Defra Antimicrobial Resistance Coordination (DARC) Group
The Defra Antimicrobial Resistance Coordination (DARC) Group coordinates, advises and reviews Defra activities on antimicrobial usage in animals and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in micro-organisms from feedingstuffs, animals and food.
Membership
| Name | Representing |
|---|---|
| Dr Kitty Healey | Veterinary Medicines Directorate - Chair |
| Ms Kate Agami | Veterinary Medicines Directorate |
| Ms Charlotte Bailey | Veterinary Medicines Directorate |
| Dr Fraser Broadfoot | Veterinary Medicines Directorate |
| Dr Elizabeth Buba | Veterinary Medicines Directorate |
| Dr Gillian Clarke | Veterinary Medicines Directorate |
| Dr Tamsin Dewé | Veterinary Medicines Directorate |
| Dr Jennifer Dow | Veterinary Medicines Directorate |
| Ms Suzanne Eckford | Veterinary Medicines Directorate |
| Mr Gavin Hall | Veterinary Medicines Directorate |
| Ms Anju Kirby | Veterinary Medicines Directorate |
| Ms Edel Light | Veterinary Medicines Directorate |
| Ms Sannah Malik | Veterinary Medicines Directorate |
| Dr Catrina Prince | Veterinary Medicines Directorate |
| Ms Abigail Seager | Veterinary Medicines Directorate |
| Ms Sherene Simon | Veterinary Medicines Directorate |
| Ms Sophie Spalding | Veterinary Medicines Directorate |
| Dr Aisling Glennie | Veterinary Medicines Directorate |
| Dr Muna Anjum | Animal and Plant Health Agency |
| Mr Andrew Frost | Animal and Plant Health Agency |
| Dr Francesca Martelli | Animal and Plant Health Agency |
| Dr Chris Teale | Animal and Plant Health Agency |
| Mr Stephen Wyllie | Animal and Plant Health Agency |
| Dr Stephen Webb | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council |
| Dr David Verner-Jeffreys | Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science |
| Ms Hilary Glasgow | Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland |
| Mr Jim Blee | Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland |
| Mr David Kyle | Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland |
| Dr Jory Debenham | Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs |
| Ms Alison Gadsby | Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs |
| Mr Philip Shere | Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs |
| Ms Lynsey Armstrong | Department of Health Northern Ireland |
| Mr Stuart Gracey | Department of Health Northern Ireland |
| Ms Heather Stevens | Department of Health Northern Ireland |
| Dr Alwyn Hart | Environment Agency |
| Dr Wiebke Schmidt | Environment Agency |
| Dr Paul Cook | Food Standards Agency |
| Ms Kirsten Stone | Food Standards Agency |
| Dr Kathryn Callaghan | Food Standards Agency |
| Dr Dominic Mellor | Public Health Scotland |
| Ms Pauline Dunlop | Public Health Scotland |
| Dr Katie Hopkins | UK Health Security Agency |
| Dr Gauri Godbole | UK Health Security Agency |
| Dr Berit Muller-Pebody | UK Health Security Agency |
| Dr Geoff Foster | Scotland’s Rural College |
| Mr Andrew Gill | Welsh Government |
| Dr Gavin Watkins | Welsh Government |
| Ms Sian Timms | Welsh Government |
| Ms Jenny Purcell | Scottish Government |
| Ms Catherine Couzens | Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute |
| Mr David McCleery | Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute |
Meeting Dates
Meeting Dates for 2023:
- Thursday 9 March
- Thursday 15 June
- Tuesday 19 September
- Thursday 30 November
Minutes
Minutes of previous meetings:
Terms of Reference
The DARC Terms of Reference (ToR) are:
- to provide scientific and technical advice to government to support the delivery of the UK AMR National Action Plan, considering national and international scientific developments on AMR
- to guide government’s scientific priorities and activities including horizon scanning and identification of new and emerging AMR threats and opportunities that can minimise and contain the risk of AMR for animal and public health
- to review trends of antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial use in animals and identify any gaps in the evidence that require further research and surveillance to meet current and future requirements on AMR
- to promote and facilitate activities leading to better understanding of AMR and its risk to animal and public health
- to seek, when necessary, risk assessment and risk management advice from relevant advisory bodies with an interest in AMR
- to make findings and recommendations available to government and the public in a comprehensive, understandable and timely way
- to act as the focal point for the exchange of views within and between central government, its agencies and devolved administrations on matters related to AMR. The group will seek input from relevant stakeholders, both in the private and public sector, and experts in relevant fields, as appropriate
Frequency of meetings and review of ToR
The DARC meeting is chaired by the Head of the AMR team in VMD. The Secretariat is a Scientific Officer in the AMR team in the VMD.
The core group will meet four times a year (February, June, September, and November).
The Secretariat will review the ToR annually.
Membership
The group members are from the following organisations:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra); Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), Environment Agency (EA), Food Standard Agency (FSA), Devolved administrations (DAs) (including their veterinary laboratories and public health authorities)
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); Public Health Scotland (PHS), Health and Social Care (HSC), National Health Service (NHS), UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)
Members should attend each meeting, but if unavailable, they may ask a suitable deputy to attend on their behalf. The secretariat should be advised if a deputy will take a member’s place.