Practical Assessment

Currently, only the OCQ(V) - TT course carries a Practical Assessment element. 

Once you have passed the OCQ(V) - TT online exam, you will need to nominate your Supervisor and complete your Sam declaration form. APHA will then grant you 'conditional authorisation' to start TB testing under supervision. This can take up to 10 working days from the date on which APHA received your completed Sam declaration, or from when your Supervisor accepts their role. When you have received your conditional authorisation and Sam access, you will then be approved to conduct TB tests under appropriate supervision and direction.

Supervisory period

Vets awarded ‘conditional’ status are authorised to carry out TB testing under the supervision of an experienced member of the veterinary practice OV team. During this period, you will be a 'conditional OV' and you are expected to maintain a case log of TB tests carried out, recording:

• Dates of tests (Day 1 and 2)
• Farm address and herd details
• Number of animals tested
• Reactions to tests – numbers clear, inconclusive and reactors, giving evidence of the reactions seen. (Please note: these are reactions, NOT reactors.)
• Supporting evidence such as screenshots from Sam, scans of worksheets, photos, etc.
• Comments and reflections relating to the test process itself and what you have learnt
• Name and qualifications of supervising OV

This log forms part of your 'Personal Training Record' and must be uploaded to your Personal Training Dashboard, where it will be a permanent record of your training.

Minimum number of tests

It will be necessary for a conditional OV to test a minimum number of animals during this period. A test will include both Day 1 and Day 2. The requirements are:

• At least 250 animals overall.
• At least 3 different test farms. (Your 250 total can be made up from multiple small tests provided that at least 3 tests are of 25 or more cattle. If you test 250 cattle on just 3 farms then there must be at least 25 cattle tested on each of these farms.)
• At least 10 reactions must be observed. (Please note: these are reactions, NOT reactors.) Evidence of the size and interpretation of the reactions should be given in your case logs.

Supervising OV

A supervising OV will be nominated and must confirm with an electronic signature that they have undertaken this role before the candidate is awarded their conditional authorisation to test. The Supervisor must be an experienced OV and TB tester. 

The stages of supervision

The supervision is based on the RCVS recommendation for supervising, as below;

1. ‘Direct and continuous personal supervision’ means that the supervising OV is present at the test and giving the conditional OV his/her undivided personal attention during the testing.
2. ‘Supervision’ means that the supervising OV is present on the site, and able to respond to a request for assistance from the conditional OV if needed.
3. ‘Direction’ means that the supervising OV is available for support but is not necessarily present at the site.

The time it takes to move from stage one to stage three, and being ready for Practical Assessment, will vary. It will rely on the professional judgement of the Supervisor, as well as the availability of suitable tests. The conditional OV must test a minimum of 50 animals under the direct and continuous supervision of their Supervisor. Thereafter, the conditional OV can progress to testing under direction at the discretion of their Supervisor.

It is necessary for the Supervisor to sign-off the conditional OV before they can operate under direction.

Improve International will provide training or support for Supervisors.

Practical Assessment

The Practical Assessment must be completed within 6 months of receiving your conditional authorisation. Before applying for the Practical Assessment the candidate must:

• be signed off by their Supervisor
• have tested a minimum of 250 cattle
• uploaded their case logs to be assessed

This Practical Assessment will be performed by Regional Assessors working for Improve International. The Assessment will include a marked evaluation of the following areas:

• Pre-test requirements
• On-site requirements
• Day 1 and Day 2 test procedures
• Interpretation of test
• Record completion and next steps
• Attitudes and behaviours

Booking the Practical Assessment

Once you are ready to apply for the Practical Assessment, please contact Improve International. We will carry out your Practical Assessment on one of your clients' farms. It is your responsibility, as a conditional OV, to provide us with a number of tests (each with at least 30 cattle) scheduled in your locality and to ensure they can be carried out within 6 months of receiving your conditional authorisation. Please contact us in good time to ensure that we have an Assessor available on a date that suits both you and your client. We advise that you book your Practical Assessment as soon as you have tested sufficient cattle; there is no requirement to delay this until the end of your 6-month conditional status. We advise that you plan for your OCQ(V) - TT testing to take place when your practice has sufficient testing for you to fulfil the requirements in your 6-month window.

Improve International will notify APHA once you have successfully completed your Practical Assessment. APHA will then award you full OV status for TB testing. You can check that this has been done on your Personal Training Dashboard.

Retakes

If you fail the online exam, a standard retake fee of £49 plus VAT applies. You have to wait at least 2 weeks before retaking, in order to allow time for further study and revision.

If you fail the Practical Assessment, you will then need to start again from the beginning of the supervisory period and fulfil these requirements before applying for a second Assessment (i.e. go back to ‘direct and continuous personal supervision’). A reassessment fee of £150 plus VAT applies. The Head of OV Training will provide additional support and further training on supervision for the supervising OV, with reference to the RCVS Code of Conduct if appropriate.

If you fail a second Practical Assessment, you will have to retake the full OCQ(V) - TT. Additional support via our Head of OV Training will be provided. In addition, where a Practical Assessment is unsuccessful, our Head of OV Training will work with you and your Supervisor, to ensure that you fully understand what is required.

If you fail a second Practical Assessment, you have a right to appeal.

If you fail to organise and complete your Practical Assessment before the end of your 6-month conditional appointment, your OCQ(V) - TT status will be expired by APHA and you will be required to re-enrol for the full course. There will be no refund available. If you are unable to complete your Assessment due to exceptional circumstances, such as working in a very low TB area or an injury that prevents you from working, please contact Improve International. 

TB in species other than cattle

Currently the OCQ(V) - TT qualifies you to test cattle and other species such as camelids and deer, but you must apply to APHA before undertaking any non bovine tests. We provide a CPD course for testing camelids. You can enrol on this from your Personal Training Dashboard if you wish to study this course.

We are working with APHA to develop a new qualification for TB testing non bovine species, which will be available later in the year.