A personal note, from Stuart, to all who read the EFRA Report: ‘Having suffered from a stammer all of my life, it was with some trepidation
that I travelled to Westminster’s Portcullis House in 2008 to give oral evidence to a large committee of MPs, in front of a gallery of
onlookers, and with the prospect of the whole event being televised! Given the stress of the occasion, it was therefore inevitable that a direct
transcript of my contribution, with little latitude for editing, would lack the eloquence of others. Despite this prospect I was determined to
participate and represent OCEPT, my colleagues, and our students, past and present, who all care so much for what we do. It was a great
privilege for our College (and the Association, through Emma Roberts) to be able to make such a contribution, and our thanks go to Michael
Jack MP and the rest of the EFRA committee for allowing us the opportunity.’
www.ocept.info
Oxford College of Equine Physical Therapy
OCEPT
The law currently dictates that the treatment of animals can only be administered
with veterinary approval.
In 2005 the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons held an open consultation on the
need to update the Veterinary Surgeons Act, which dates back to 1966.
There was subsequently also a House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs (EFRA) Committee inquiry about this in 2007/08, to which OCEPT
provided both written and oral evidence, and the Committee published its Sixth
Report of Session 2007-08, 'Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966' , as the product of this
inquiry. (ISBN 978 0 215 51508 7. Available from: The Parliamentary Bookshop,
12 Bridge Street, Parliament Square, London SW1A 2JX. Tel: 020 7219 3890).
Government also responded to the Report: ''Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966:
Government Response to the Committee's Sixth Report of Session 2007-08'
(Document Ref. HC 1011, also available from The Parliamentary Bookshop).
We very much look forward to being actively involved in any further positive
discussions about the introduction of regulation for para-professionals. However,
given the vast complexity of the situation, and the resource requirement for such a
major undertaking, it is unclear when (or indeed if) anything might happen.