Guidelines for Prescribing, Authorising and Dispensing - Australian ...

30 Specialists
A specialist is a registered veterinarian who holds endorsement as a veterinary
specialist with their registration body. Specialists may function as primary access
veterinarians but they also provide a vital service to referring veterinarians. The
specialist status of this service implies increased standards not only in animal care
but also in the specialist’s relationship with other veterinarians.
When a case is referred to a specialist, the care of that animal becomes the
responsibility of the specialist, including the treatment of a concurrent condition
which may affect recovery from the initial condition. In the interests of the animal’s
welfare the specialist has a responsibility to manage any significant clinical
problems. When those issues are addressed, the animal is handed back to the
referring veterinarian, who has the responsibility to maintain the medication and
treatments advised by the specialist. After-care of the animal may or may not be
carried out by the specialist or referring veterinarian, depending on the
circumstances. Veterinary specialists have particular responsibility to
communicate to the referring veterinarian details of any treatments that have been
administered.
Specialists must adhere to the PAD checklist criteria and, when acting in a referral
capacity, should:
� determine, in consultation with the client and referring veterinarian, any current
medications being used to treat the animal; and
� work with the referring veterinarian to ensure continuity of treatment and aftercare,
including any necessary further drug treatment.
31 Referral veterinarians
A referral veterinarian is any registered veterinarian who accepts referrals from
other practitioners, or who provides particular services in different locations, to
clients who are primarily the clients of another veterinarian.
Any drugs used or supplied by referral veterinarians should be confined to the
limits of the type of work for which they are engaged.
When working as a referral veterinarian, the veterinarian should make every
endeavour to work with the client’s regular veterinary provider. This can work to
mutual advantage if medications related to the consultancy work are to be used or
supplied at times when the referral veterinarian is not in the immediate locality.
The client’s regular veterinarian usually will be involved in the procedures
necessary for setting up the referral arrangement and also in the supply of the
required drugs under the PAD checklist criteria.
The client’s regular veterinary practitioner should be given access to any clinical
records necessary for their knowledge of the disease or drug status of the animal
or herd. This is best done by direct contact between the referral veterinarian and
the regular provider (with the knowledge of the client), but could also be
accomplished by ensuring that the client has copies of all relevant records which
should be available to his regular provider as necessary.
AVA Prescribing and dispensing guidelines
Version 1.0 February 2005
Updated 02/09/08
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