All GVP-veterinary practices involved with food-producing animals will comply with the requirements of the Code of Good Veterinary Practices and with the requirements of this schedule.

GVP-veterinary practices that provide services to farms complying with the requirements of a stable-to-table programme shall comply with the requirements of those programmes and with the schedules to the Code of Good Veterinary Practices applicable to those schemes.

GVP-veterinary practices with a medicine depot will comply with the requirements of the schedule regarding the veterinary medicines depot.

• Daybook
  GVP-veterinary practices shall have a daybook, recording all visits and re-visits scheduled for the day.
• Telephone service
  GVP-veterinary practices shall have a telephone service informing the clientele or delegating them if absent.
• On-call service
  To enable a guaranteed good veterinary service, GVP-veterinary practices shall have a written agreement with other local GVP-certified practices.
• Referrals
  GVP-veterinary practices shall have a written agreement with other GVP-veterinary practices on referrals. These agreements shall be signed by both parties and shall be available to the clientele.
• Contracts
  
  • Contracts with farms:
    GVP-veterinary practices shall have a file for every farm, stating:
    • name, address, person responsible
    • number of animal places + specification of species
    • official herd number and related numbers
    • number of stables + plan
    • sanitel status + any antecedents
    Also present per farm shall be:
    • a copy of the contract for the veterinary herd management
    • a copy of the contract for the animal health guidance/control
    • protocols regarding these contracts
    • findings on visits regarding these contracts
    • reports on routine visits
    • reports on visits requested by the farmer
    • logbooks of drugs administered, dispensed, prescribed
    • lab results
    • abattoir data if any
    • feed data
    The reports mentioned shall include the farm details, identification of the animal(s) involved, history, results of the clinical examination, results of any additional tests, diagnosis, treatment, notes for follow-up visits, results of follow-up visits.
  Copies of all contracts with farmers shall be sent to the College Of Veterinary Surgeons and the local Veterinary Officer.
• Other contracts
  GVP-veterinary practices shall keep a copy of all contracts with third parties.
  GVP-practitioners shall ensure that all agreements with other veterinary surgeons, veterinary students and veterinary assistants are written down in a contract, where applicable according to the rules of the Guide of Professional Conduct of the College of Veterinary Surgeons.
  GVP-veterinary practices shall ensure that a copy of a contract is sent to the College of Veterinary Surgeons if required by the Code of Professional Conduct of the College.
• Yearly planning
  GVP-practices shall have a yearly planning available stating all visits to be done with regards to the veterinary herd management and the animal health control.
• Logbooks
  GVP-veterinary practices shall ensure that all logbooks requested in the legislation are kept as required.
• Accounts
  GVP-veterinary practices shall at least once every month create the outgoing bills based on all documents available.
  GVP-veterinary practices shall ensure that all accounts are correct and as legally required.
  GVP-veterinary practices shall ensure that all VAT-requirements are met monthly or quarterly as legally required.
  GVP-veterinary practices shall ensure that the outgoing medicines logbook tallies with the medicines stated on the outgoing bills.

GVP-veterinary practices shall ensure that whenever a clinical examination of an animal or a group of animals is necessary this will be done according the latest developments in veterinary science and will always include taking the history and performing a thorough clinical examination to come to a probable diagnosis. If necessary samples shall be taken for lab-analysis.
If there are any recurrent problems on a farm or increased mortality figures become apparent, the necessary lab-tests will be carried out.
Carcasses for lab-testing will be accompanied by the necessary documents when transported, with sufficient information for the lab.

GVP-veterinary practices shall ensure that any veterinary surgeon is free in his choice of therapy, as long as it is a justified one.

• use of medicines
  1. Before using drugs, GVP-veterinary practitioners shall ensure that they are satisfied that the animal(s) would benefit from medication, particularly in the case of antibiotics or hormones.
  2. GVP-veterinary practitioners shall ensure that the selected product is authorised for use in Belgium or is licensed in Europe in the target species for the condition being treated and used at the manufacturer's recommended dosage.
  3. If no product authorised for use in Belgium or with a European license exists for a condition in a particular species, in order to avoid unacceptable suffering GVP-veterinary practitioners may exercise their clinical judgement by resorting to the 'Cascade' 1 2 to treat a small number of animals, whereby they select in this order:
     1. a product authorised in Belgium or with a European license for the same condition in another species or a different condition in the same species (off label use) 1 2
     2. or, if such a product doesn't exist, a medicine authorised in Belgium or with a European license for human use 1 2
     3. or, if such a product does not exist, a medicine made up on a one-off basis - a "veterinary special" - by a pharmacist. This right however does not exist for products for parenteric use, except if they only contain sodiumchloride, potassiumchloride, calciumchloride, magnesiumchloride, Na2HCO3, sodiumacetate or glucose in an aqueous solution 1 2
  Only medicines which contain pharmaceutically active ingredients contained in products already authorised for use in Belgium or with a European license in food producing animals may be used off licence to treat food-producing animals 1 2
  GVP-veterinary practices shall ensure that a medicine which is not authorised for the condition in the species being treated is never used where an authorised one is available.
  GVP-veterinary practices shall ensure that clients are made aware of the intended use of unauthorised medicines and given a clear indication of potential side effects. Their consent should be obtained in writing.
  GVP-veterinary practices shall ensure that when a "veterinary special" is administered, dispensed or prescribed, a withdrawal period is stated. If on the products used no withdrawal period is stated, then the withdrawal period for the "veterinary special" shall be no less than 7 days for eggs, 7 days for milk, 28 days for meat from poultry and mammals and 500 degree-days for fish 1 2
  GVP-practices shall ensure that records are kept every time a medicine is used under the cascade-rules, stating practice and practitioner details, farm details, animal(s) details, diagnosis, products used, withdrawal period set and client's consent.



• administering drugs 3
  GVP-veterinary practices shall ensure that medicines are only administered based on a diagnosis obtained after a clinical examination 3.
  
  GVP-veterinary practices shall ensure that when a medicine is administered, the administration or dispensing document required in the legislation is completed 3.
  
  This document will have pre-printed the following details: full name of the veterinary surgeon, address of his medicines depot, a serial number consisting of a 0 for Flemish veterinary surgeons or a 1 for Walloon veterinary surgeons, the registration number with the College of Veterinary Surgeons, the last two figures of the year the document was printed and a continuous number 3.
  
  The GVP-practitioner will complete the document with the following details: date of administration of the drugs, full name and address of the person responsible for the animal(s), full address where the animal(s) is/are kept, the identification of the animal(s) treated, the number of animals, diagnosis, specific name of drug(s) used, lotnumber, quantity, guidelines for the use of the medicine(s), the treatment period and the withdrawal period and then sign it 3.
  
  The document will be made in two copies: the yellow copy will be given to the person responsible for the animal(s) and the pink copy will be kept by the GVP-practitioner 3 for a period of 10 years.
  
  GVP-practitioners shall ensure that they complete the GVP-veterinary practice’s logbook of outgoing medicines on a daily basis with the following details: the date, specific identification of the drug, lotnumber, quantity administered and the number of the administration or dispensing document 3. The completed logbooks will be kept for a period of 10 years.
  
  GVP-veterinary practices shall ensure that when medicines are injected, they use sterile equipment on every animal.



• dispensing drugs 3 4
  GVP-practices shall ensure that medicines are only dispensed after a clinical examination in a quantity for no more than to cover a period of 5 days 4, unless as part of any legal protocol.
  
  GVP-veterinary practices shall ensure that veterinary medicines outside paragraph 1 are only dispensed on farms under contract for veterinary herd management and subject to agreed protocols, that are available in writing on the farm and at the practice 4.
  
  GVP-veterinary practices shall ensure that when a medicine is dispensed, the administration or dispensing document required in the legislation is completed 3.
  
  This document will have pre-printed the following details: full name of the veterinary surgeon, address of his medicines depot, a serial number consisting of a 0 for Flemish veterinary surgeons or a 1 for Walloon veterinary surgeons, the registration number with the College of Veterinary Surgeons, the last two figures of the year the document was printed and a continuous number 3.
  
  The GVP-practitioner will complete the document with the following details: date of dispensing the drugs, full name and address of the person responsible for the animal(s), full address where the animal(s) is/are kept, the identification of the animal(s) treated, the number of animals, diagnosis, specific name of drug(s) used, lotnumber, quantity, guidelines for the use of the medicine(s), the treatment period and the withdrawal period and then sign it 3.
  
  The document will be made in two copies: the yellow copy will be given to the person responsible for the animal(s) and the pink copy will be kept by the GVP-practitioner 3 for a period of 10 years.
  
  GVP-practitioners shall ensure that they complete the GVP-veterinary practice's logbook of outgoing medicines on a daily basis with the following details: the date, specific identification of the drug, lotnumber, quantity administered and the number of the administration or dispensing document 3. Completed logbooks shall be kept for a period of 10 years.
  
  GVP-veterinary practices shall only dispense registered drugs.
  
  GVP-veterinary practitioners shall only dispense medicines in their primary packaging, leave the leaflet or a copy of it with the medicines and state their identification, date of dispensing, logbook entry number and serial number of the administration or dispensing document on the primary packaging of the drugs 3.



• prescribing drugs
  GVP-practices shall ensure that medicines are only prescribed based on a diagnosis obtained after a clinical examination in a quantity no more than to cover a period of 5 days 4.
  
  GVP-veterinary practices shall ensure that when a medicine is prescribed, the prescription document required in the legislation is completed 3.
  
  This document will have pre-printed the following details: full name of the veterinary surgeon, address of his medicines depot, a serial number consisting of a 0 for Flemish veterinary surgeons or a 1 for Walloon veterinary surgeons, the registration number with the College of Veterinary Surgeons, the last two figures of the year the document was printed and a continuous number 3.
  
  The GVP-practitioner will complete the document with the following details: date of prescribing the drugs, full name and address of the person responsible for the animal(s), full address where the animal(s) is/are kept, the identification of the animal(s) treated, the number of animals, diagnosis, specific name of drug(s) used, guidelines for the use of the medicine(s) with dosage, posology, the treatment period, the withdrawal period, the validity period of the document and signature 3.
  
  The document will be made in three copies: the white copy is for the pharmacist, the yellow copy will be given to the person responsible for the animal(s) and the pink copy will be kept by the GVP-practitioner 3 for a period of 10 years.
  
  GVP-veterinary practices shall only prescribe medicated feeds using a form with lay-out as described in the legislation 5. GVP-practitioners shall only prescribe medicated feeds for animals under their care and after a full clinical examination. They shall establish that there is no risk of interference between the medicated feeds and any other therapy (whether through medication or present in the normal feed) ongoing at the same time 5. The medication prescribed shall be justified for the species and the diagnosis treated 5. A prescription for medicated feeds shall only be valid for one week and for one treatment 5. It shall be made in four copies, marked A, B, C and D, taken out of a booklet 5. The amount prescribed cannot be higher than the amount needed to achieve the desired outcome. In no circumstances shall the amount prescribed last longer than one month 5. The two top copies are given to the owner of the animals, the third is sent to the relevant Inspectorate and the fourth copy is kept in the booklet 5 for a period of 5 years. The prescriptions shall be serially numbered, with format 0 for Flemish veterinary surgeons or a 1 for Walloon veterinary surgeons, the registration number with the College of Veterinary Surgeons, the last two figures of the year, and a continuous number. They shall have all legally required information preprinted 5.

• pharmacovigilance:
  GVP-veterinary practices shall ensure that all adverse reactions are reported to the producer of the medicines and the National Centre for medicines control.
  
  Adverse reactions to report are adverse reactions in animals towards veterinary or human medicines as well as adverse reactions in humans towards veterinary or human medicines, e.g. after accidental self-injection.

The GVP-veterinary practice shall ensure that all instruments necessary to be able to practice veterinary medicine according to the modern way of good veterinary practising relevant to the type of veterinary services offered are present.
The GVP-veterinary practice will ensure that all instruments are kept in a good state of maintenance and hygienic.
GVP-veterinary practices will ensure that surgical procedures are only performed with sterile instruments.
GVP-veterinary practices shall have documented procedures to ensure that surgical instruments are sterile before use.
GVP-veterinary practices shall ensure that all surgical procedures are performed according the latest developments in veterinary science and that all is done to operate as sterile as possible.

General requirements:

• GVP-veterinary practices shall be clearly recognisable as such from the outside.
• The consultation hours shall be clearly visible, as well as contacts outside these hours.
• A room to see clients or representatives shall be present. This room shall be worthy of the profession. The same room can be used as the practice office, but all measures are to be in place to safeguard discretion regarding client data.

• a consultation and treatment room, with all the necessary equipment relevant to the type of services provided. Any equipment that has to be sterile will be marked with indicators and the date of sterilisation.
• A waiting room for the clients with sufficient seating. A toilet has to be available for the clients.
• An operation room. This can be the treatment room, but then there has to be a separate consultation room. The necessary equipment relevant to the operation services provided is present and sterile. There are documented procedures to guarantee this.

• If the practice does their own lab-tests the following conditions shall be met:
  (As lab-tests are also seen equipment for bloodtesting, urine, faeces, skin etc.)
  
  • The necessary equipment for testing has to be present: microscope, centrifuge, reagents, and testkits. Calibration records shall be kept for all relevant equipment.
  • A separate fridge shall be present to store any samples.
  • Per test the following details shall be recorded: date, patient, species, staff, test result.
  • An instructions manual shall be present outlining all the procedures for all tests available in the lab.
  • All lab-waste materials shall be stored and disposed of in the correct manner (see also waste procedures).
• Where a GVP-practice has its own radiology-room, it has to be in relation to the size of the practice, the workload, the type of services offered. The equipment has to be ready for use at all times.
  • In all cases when radiologyservices are offered, whether in a separate room or not:
  • The positioning of the equipment shall be such that there is no risk for clients, patients or staff.
  • All walls and doors of the room, especially those towards the waiting room, shall be adequately protected.
  • All doors to the room shall have a hazard light, which shall be switched on whenever the room is in use.
  • There shall be sufficient equipment for the personal protection.
  • All staff shall have their own dosimeter. A register shall be kept on all doses for staff involved.
  • A register shall be kept keeping the following details: date, patient details, species, bodypart examined, age, name of staff, keV, mAS, lighting time, film used.
  • The equipment shall be maintained, logged in a maintenance logbook.
  • Adequate facilities shall be present for the development of the films, with the necessary equipment.
  • All personnel shall be verbally instructed on safety measures regarding radiography, and a safety sheet shall be given to all staff at that time.
  • A warning sign shall be present denying pregnant women access to the radiology room.
  • Safety instructions shall be present, clearly visible, in the room.
  • GVP- veterinary practices shall nominate a radiation protection officer responsible to ensure the safety at all times. Documented procedures shall be in place to ensure that the radiation protection officer is consulted on everything relating to the radiology room.
  • All waste materials shall be stored and disposed of in the correct manner (see also waste procedures).
• If the GVP-veterinary practice keeps food-producing animals in for observation, the stables and pens provided shall be in relation to the type of animals and the size and throughput of the practice.
  • All walls, floors and ceilings shall be easily cleanable and disinfectable.
  • Hygiene stations shall be within easy access enabling staff to wash and disinfect their hands.
  • A register shall be kept of all animals present. Details to be recorded are: patient, species, age, owner, date of admittance, date of release.
  • On all pens/stables a chart will be present stating: animal ID, admittance date, diagnosis, and treatments per day.
• If a GVP-veterinary practice offers post-mortem services, a room for these purposes shall be present, adequately separated from the other rooms. Entrance to this room shall not be possible from the consultation, the treatment nor the operation rooms.
  • Walls, floor and ceiling shall be easily cleanable and disinfectable.
  • Documented procedures shall be in place to ensure that no equipment used in the post-mortem room is used for any other purpose, especially treatments and surgery.
  • A register shall be kept stating date, patient, species, age, reason for PM-test, staff and results.
  • A separate room shall be provided to store waste from the sections. This room shall be cooled. There shall be a protocol stating the collection details.

GVP-veterinary practices shall ensure that all practice cars and the equipment kept in them are in a good state of repair, are kept clean and hygienic and that containers are present for the collection of sharpes (needles, empty bottles, …) and other waste materials (see waste materials control).
If veterinary medicines are transported in the car, then the requirements of the schedule regarding the veterinary medicines depot apply.

The contract of association or collaboration has to be approved by the College of Veterinary Surgeons and has to be present 6.
All GVP-multivet practices shall have a clear daily schedule.
Work and holiday schedules shall be available to all persons concerned.

GVP-veterinary practices shall ensure that:

• They have a compendium on all legal requirements and guidance issued by the authorities regarding animal health controls. This compendium shall be kept up-to-date.
• A contract is made with all farms where the practice or a veterinary surgeon is appointed as the company veterinarian regarding animal health controls. The contract is made in four copies, one for each party and one copy to be sent by the GVP-veterinarian or GVP-veterinary practice to the local veterinary inspector and the college of veterinary surgeons respectively 7. The practice’s copy shall be kept in the farm’s folder in the practice office.
• A list is present stating all farms for which the practice is responsible regarding animal health controls.
• All official tasks are performed conform the guidance/instructions received from the Ministry.
• On all official documentation, the inspectorate is notified in case of delegation of the official work to a colleague of another GVP-practice 7. This has to be double signed.
• GVP-veterinary practices and GVP-veterinarians shall ensure that all documentation and certificates resulting from animal health control work is according to the requirements of clause 2.5.

GVP-veterinary practices shall ensure that:

• They have a compendium on all legal requirements and guidance issued by the authorities regarding the veterinary herd management. This compendium shall be kept up-to-date.
• There are no more than 150 farms under contract, per GVP-veterinarian 4.
• All contracts with farms are submitted to the College of Veterinary Surgeons and the relevant veterinarian-inspector 4.
• All farms under contract are visited 6 times (every two months)a year with a maximal period of 2 months between 2 visits 4.
• All farms under contract are inspected every 4 months for a global evaluation of all animals present. Records of these evaluations shall be made in double and shall be kept 4 for a period of 5 years 4. This evaluation report shall include comments on the animal health status and the animal welfare status.
• When medicines are administered or dispensed the logbook kept by the person responsible for the animal(s) is completed with the necessary details: the date of administration or dispensing, the identification of the animal(s), the diagnosis, the name of the drug, number of the administration or dispensing document, quantity, treatment period, withdrawal period 3. Then both parties sign the logbook.
• All farms under contract with more than 6 production rounds per year, are visited every production round 4
.
• All farms under contract, with a medicine depot on farm:
  • Keep their medicines as requested by the GVP-veterinary practice 4.
  • Have no more medicines in stock than necessary for the period between 2 visits 4.
  • Have their medicines logbook inspected on every visit 4. After this inspection the logbook shall be signed off. If any irregularities are noted, they shall be recorded and reported to the appropriate authorities. The report shall be kept for a period of 10 years.
• GVP-veterinary practices and GVP-veterinarians shall ensure that all documentation and certificates resulting from animal health control work is according to the requirements of clause 2.5.
• All farms under contract are visited 6 times a year with a maximal period of 2 months between 2 visits 4.
• All farms under contract with more than 6 production rounds per year, are visited every production round 4.
• All farms under contract, with a medicine depot on farm:
  • Keep their medicines as requested by the GVP-veterinary practice 4.
  • Thereto the GVP-veterinary practice shall agree protocols and procedures with farms under contract on what medication can be used by the person responsible for the animals and under what conditions. These protocols and procedures shall always respect the legal requirements.
  • Have no more medicines in stock than necessary for the period between 2 visits 4.
  • Have their medicines logbook inspected on every visit 4. After this inspection the logbook shall be signed off. If any irregularities are noted, they shall be recorded and reported to the appropriate authorities. The report shall be kept for a period of 10 years.
• GVP-veterinary practices and GVP-veterinarians shall ensure that all documentation and certificates resulting from the veterinary herd management is according to the requirements of clause 2.5.

GVP-veterinary practices shall have documented procedures in place to ensure that:

• Emergency slaughter follows all requirements stated in the Regulations.
• Any certification relating to it is only based on own ante-mortem findings and own therapies and is according clause 2.5.
• No animal unfit to travel is transported to a slaughterhouse. If necessary, the animal will be shot and bled on farm. 8

GVP-veterinary practices shall ensure that any certificate produced, whether official or not, shall always be complete and truthful 9; they shall thereto always follow these principles:
THE TWELVE PRINCIPLES OF CERTIFICATION

1. A veterinarian should be asked to certify only those matters which are within his own knowledge, can be ascertained by him personally or are the subject of a supporting certificate from another veterinarian who does have personal knowledge of the matters in question and is authorised to provide such a supporting document. Matters not within the knowledge of a veterinarian and not the subject of such a supporting certificate but known to other persons, e.g. the farmer, the breeder or the truck driver, should be the subject of a declaration by those persons only.
2. Neither a veterinarian nor any person described in 1. above should be requested or required to sign anything relating to matters which cannot be verified by the signatory.
3. Veterinarians should not issue a certificate, which might raise questions of a possible conflict of interest e.g. in relation to their own animals.
4. All certificates should be written in terms, which are as simple and easy to understand as possible.
5. Certificates should not use words or phrases, which are capable of more than one interpretation.
6. Certificates should be:
1. produced on one sheet of paper or, where more than one page is required, in such a form that any two or more pages are part of an integrated whole and indivisible;
2. given a unique number, with records being retained by the issuing authority of the persons to whom certificates bearing particular numbers were supplied.
7. Certificates should be written in the language of the veterinarian signing them, and accompanied by an official translation of the certificate into a language of the country of ultimate destination.
8. Certificates should identify animals individually except in cases where this is impractical e.g. day old chicks.
9. Certificates should not require a veterinarian to certify that there has been compliance with the law of the European Union or a third country unless the provisions of the law are set out clearly on the certificate or have been provided to him by the issuing authority.
10. Where appropriate, notes for guidance should be provided to the certifying veterinarian by the issuing authority indicating the extent of the enquiries he is expected to make, the examinations he is required to carry out, or to clarify any details of the certificate which may require further interpretation.
11. Certificates should always be issued and presented in the original. Photocopies are not acceptable. Provided that:
    1. a copy of the certificate (clearly marked 'COPY') should always be provided to the authority by whom the certificates were issued - see 6. above; and
    2. where, for any good and sufficient reason (such as damage in transit) a duplicate certificate is authorised and supplied by the issuing authority, this must be clearly marked 'duplicate' before issue.
12. When signing a certificate, a veterinarian should ensure that:
    1. he signs, stamps and completes any manuscript portions in a colour of ink, which does not readily photocopy i.e. a colour other than black;
    2. the certificate contains no deletions or alterations, other than those which are indicated on the face of the certificate to be permissible, and subject to such changes being initialled and stamped by the certifying veterinarian;
    3. the certificate bears not only his signature but also, in clear lettering, his name, qualifications and address and (where appropriate) his official or practice stamps;
    4. the certificate bears the date on which the certificate was signed and issued and (where appropriate) the time for which the certificate will remain valid;
    5. no portion of the certificate is left blank, so that it could subsequently be completed by some person other than the certifying veterinarian.

GVP-veterinary practices shall ensure that the practice as well as all staff are insured for legal and professional responsibility.

1 KB 26-09-1999 on the conditions on the dispensing of veterinary medicines
2 KB 26-09-1999 on the conditions on the prescription of medicines by veterinary surgeons
3 KB 23-05-2000 on the special conditions on the buying, the depot, the prescribing, the dispensing and the administration of medicines for animals by veterinary surgeons and on the possession and the administration of medicines for animals by the person responsible for the animals
4 KB 10-04-2000 on the requirements on the veterinary herd management
5 KB 30-03-1995 on medicated premixes and animal feeds
6 Guide to Professional Conduct of the College of Veterinary Surgeons chapter 16, art. 52
7 KB 27-01-1978 on the organisation of the animal health care for pigs, KB 15-02-1995 on the special measures of epidemiological control and prevention of notifiable pig diseases, KB 10-08-1998 on conditions on the animal health qualification of poultry, KB 28-02-1999 on the special measures of epidemiological control and prevention of notifiable bovine diseases.
8 KB 20-12-1996 on the protection of animals during transport and KB 16-01-1998 on the protection of animals during slaughter or killing
9 Guide to Professional Conduct of the College of Veterinary Surgeons, Chapter 5, art. 19.5