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 Elizabeth Anderson Veterinary Medicines Directorate
Ms Laura Biddle 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
Dr James Carrier Animal and Plant Health Agency
Mr Andrew Frost Animal and Plant Health Agency
Dr Francesca Martelli Animal and Plant Health Agency
Dr Silvia Stronati Animal and Plant Health Agency
Dr Chris Teale Animal and Plant Health Agency
Mr Stephen Wyllie Animal and Plant Health Agency
Dr Craig Baker-Austin Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
Dr Athina Papadopoulou Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
Ms Hannah Foley Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Mr Ashley Holt Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Ms Lisa Hoyland Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Ms Hilary Glasgow Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland
Mr Barry McGarvey Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland
Mr Stuart Gracey Department of Health Northern Ireland
Ms Christine Henderson Department of Health Northern Ireland
Mr Chris Matthews Department of Health Northern Ireland
Dr Alwyn Hart Environment Agency
Dr Wiebke Schmidt Environment Agency
Dr Kathryn Callaghan Food Standards Agency
Dr Dominic Mellor 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.

Contact details

darc@vmd.gov.uk