The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) offers services to vets in England, Wales and Scotland through a national network of:
Veterinary Investigation Centres (VICs), which can provide diagnostic tests, post-mortem examinations and advice from their resident veterinary investigation officers
surveillance pathology partners, independent institutions which also offer subsidised post-mortem examinations
Find the surveillance pathology centre for your area
APHA Veterinary Investigation Centre Staplake Mount Starcross Exeter EX6 8PE Email: starcross@apha.gov.uk Telephone: 03000 600 020
Thirsk
APHA Veterinary Investigation Centre West House Station Road Thirsk North Yorkshire YO7 1PZ Email: thirsk@apha.gov.uk Telephone: 03000 600 098
All surveillance pathology partners
Aberystwyth WVSC
Aberystwyth WVSC Wales Veterinary Science Centre Buarth Road Aberystwyth Ceredigion SY23 1ND Email: enquiries@wvsc.wales Telephone: 01970 612 374
Royal Veterinary College
Farm Animal Pathology and Diagnostics PPS (Pathobiology & Population Sciences) Royal Veterinary College Hawkshead Lane North Mymms AL9 7TA Email: fapd@rvc.ac.uk Telephone: 01707 666630666 630 Mobile: 0779380168407793 801 684
SRUC Veterinary Services
St Boswells Disease Surveillance Centre Greycrook St Boswells Roxburghshire TD6 0EQ Email: vcstboswells@sac.gov.uk Telephone: 01835 822456822 456
University of Bristol
Farm Animal Post-mortem Services Bristol Veterinary School Langford House Langford Bristol BS40 5DU Email: pmservices@bristol.ac.uk Telephone: 011701174 428284 4767767
University of Cambridge
Department of Veterinary Medicine University of Cambridge Madingley Road Cambridge CB3 0ES Email: anatomic-pathology@vet.cam.ac.uk Telephone: 01223 337680337 680
University of Liverpool
Farm Animal Post Mortem Services University of Liverpool Leahurst Campus Neston CH64 7TE Email: court@liverpool.ac.uk Telephone: 015101517 794946 6120120
University of Nottingham
Farm Animal Pathology Service University of Nottingham College Road Sutton Bonington Leicestershire LE12 5RA Email: farmpathology@nottingham.ac.uk Tel: 011501159 9516743516 743
University of Surrey
Veterinary Pathology Centre School of Veterinary Medicine Francis Crick Road University of Surrey Guildford GU2 7AQ Email: vetpath@surrey.ac.uk Telephone: 01483 689 823
Other APHA laboratories
Lasswade
APHA Lasswade Pentlands Science Park Bush Loan Penicuik Midlothian EH26 0PZ Email: rllasswade@apha.gov.uk Telephone: 03000 600010600 010
APHA Weybridge Sample Reception Woodham Lane Addlestone KT15 3NB
Veterinary investigation officers
Veterinary investigation officers are based at VICs and have expert knowledge and direct access to a wider network of scientific expertise. This includes new and developing tests and molecular tests which may not be accessible elsewhere.
You can contact your local officer to discuss:
complex, unusual or difficult disease problems
results of post mortem examinations
laboratory testing carried out by APHA
the findings of your own examinations
This service is open to all vets, and you do not need to have used APHA’s other services to discuss cases with the officer.
Veterinary investigation officers also carry out farm visits in specific circumstances such as the investigation of zoonotic outbreaks or new and emerging diseases.