment. If this is not done, the ATT's authorisation to conduct TB tests will be removed by APHA.

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Supervision of OCQ(AHP) - CSO candidates

After passing the online exam there is no formal period of supervision, but CSOs must work under the direction of a CO:

In GB, the CO will be an Official Veterinarian (OV) holding the OCQ(V) - PX (Product Exports) qualification or an FCCO.
In NI, CSOs with full authorisation from DAERA will be required to work under the direction or supervision of a DAERA-authorised CO who is an Official Veterinarian (OV) in a private veterinary practice in Northern Ireland or an Environmental Health Officer who is a Food Competent Certifying Officer (FCCO) in a Local Authority in Northern Ireland.

The CO is responsible for training the CSO in the details of the products they will be working with, the processes involved and the evidence that is required for certifying those products. There is further information in the OV instructions here.

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Supervision of OCQ(CO) - FCCO candidates

Eligibility checks – overview

All FCCO candidates will be required to nominate their Lead Food Officer (for Local Authority employees) or Senior Manager (for FSS employees or Lead Food Officers within LAs) when they register on the AHP database. The nominated person will receive an email request to confirm the candidate's eligibility to apply for the intended course. The nominated person must respond to this request before the candidate can proceed to enrol on their chosen course.

APHA requires employers to confirm the following:

the identity and age of the candidate
the candidate's basic disclosure as required in their country of residence (click for further information for England and Wales, and for Scotland)
the candidate's academic or equivalent qualifications
the candidate's English language skills
that the candidate has no known Conflict of Interest in the proposed work

Eligibility checks – for the FCCO course

The nominated Lead Food Officer (for Local Authority employees) or Senior Manager (for FSS employees) must carry out a number of eligibility checks, listed below, and confirm that they have done so. They must confirm:

that the candidate is employed or contractually engaged by either:
- a Local Authority in GB and authorised according to the Food Law Code of Practice for the inspection and execution of official food hygiene controls; or
- Food Standards Scotland (FSS) and deemed competent to carry out the role of FCCO.
that the candidate holds one of the following recognised qualifications, as demonstrated in the Policy for Authorisation:
- Diploma in Environmental Health awarded by the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland (REHIS)
- Certificate of Registration as an Environmental Health Practitioner awarded by the Environmental Health Registration Board (EHRB) (including its antecedents and replacement)
- Higher Certificate in Food Control (HCFC) awarded by the Environmental Health Registration Board (EHRB)
- Higher Certificate in Official Control (HCOC) awarded by the Scottish Food Safety Officer’s Registration Board (SFSORB)
- Higher Certificate in Food Practice awarded by the Scottish Food Safety Officer’s Registration Board (SFSORB)
- Advanced Professional Certificate in Food Hygiene and Standards Control awarded by CIEH (Chartered Institute of Environmental Health)
- Other qualification deemed to be equivalent by their recognised Professional Body (Annex I).
  - APHA may permit authorised persons to register based on relevant previous experience, training and performance, on a case-by-case basis and in direct discussion with the responsible Lead Food Officer
  - Candidates in GB should make an application for eligibility by email to CSCOneHealthOVTeam@apha.gov.uk, stating relevant experience and other relevant information. They will need to fill in form ET210, which can be found on the Vet Gateway, along with further guidance. The APHA will then consider the application and advise them, in writing, on their eligibility
  - The candidate must show their Lead Food Officer/supervisor the APHA eligibility confirmation communication before their Lead Food Officer/supervisor is able to confirm the candidate's eligibility details
that the candidate has presented their Lead Food Officer/supervisor with a 'basic disclosure check' with no unspent convictions relating to fraud, animal health or public health
that the candidate is proficient in English, being able to communicate for the purposes of the role of a Food Competent Certifying Officer
that the candidate has no known conflict of interest in the proposed work