Published: 19 Oct 2018 | Last Updated: 10 Aug 2023 10:50:30

The Network for Evaluation of One Health (NEOH) has published a new interdisciplinary guidance handbook which lays out an evidenced based framework for evaluating integrated approaches to health, such as the One Health approach.

Integrated approaches to health - a handbook for the evaluation of One Health, which comes in both hardback and open access e-book form, provides practical protocols which will assist the evaluation of what works and does not work in One Health as well as meaningful information regarding the value of the One Health approach.

It is expected that this literature will enhance integration of knowledge across health, social and life sciences, and aim the advancement of new approaches to improve the well-being and health of animals, humans, and the environment.   

Since it was formed in 2014, the NEOH has grown to now comprise of more than two hundred members. These are skilled professionals, including researchers, practitioners, decision-makers and other key stakeholders, all with an active interest in improving the evaluation of One Health and the approach itself.

The network has delegates from over 24 countries, all of which strive towards building a community of practice in One Health. Dr. Barbara Häsler Senior Lecturer for Agri-Health at the RVC is the Chairperson of the NEOH. The RVC is the main grant holder and administrator for the network which is funded by the EU COST scheme. The new handbook is intended to support practitioners, researchers, evaluators, as well as funders of integrated approaches to health and beyond.

Dr Barbara Häsler, said: “We are providing opportunities for learning, tools, protocols and a vision for One Health. We hope that people will engage, apply, criticise, expand and improve our approaches and in the process gain inspiration for current and future One Health initiatives.”

Dr Simon Rüegg, University of Zürich, Switzerland, said: “The NEOH handbook provides a seminal interdisciplinary take on One Health, which allows practitioners, evaluators and decision makers from all disciplines to discover new perspectives on health and think about it in a systemic way.”

Notes to Editors

For more information please contact: Alex Cassells or Ploy Radford Press Line: 0800 368 9520  

About the Royal Veterinary College

• The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) is the UK's largest and longest established independent veterinary school and is a constituent College of the University of London.
• The RVC offers undergraduate, postgraduate and CPD programmes in veterinary medicine, veterinary nursing and biological sciences.
• It is currently the only veterinary school in the world to hold full accreditation from AVMA, EAEVE, RCVS and AVBC. In 2017, the RVC received a Gold award from the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) – the highest rating a university can receive.
• A research-led institution, in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF2014) the RVC maintained its position as the top HEFCE funded veterinary focused research institution.
• The RVC ranked as the top vet school in the Agriculture, Veterinary and Food Science unit of the most recent Research Assessment Exercise, with 55% of academics producing world-class and internationally excellent research.
• The RVC also provides animal owners and the veterinary profession with access to expert veterinary care and advice through its teaching hospitals; the Beaumont Sainsbury Animal Hospital in central London, the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals (Europe's largest small animal referral centre), the Equine Referral Hospital, and the Farm Animal Clinical Centre located at the Hertfordshire campus.