Tails.com, a UK pet nutrition company run by a team of people with backgrounds working for well known names as innocent, lovefilm.com and graze, has launched an innovative service delivering dog food optimised for each individual animal, direct to your door.

The concept behind tails.com was born when the company’s co-founder and head vet saw the impact of different diets on the pets in his surgery and realised that the best way to deliver effective health benefits through nutrition was to create unique diets for each animal.

Using research which included analysis of detailed pet growth curves and nutritional requirements based on a wide variety of physical and lifestyle variants, tails.com developed a system which it says offers an optimised feeding plan for each individual dog.

Visitors to tails.com are invited to complete a questionnaire which is then used to calculate their dog's individual feeding plan and the price. After that, the food is delivered to your door in packaging which displays the name of the dog it's for. Nice touch.

Another nice touch in these times of spiralling pet obesity is the inclusion of a free, vet-designed Perfect Portion Scoop, together with an individual feeding plan to help customers feed the correct amount of food in each meal.

The team’s lead nutritionist is Dr Samantha Ware MSc BSc (Hons), a pet nutritionist with over 15 years of experience in the pet food industry. She said: “Tails.com can create a bespoke diet and feeding plan to fulfil the unique nutritional needs and specific feeding preferences of your dog, for life. As a pet nutritionist, the most common question I face is ‘what is the best food that I can feed my pet?’ Despite the plethora of brands and products available in the market it can often be quite a challenge to find and select that perfect product to fit that specific pet, let alone within the budget of the owner. Bespoke diets are the ideal solution. With the ‘Tailored Nutrition’ proposition Tails.com has challenged the status quo, and has fully embraced and acknowledged that each pet is an individual and has its own unique nutritional needs.”

Any UK-based veterinary nurse that would like to try tails.com free for 2 weeks (with a one-off £1 delivery charge), visit the site and enter the code VETNURSE, valid from now till 28th September 2015.

Defra has rejected the RCVS petition to protect the VN title, saying that criminalising the use of the term 'veterinary nurse' by other animal carers in a veterinary setting would be unduly harsh.

In rejecting the petition, which had gained nearly 22,000 signatures, Defra made the point that the term is often used colloquially, without intention to deceive or mislead, without undertaking unqualified practice, and without risk of harm to animals. 

Noting the existing legal framework which exists to make sure that animals in veterinary care are only treated by trained and qualified individuals, Defra said it would not be in the public interest to prosecute individuals for colloquial use of the term. 

BVNA President Sam Morgan said: "The BVNA are very disappointed to read the Government’s response. We feel that they have overlooked the emotions of the British public towards animal welfare and maintenance of trust within the veterinary profession. With no restriction on the use of the title it is confusing for the general public and for the veterinary profession. We hope that this response increases public awareness of the issues faced. As the representative body for Veterinary Nurses, BVNA will continue to work alongside the RCVS and BVA to raise awareness of this campaign and to encourage anyone who is interested to sign the petition."

The RCVS said that whilst the response was disappointing, it was heartened to be asked to work with the Defra to find new ways of bolstering the veterinary nursing profession.

A significant part of this work will be a review of Schedule 3 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, which allows certain minor acts of veterinary surgery to be delegated to veterinary nurses. The RCVS says it hopes that Schedule 3 can be simplified to give VNs more clarity and confidence over what tasks they can undertake, and augmented to strengthen the role of VNs in areas such as anaesthesia.

BVA President Sean Wensley said: “Veterinary Nurses are an essential part of the veterinary team and deserve full recognition for their roles. The VN Title campaign has received strong support from across the sector and with MPs, so it is disappointing that Defra has decided not to recommend that Parliament give legal protection to the hard-earned title.

"Given the current Government’s deregulatory agenda, this response does not come as a surprise yet nor does it signal the end of the campaign. Defra have stated that if this petition reaches 100,000 signatures, the Petitions Committee will consider it for a debate. We therefore ask anyone who supports the campaign but has not yet signed the online petition to do so now.

"In the meantime BVA and BVNA will continue to work with RCVS on the VN Futures project, taking a long-term view on the role of veterinary nurses and seeking to prepare for their future within the profession."

The Copper Development Association (CDA) reports that a Harare veterinary practice has become the first in Zimbabwe to add copper touch surfaces to its suite of infection prevention measures.

24 Hour Veterinary Practice opted to replace frequently-touched surfaces including table tops, drawer handles, light and electrical switches, chair arms, desk tops and even mice with solid copper equivalents. 

The CDA says copper is a powerful antimicrobial with rapid, broad-spectrum efficacy against bacteria and viruses, including MRSA, E.coli and norovirus (references). It shares this benefit with a range of copper alloys - including brasses and bronzes - forming a family of materials collectively called 'antimicrobial copper'.

Touch surfaces made from solid antimicrobial copper are used by healthcare facilities around the world to reduce the spread of infections such as norovirus and MRSA, supporting key infection control measures such as good hand hygiene and frequent surface cleaning and disinfection.

Dr Vinay Ramlaul, who runs the practice, said: 'We're very pleased with the copper touch surfaces. They're easy to clean and present a bright, sterile image to our clients. We feel secure knowing that copper is continuously killing microbes being transmitted to the surfaces by both our clients and patients.'

24 Hour Veterinary Practice joins a number of other veterinary facilities in South Africa already using antimicrobial copper surfaces to enhance hygiene. The CDA says it is not aware of any UK practices that have yet installed the surfaces, although it is being used in a number of human healthcare hospitals and clinics in the UK.

For more information, including a list of antimicrobial copper products and suppliers, visit www.antimicrobialcopper.org.

The RCVS is focussing its efforts on the campaign to protect the title ‘veterinary nurse’ at BVNA Congress 2015.

Ahead of the Congress, which takes place at the Telford International Centre from 9 to 11 October, the College has produced badges which veterinary nurses can wear in support of the campaign. The campaign started in May and, this August, the College launched a petition on the official UK Government and Parliament e-petition website calling for the title ‘veterinary nurse’ to be protected in law, so that only those who are qualified and registered can call themselves a veterinary nurse.

Lizzie Lockett, Director of Communications at the College, said: “The response to our campaign so far has been excellent – for example, more than 10,000 people have signed our petition in just a few weeks.

“We now want to get the word out to the wider public about this campaign and hope that if veterinary nurses wear the badge it will act as the starting point for a conversation with clients, family and friends about what they do, what it means to be a veterinary nurse and why the title needs to be protected.”

The badges will be available to collect from stand B7, where delegates can also sign the petition and pick up a template letter asking local Members of Parliament to support the campaign.

Visitors to the stand can also take part in a ‘Shape your future’ game in which they will be challenged to complete a shape puzzle as quickly as possible, with the fastest person receiving a Kindle Fire. The game is based around the joint RCVS and BVA Vet Futures project which aims to help the veterinary professions prepare for and shape their future.

At 11.45am on Saturday 10 October, Liz Cox RVN, the Chair of VN Council, will be leading a session for any veterinary nurses who wish to make the professional declaration that all new nurses make upon registration. Following this, Liz will be joined by Julie Dugmore, Head of Veterinary Nursing at the RCVS, Fiona Andrew, President of the BVNA, and Samantha Morgan, Vice-President of the BVNA, for a question and answer session with Congress delegates.

To coincide with BVNA Congress, VN Council will also be holding its first ever meeting outside of London on Thursday 8 October at the Holiday Inn Telford, between 11am and 1.30pm. The meeting is open to members of the public and the veterinary nursing profession, but they must give the RCVS at least one week’s notice. Please contact Emma Lockley, RCVS Events Officer, on e.lockley@rcvs.org.uk if you wish to attend.

More details about the protection of title campaign can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/vntitle.

Further information about Vet Futures, including the latest research and blogs about the future of the veterinary profession, can be found at www.vetfutures.org.uk

The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has suspended two veterinary surgeons from the Register after finding them guilty of lying to clients and the College about the circumstances of a castration procedure which led to the death of a dog.

The Committee suspended Mr Mpho Donald Lesolle and Mr Georgi Cheshmedzhiev from the Register for four and two months respectively, following surgery undertaken on Benson, a two-year-old male Labradoodle belonging to Mr and Mrs Grayson.

During the proceedings, the Committee heard that, on 6 August 2013, Mr and Mrs Grayson brought Benson to the Swinfen Veterinary Centre in Stafford, where Mr Lesolle is the practice principal and Mr Cheshmedzhiev was his assistant, for the operation which was undertaken by Mr Cheshmedzhiev. Mr Lesolle did not directly supervise the procedure telling the Committee that he was confident that his colleague could carry out the castration, having permitted him to do so on previous occasions.

The Committee heard that, after the operation, a nursing assistant, Ms Bell, had noticed that there was blood on the bedding and that Benson had a swollen scrotum. Mr Lesolle then performed a scrotal ablation on Benson, who was discharged later that day.

However, on the morning of 8 August 2013, Mrs Grayson discovered that Benson had died during the night. An independent post-mortem concluded that he had probably died of intra-abdominal bleeding which caused circulatory collapse. Mr and Mrs Grayson raised a concern with the RCVS in September 2013.

The charge against Mr Lesolle relates to his actions following the operations and during the investigation. The four parts of the charge were that he failed to be sufficiently open with Mr and Mrs Grayson on the circumstances of Benson’s surgery; that, in September 2013, he wrote to the College indicating that he had in fact performed the castration and failing to state that there had been two operations; that, on 23 January 2014, he informed Pam Mosedale, a Veterinary Investigator employed by the College, that he had carried out both procedures; and that, on the same day, he also encouraged his veterinary nursing assistant Ms Bell to be dishonest with the College’s investigators. 

Mr Lesolle, who was present at the hearing, admitted all parts of the charge against him. He told the Committee that he decided to take responsibility for Mr Cheshmedzhiev’s operation out of a desire to protect his colleague whom he regarded as vulnerable and lacking in self-confidence. He also accepted that he had encouraged Ms Bell to lie during her interview. He told the Committee that he had persisted with the deceit until 15 January 2015, when he gave a full account of what had occurred.

The three parts of the charge against Mr Cheshmedzhiev, who was not in attendance or represented at the hearing, were that in a letter to the College sent in September 2013, he indicated that he had not undertaken the castration procedure on Benson; that on 23 January 2014 he had denied carrying out the operation while being interviewed by Pam Mosedale; and that, on 19 June 2014, while being interviewed by a solicitor instructed by the College, he said that Mr Lesolle had carried out both procedures.

The Committee found the charge against Mr Lesolle amounted to serious professional misconduct, falling far short of what is expected of a professional. The Committee highlighted the protracted nature of his deceit and the fact that he encouraged another member of staff to participate in it. However, it did accept that his motivation was to protect Mr Cheshmedzhiev.

In deciding on the sanction for Mr Lesolle, the Committee considered the aggravating and mitigating factors. Ian Green, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “Having taken the calculated decision to deceive the College as to what had occurred, he abused his position of responsibility to obtain support for his deceit by involving a junior employee, without any proper consideration of the effect of that decision upon her. Instead he continued with the deceit until he was presented with incontrovertible evidence that he had not carried out both procedures on the dog. In the Committee’s view he showed a wilful disregard for the College’s investigatory process.”

However, in mitigation, it also accepted that he was protecting a colleague and that there was no financial gain. It also considered his personal circumstances, the fact that he is sole principal of a small mixed practice which provides his sole source of income and that the rented accommodation also provides a home for his wife and two children. Taking all factors into account, the Committee imposed a sanction upon Mr Lesolle of four months’ suspension from the Register.

In regards to Mr Cheshmedzhiev, the Committee did not find the part of his charge relating to the letter sent in September 2013 to be proven but, in respect of the other two parts of his charge, found that his conduct fell far short of what is expected of a professional. It highlighted his willing participation in the deceit over a protracted period and his failure to take responsibility for his own involvement in the operation on Benson. 

In deciding the sanction, the Committee said that the fact that Mr Cheshmedzhiev had lied to the College’s investigators on two occasions and did not admit that he had carried out the castration and apologise for his actions until February 2015, after he had returned to his native Bulgaria, was an aggravating factor.

Ian Green added: “The Committee accepts that he allowed himself to be persuaded by Mr Lesolle to provide a dishonest account of what had taken place to the College’s investigator Mrs Mosedale, and solicitor, Mr Hudson. It also accepts that he has been described by Mr Lesolle as a vulnerable person, lacking in self-confidence in his ability to practise as a veterinary surgeon in the United Kingdom.

“Nevertheless, Mr Cheshmedzhiev accepted the obligations contained in the Code of Professional Conduct when he registered as an MRCVS, which included an obligation to cooperate honestly with the College’s investigatory process. It has also noted that he has expressed a present intention not to work in or visit the United Kingdom again.”

Taking into account all factors, the Committee decided the appropriate sanction was to suspend him from the Register for two months. 

Merial has announced the launch of NexGard Spectra, a broad spectrum oral parasiticide for dogs.

NexGard Spectra contains afoxolaner, which kills fleas and ticks on dogs, and milbemycin oxime, which is effective against roundworms, hookworms and whipworms.

The new product is delivered in a beef flavoured chew to help compliance. 

NexGard Spectrum is available in five different weight ranges to suit puppies and dogs of all sizes.

A new pet health advice line, similar in principle to the now-defunct NHS Direct service, has been launched for pet owners.

Pet-gp.co.uk offers a 12 month subscription for £4.50 per month, or owners can seek one-off advice from its team of veterinary nurses (not veterinary surgeons as the name implies) for £12.50.

The company implies says on its website that the average vet bill is £300, and that 2 out of 3 visits are unnecessary anyway, so a quick call to them first could represent a considerable saving.

However, VetNurse.co.uk sees a number of flaws in this logic:

• Even if the figure quoted for the average veterinary bill is correct (something disputed by the BVA), it doesn't cost £300 to consult a general practitioner veterinary surgeon; if an owner walks out of a practice with a £300 bill, clearly there was something wrong with the animal, and the trip was necessary.
• Therefore, the potential saving to the owner by avoiding an unnecessary consultation is nothing like £300. 
• Even veterinary surgeons are not able to diagnose illness properly without seeing an animal. Veterinary nurses are not allowed to diagnose at all. So the advice that can be given must necessarily be very limited. £12.50 perhaps sounds like value for money for veterinary advice, until you discover that the advice is 'go and see your veterinary surgeon'.
• Many - perhaps most - veterinary practices offer clients basic advice free of charge over the telephone anyway. 

BVA President Gudrun Ravetz said: "Although triage phone lines have been used in the NHS for several years, for pets these can be more problematic as animals are unable to speak themselves, and many symptoms may be subtle signs that will only be picked up in an examination by a vet."

The Government has announced that England is set to apply for Officially TB-Free (OTF) status for more than half of the country next year - two years ahead of schedule.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) says this is evidence that its strategy to tackle bovine TB, which costs taxpayers £100m a year, is delivering results. 

Defra says that gaining OTF status for the low risk area, covering the north and east of England, would boost trade opportunities and mean some herds require less regular TB testing, reducing costs for farmers.

This would be the first time anywhere in England has enjoyed this status and the government says it is a key step in its 25-year plan for the whole of the UK to be TB-free by 2038.

Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom said: "Gaining global recognition that more than half of England is TB-free will be a significant milestone in our long-term plan to eradicate this devastating disease, and will open up new trading opportunities for farmers.

"We have much still to do in the worst affected parts of the country, but this shows that our strategy - combining practical biosecurity measures, a robust cattle movement and testing regime, and badger control in areas where the disease is rife - is right and is working."

Results published today confirm all ten licensed badger control operations achieved successful outcomes. A consultation opens today on next steps for badger control in areas that have completed the first four years of intensive culling.

Other measures announced today include:

• Wider use of blood tests alongside the current skin test in the high risk area to provide a more sensitive testing regime in TB affected herds, minimising the risk of leaving infected animals in herds.
• A plan to introduce new, more coherent powers to manage the TB risk in pigs, sheep, goats, deer and camelids, to bring them more in line with cattle controls. This will include new statutory compensation arrangements for these species.
• More frequent updates to the ibTB online tool which allows farmers to view TB outbreaks close to their farm. From early in 2017 the data will be refreshed every fortnight rather than every month.

Chief Veterinary Officer Nigel Gibbens said: "This year we have seen that badger control can be delivered successfully on a wider scale. Further expansion in the coming years, alongside our robust cattle movement and testing regime, will allow us to achieve and maintain long term reductions in the level of TB across the South West and Midlands where the disease is currently widespread."

The government says it is taking robust action to make the country TB-free by 2038, with a strategy including stronger cattle testing and movement controls, good biosecurity, badger control in areas where TB is rife and vaccination when possible.

Vaccinating healthy badgers is part of the government’s long-term plan and could play an important role in preventing bovine TB spreading to new areas of the country. Defra plans to resume the Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme, which offers support for private badger vaccination projects in edge area counties, in 2018 when we expect vaccine supplies to be available once more following the current global shortage.

The government is also supporting farmers to take practical action to reduce the risk of infection onto their farm. This includes support for a new CHeCS TB cattle herd accreditation scheme, on-farm biosecurity demonstrations for farmers, and training for veterinary surgeons delivered by APHA jointly with the private sector. Farmers can also access practical guidance on the TB Hub, which brings advice from farming experts, vets and government together in one place.

Pets At Home Vet Group and Dick White Referrals have announced a strategic partnership in order to develop Pets at Home's strategy for providing specialist care.

Pets at Home says it is creating a new divisional structure comprised of the existing First Opinion Division (Vets4Pets and Companion Care joint venture practices) and the new Specialist Division, which comprises Dick White Referrals, Northwest Surgeons, Anderson Moores, and Eye Vet Referrals.

Dick White has been appointed Clinical Director of the new Specialist Division.

Dick will remain as a shareholder in Dick White Referrals. He and three of the Specialist clinicians - Giunio Bruto Cherubini, Federico Corletto and Rob Foale - will retain 24% of the practice.

Sally Hopson, CEO of Pets at Home Vet Group said: "We are delighted to have attracted a colleague of Dick White’s pedigree to join us, not only to help drive the future growth of Dick White Referrals, but also to play a key role in developing our Specialist Division. Professor White is a key figure in the development of the Specialist Veterinary segment; he has trained many of the leading Specialist veterinary practitioners. This is a tremendous step forward for the Vet Group. I’m also very pleased that Professor White and his colleagues have chosen to remain as equity partners in Dick White Referrals."

Dick said: "Forming this strategic partnership provides great opportunities for us to continue to develop Dick White Referrals as a world class referrals centre with a team of leading Veterinary Specialists. I am delighted to be working with a partner that shares our vision for Dick White Referrals and is committed to supporting its future development. Joining the Board of the Specialist Division will allow me to provide clinical leadership and governance across the division, input into the formulation of strategy and support M&A activity and veterinary recruitment."

Vets Now has announced that it is accepting applications for it's Nursing Edge Programme, starting in August.

The eight week training programme, which was set up by Vets Now’s Head of Clinical Nursing, Rachael Marshall, provides a full induction leading to a permanent full time position with Vets Now. It combines two weeks of lectures and interactive sessions in the company's support office with six weeks practical training. Vets Now says the course content has been designed to give nurses the confidence and skills for emergency work, providing valuable training and a salary from day one.

Vets Now says it has already welcomed 17 new nurses on board, with the potential to place many more into its small animal out of hours’ clinics across the England, Wales and Scotland.

All successful applicants are supported in practice by an experienced RVN as their mentor throughout their six weeks on the job training in the clinic of their choice.

In addition, nurses are supported with a directed training plan in their first year; incorporating a mix of online and practical courses.

Rachel Plunkett, a nurse who participated in the Nursing Edge Programme, said: “Doing this course has meant I feel well equipped to tackle all kinds of exciting clinical cases despite being newly qualified. The in-house support is incredible and if at any point I was unsure about any little thing, someone was there to help and answer my questions. Taking the Nursing Edge course is the best decision I've ever made."

Veterinary Nurses currently in their final year of study, or those new to emergency work, who wish to secure a place on the August programme or April 2017, should send their CV and a covering letter to laura.collings@vets-now.com 

The PDSA is calling on veterinary nurses to complete its Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report survey 2016.

The charity says that the survey is the largest, most comprehensive insight into pet wellbeing in the UK; an opportunity for veterinary professionals to share their views on the issues affecting the health and welfare of UK pets today.

Vicki Betton, PDSA Policy and Campaigns manager, said: "For the last five years, the PAW Report has provided valuable insight into the reality of pet health and wellbeing in the UK.

"It delivers a robust evidence base for our education programmes, campaigns and collaborative work, and enables us to track our impact on the pet wellbeing issues which are of most concern to the veterinary profession. It also provides an excellent opportunity for everyone to voice their opinions and have their say.

"In 2015, two of the main concerns identified were lack of public understanding of the cost of pet ownership, and a lack of pre-purchase education relating to suitable pet choice. This was reinforced in our survey of pet owners, in which over 95% of pet owners incorrectly estimated the lifetime costs for their pet. As a result, we launched our #PawsFirst campaign to engage pet owners about how to choose the right pet for their lifestyle, while raising awareness of the lifetime costs of different species."

The current survey closes on 4 July. Vicki added: "It only takes 15 minutes, so please help us maintain an accurate picture of the biggest welfare issues facing pets in the UK today."

Take the survey at www.yougov.com/PDSA and help spread the word by sharing on social media - #PAWreport

Dechra Veterinary Products has launched two new antibiotics with a new tablet technology designed to encourage more responsible use of antibiotics in practice.

Metrobactin is the first veterinary licensed metronidazole tablet for the treatment of anaerobic infections in dogs and cats. Amoxibactin is the only flavoured, double-divisible amoxicillin tablet for the treatment of urinary, reproductive and airway infections in dogs and cats.

Metrobactin and Amoxibactin are presented in 'SmartTab' double divisible tablets which can easily be divided into equal halves or quarters to ensure accurate dosing and to avoid the risk of antibiotic resistance associated with under dosing. The tablets are meat flavoured to encourage animals to accept them, thereby helping to ensure the full course is completed. There are also multiple dose strengths per product.

Dechra says it hopes these features will help vets engage with responsible antimicrobial stewardship.

Larry King, Marketing Manager UK & Ireland, said: "Dechra is acutely aware of the importance of using antibiotics responsibly and we appreciate that antibiotics are an important but complex area of veterinary medicine.

"Each case should be judged on its merits and considered use of antibiotics should be the practice, rather than using antibiotics as a precaution. Dechra suggests that antimicrobials are only used when an infection has been documented and, if possible, choices made on the results of culture and sensitivity testing and/or cytology testing. We encourage clinicians to consider other treatment options before using systemic antibiotics, for example, cases of surface pyoderma can receive topical treatment.

"Using narrower spectrum antibiotics reduces the selection pressure for resistance in commensal bacteria and if antibiotics are not resolving an infection, the diagnosis may be incorrect or there may be an underlying disease process."

He added: "The launch of Metrobactin and Amoxibactin will support our existing Clavudale antibiotic that combines amoxicillin and clavulanic acid and is part of our commitment to improve the options for treatment and responsible management of antibiotics.

"SmartTab’s innovative features will play a large role in the effective and responsible use of antibiotics. Dechra will be progressively introducing further antibiotics featuring SmartTab technology to support practices when dispensing antibiotics."

For more information visit www.dechra.co.uk/responsible.

ioLight, the first professional-quality pocket microscope which launched back in May, will be presented to the profession at the Bayer stand (R20) at the London Vet Show, where it will be used to demonstrate Bayer's products.

The founders of ioLight, Andrew Monk and Richard Williams, will be in attendance on the Bayer stand to answer questions about the new product.

James Crawford, Head of Marketing at Bayer, said: "Bayer is delighted to present the ioLight microscope on our stand at the London Vet Show 2016. The microscope provides fantastically clear images and is simple to use, showing off Bayer's products for all our customers to see."

Professor Mike Taylor, a Diplomate of the European Veterinary Parasitology College, is in the process of evaluating the ioLight microscope as a tool for the diagnosis of parasitic infections of farm animals.

Normally he uses a laboratory microscope for this work but they are not routinely used on a farm. He has also tried a portable digital microscope, but finds it does not give the resolution required for identification of protozoan parasite species or for counting nematode eggs. Mike said: "The ioLight’s portability, image quality and connectivity to the Apple iPad offer great potential for the development of rapid methods for identifying parasites, or determining parasite burdens. I can envisage its use by both veterinarians and suitably trained livestock farmers, in the practice laboratory or directly on the farm."

Andrew Monk said: "Since our launch earlier this year we have seen a massive interest from the veterinary sector. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to demonstrate our microscope to such a large audience, and are looking forward to working with Bayer."

For more information visit iolight.co.uk or email Andrew Monk at andrew.monk@iolight.co.uk.