GovWire

The VMD has 5 overarching corporate priorities:

Priority 1 - Our People

Aim: Working to ensure that the VMD is a great place to work.

• We will maintain a well-trained, motivated and content workforce that nurtures our diversity.

• Through providing a programme of staff engagement activities and a suite of platforms, we will continuously evaluate well-being, resilience, and performance throughout the year and will ensure staff have the tools, support, and facilities they need to deliver.

• We will proactively engage with Defra Corporate Services on HR and L&D provisions; ensuring that the polices and support for colleagues are in place and being used consistently.

Priority 2 - Policy making and delivery

Aim: Design and implement effective policy and legislation in GB and NI encompassing veterinary medicines regulation, antimicrobial resistance and residues of veterinary medicines in food.

• We will ensure that the legislation underpinning our work and the GB and NI regulatory frameworks remains effective and fit for purpose. The legislation will aim to reflect developments and technical advances in industry to support the wider animal health sector, with availability of safe and efficacious veterinary medicines, with resilience in supply lines and with appropriate and safe use of medicines.

• We will collaborate with other government departments, devolved administrations and stakeholders on design and implementation of policy and surveillance that ensures people, animals, the environment, our food and the availability of animal medicines in the UK are not compromised.

• We will lead on veterinary Antimicrobial and Anthelmintic Resistance policy and activities and continue to support initiatives which contribute to the One Health agenda and Defras Animal Health and Welfare Pathway aspirations.

Priority 3 - Regulatory service

Aim: Delivery of core regulatory services, with overall performance against published standards to be at or above the effective level.

• We will apply robust benefit: risk methodology when assessing applications for (and variations to) authorisations of veterinary medicines, to ensure the quality and safety of those products on the UK market.

• Through risk-based inspections and enforcement, including working with regulatory partners, we will ensure veterinary medicines are responsibly used.

• We will continuously monitor our performance against our published targets and standards and, where necessary, take timely action to ensure these are met.

Priority 4 - Global influence and recognition

Aim: Collaborate internationally with other regulatory authorities to further inform our science strategy and policy and influence global regulatory standards.

• We will engage internationally with other regulatory authorities and initiatives to improve global standards on regulation of veterinary medicines.

• We will work to secure availability of medicines for our animal keepers by enhancing market opportunities through our collaboration with other national regulators, building partnerships for joint assessments of marketing authorisations and exchanging knowledge and best practice on other aspects of regulation.

• We will support the capacity strengthening efforts of other international regulatory authorities through provision of scientific and technical capability, and policy and regulatory expertise relating to veterinary medicines and antimicrobial and anthelmintic resistance.

Priority 5 - Corporate Services

Aim: We will provide the corporate services and support to enable the business to function smoothly and deliver its Priorities.

• We will maintain full cost recovery for regulatory services, ensuring the business delivers within the allocated budget.

• We will proactively engage with Defra Corporate Services, where appropriate, ensuring that the policies and support for colleagues are in place and being applied consistently.

• We will invest in the continuous improvement of systems and services and deliver our commitment to raising awareness of our work, communicating effectively and enabling feedback to drive improvement.

• Operate a business that is compliant with legislation and standards and seek to continually improve our systems and services embracing new technologies.