OCQ(AHP) - ABS (Approved Blood Sampler)

The Approved Blood Sampler (ABS) course provides the training required for paraprofessionals to collect blood samples from cattle for the control or eradication of infectious disease, under the general direction of an Approved Veterinary Supervisor - Blood Sampling (AVS-BS). ABSs may be authorised to work in England and Wales only (not Scotland). For ABSs in Wales wishing to blood sample cattle for bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) as part of the eradication scheme, additional BVD-specific training must be undertaken. Please click here for further details.

To be eligible to enrol on the ABS course, the ABS's employer must declare that they meet all the requirements for employment as an ABS. An ABS must:

• be at least 18 years of age at initial enrolment
• have passed Identification and basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) security checks
• be employed in England or Wales (ABSs cannot be authorised in Scotland)
• have a minimum of 6 months' livestock handling experience 
• AND EITHER
  • (a) 3 GCSEs or equivalent qualifications in English, mathematics, and a science or food production subject
• OR
  • (b) 3 years performance in a government regulatory role, e.g. Local Authority Inspector or Environmental Health Officer.

If you can't meet these entry requirements but consider that you have alternative relevant qualifications please email CSCOneHealthOVTeam@apha.gov.uk. These will be forwarded to the relevant APHA Course Director for consideration.

The ABS course covers:

1. Working on behalf of the Government
2. The role of an Approved Blood Sampler including the OV69 Policy for APHA (Animal and Plant Health Agency) authorisation
3. The biosecurity and health and safety measures that must be taken when visiting a premises to blood sample cattle
4. Suitable handling and restraint measures to enable safe and effective blood sampling of cattle
5. How to carry out blood sampling of cattle
6. Appropriate selection of blood sampling equipment for cattle

The qualification requires each candidate to complete the following phases:

• Study the online course
• Pass the end of course exam
• Receive conditional authorisation from APHA
• Nominate an Approved Veterinary Supervisor- Blood Sampling (AVS-BS)
• Practical blood sampling training under the direct and personal supervision of their AVS-BS until all practical training requirements have been achieved
  • 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. Please see Practical Training for ABSs for more details.
• Pass a Practical Assessment by their AVS-BS
• Full authorisation by APHA to blood sample cattle in England and Wales under the general direction of their AVS-BS
• ABSs in Wales who wish to blood sample cattle for BVD in Wales will be required to undertake additional BVD-specific face to face training organised by the Welsh Government. 
  • Conditionally authorised ABSs can blood sample cattle for BVD in Wales before completing the BVD-specific training as they are working under the direct supervision of their AVS-BS. 
  • 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. 

ABSs with full authorisation will be required to:

• Be audited by their AVS-BS four to six months after passing their Practical Assessment
• Upload a completed copy of the Audit Report form (OV72) to the ABS case log section of their Personal Training Dashboard.
• Revalidate their qualification every four years
• Have unannounced audits

Registration

To study the ABS course you must first register on the AHP database. When you register you will be asked to nominate your employer or a representative of your employer who will confirm your right to work and eligibility for the qualification. 

If you are an ATT you are already registered on the database and can enrol on the ABS course through this registration. Please do NOT set up a second registration 

The person you nominate will receive an email asking them to confirm that the checks have been complete and that you fulfil the requirements. You will be notified by email when this confirmation has been made. You will then be able to log in and enrol on the ABS course.

Registration Fee

• Registration for OCQ(AHP) courses - £59 plus VAT

​There is a one-off fee for registration. Registration must be done on an individual basis and must be accepted before you can enrol and access the OCQ(AHP) courses. See the Registration information section for more details..

Enrolment Fees

• OCQ(AHP) - ABS online course - £199 plus VAT

​Retake Fees

• OCQ(AHP) online exam retake - £49 plus VAT​

Employers of 20 or more OVs and AHPs

Whilst it is required that each AHP registers individually, employers of 20 or more AHPs and OVs may apply, in advance, for group invoicing facilities. If your employer would like to apply for group invoicing facilities, please ask your accounts department to email Improve International. It takes up to two working days to set up this facility. If your employer already has a group invoicing facility they will provide you with a payment code to use when you are asked for payment at registration and enrolment. Your employer will be invoiced by Improve International for each use of their payment code.

How do I access the training?

The training is accessed via your own Personal Training Dashboard, once you are registered and enrolled on the course. The training can be done at a time to suit you, over more than one session and is followed by an invigilated, online, multiple choice exam.

How long does the training take?

The length of time it takes to complete the online course depends on your pace of study but will take in the region of ten hours for the OCQ(AHP) - ABS course.

Practical requirements for the OCQ(AHP) - ABS course

The OCQ(AHP) - ABS online course is followed by a period of blood sampling training under the direct and personal supervision of your AVS-BS. You will be given conditional authorisation by APHA, which allows you to start your practical training. When you have completed all the practical requirements of the course there is a Practical Assessment with your AVS-BS, which you must pass to be awarded your full qualification. The maximum period that you can hold conditional authorisation is 6 months, but it is expected that you will have completed sufficient blood sampling to take your Practical Assessment much sooner.

In order to take the Practical Assessment, candidates must have:

• Blood sampled at least 100 cattle under the direct and personal supervision of their AVS-BS
• Blood sampled cattle on a minimum of three different farms (a maximum of 35 animals on each holding may count towards the minimum sampling requirement)
• Undertaken sampling on a mixture of beef and dairy type animals
• Collected a minimum of 95 coccygeal samples and a minimum of 5 jugular samples
• Candidates must complete case logs that evidence the minimum blood sampling requirements have been met and these must be uploaded and shared with the AVS-BS before the Practical Assessment may be carried out. A minimum of 30 cattle must be sampled during the Practical Assessment.

Please see Practical Training for ABSs for more details.

Authorisation by the APHA

The APHA will be notified automatically, through this website, that you have passed the online exam and will process your conditional authorisation for AHP status, a process which takes up to 10 working days. You cannot start work while you are waiting for conditional authorisation. Once your authorisation is granted, you will be notified by email and will be able to download your certificate of conditional authorisation from your Personal Training Dashboard.

Once conditionally authorised as an ABS you will work under the direct and personal supervision of your AVS-BS until you have fulfilled all the testing requirements and completed your Practical Assessment. APHA require a further 5 working days, after passing your Practical Assessment, to award you your full ABS testing authorisation. During this time you may continue to test in the presence of your AVS-BS.

When you have been awarded your full ABS authorisation you may test alone but under the general direction of your AVS-BS. You will be able to download your authorisation certificate from your Personal Training Dashboard.