List
- Samples (except fish) will only be accepted for examination on request from a veterinary surgeon and following completion and signature of a relevant AFBI Sample Submission Form which can be found at https://www.afbini.gov.uk/articles/submission-forms by the veterinary surgeon. In the absence of such completed and signed sample submission form the sample submitted or delivered will not be tested. Farmed fish will be accepted directly from farmers when submission through a veterinary surgeon is impracticable. The results of diagnostic tests on all species (including fish) are reported by e-mail to the submitting or nominated private veterinary surgeon who signs the relevant AFBI Sample Submission Form.
- Post-mortem fees cover gross examination and any ancillary histopathological, microbiological, biochemical or other tests deemed appropriate by both AFBI Stormont and Omagh Laboratories. Additional charges will apply when customers request tests which fall outside this definition.
- Carcases or viscera received, but subsequently found to be unfit for examination, will be disposed of without examination and charged for as if post-mortem examination had been carried out.
- All samples accepted for testing or examination by AFBI become the property of AFBI and the samples may be subject to additional testing. The anonymised data or results derived from such testing and any such additional testing may be further analysed for the purposes of disease and infectious agent surveillance and non-commercial research and development.
- AFBI, in compliance with Data Protection legislation, may issue results of samples tested via a secure encrypted e-mail method, which may result in the customer or the veterinary surgeon holding both the encryption password and the encrypted results files together in the same in-box. If either the veterinary surgeon or the customer or, if different, the person who signs the AFBI Sample Submission form does not wish to receive the results of the testing using an encrypted method they should notify AFBI in writing at DSIBSample.Enquiries@afbini.gov.uk before or at the same time as the AFBI Sample Submission Form is completed and signed.
- AFBI shall have no liability whatsoever to any party including but not limited to the veterinary surgeon, the Customer and/or the owner of the animal to which the sample relates in respect of the encryption method which AFBI chooses to use or the use or transfer of any data provided to AFBI whether or not it is personal data and whether or not the personal data is received directly from the owner or data subject of such data and whether or not they have given consent for it to be provided to AFBI by a third party and each veterinary surgeon. Customer and/or owner of any animal hereby indemnifies AFBI accordingly to the maximum extent permitted by law. Further AFBI shall have no liability whatsoever to any party in circumstances where an encryption method is used including in circumstances where AFBI has not received a written notification requesting that encryption should not be used or where results are sent unsecurely not using encryption as a result of AFBI having received written notification from a veterinary surgeon, customer or owner of an animal requesting that encryption should not be used.
- The veterinary surgeon, the customer and/or owner of the animal hereby indemnifies AFBI in respect of any claim, loss, costs or expenses which he/she may have or any third party may bring against them resulting from the use or non-use of any encryption method by AFBI in the delivery of results by AFBI.
- All fees are subject to VAT and invoices will be issued monthly to veterinary surgeons, poultry producers and fish farmers. All invoices are due for payment no later than 30 days following the date of the invoice.
- AFBI reserves the right to alter fees and the composition of specified test packages without prior notice and also retains the right to refuse acceptance of certain submissions e.g. where issues of Health and Safety are involved.
- All samples submitted by mail, train, bus or courier must be packaged in compliance with current Health and Safety and the Road Transportation regulations and accompanied by a completed and signed AFBI Sample Submission Form.
- Government accounting (Northern Ireland) procedures will be used for recovery of all outstanding debts.
- Separate charging regimes and prices apply to farm animal, companion animal and commercial testing and are available on request.
Complaints procedure
If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of our diagnostic service, please contact: info@afbini.gov.uk