Professor Philip Robinson

BVMS DSVM MSc PhD PgCert TSLHE SFHEA MRCVS

Professor of Veterinary Public Health and Deputy Head of School

Professor Philip Robinson is an academic veterinarian teaching and conducting research in veterinary public health in the Harper and Keele Veterinary School. He is a RCVS Recognised Specialist in State Veterinary Medicine. After qualifying as a veterinary surgeon from the University of Glasgow, Philip worked as a private practitioner in mixed veterinary practices in Northern Ireland and Scotland, and then spent 12 years as a government veterinary field officer, Official Veterinarian and epidemiologist with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) in Northern Ireland. He is a Diplomate of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in State Veterinary Medicine, and holds the MSc degree in Veterinary Epidemiology and Public Health (with Distinction) from the Royal Veterinary College, University of London. In 2010 Philip was awarded a NI Civil Service US-UK Fulbright Scholarship at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, where he conducted research on factors affecting diagnostic sample submission to veterinary laboratories. Philip completed his PhD in the Geography Department of Durham University, having researched factors affecting the bovine tuberculosis eradication programme in Northern Ireland. After working as a Senior Lecturer and then Principal Lecturer in Farm Animal Health and Welfare at Harper Adams University, Philip joined the University of Glasgow School of Veterinary Medicine as Senior Lecturer in Veterinary Public Health before returning to Harper Adams in 2020, where he was Head of the Department of Animal Health, Behaviour and Welfare until November 2022. His main research interests are in veterinary public health, veterinary surveillance, enzootic disease control in livestock, veterinary education, and using qualitative research methodologies at the interface of the natural and social sciences. He is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and member of the Acid Fast Club, a society dedicated to mycobacteria research. He serves as a Senior Editor of the scientific journal Annals of Applied Biology and is a Past President of the Society for Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine (SVEPM). In May 2023 he was appointed Deputy Head of the Harper & Keele Veterinary School.

Professional Memberships

Member of Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (MRCVS)
Society for Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine (SVEPM) - President 2022-2023
Veterinary Christian Fellowship (VCF)
Acid Fast Club
Shropshire Veterinary Association
Senior Fellow of Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)

Academic Department: Harper and Keele Veterinary School

Office: VF21 Main Building

Research profile: ORCID

Publications

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Other publications

Crawford, P.E., Hamer, K., Lovatt, F., Behnke, M.C., Robinson, P.A. (2024) Flock health planning: How to move from a plan to a reflective planning process in Northern Irish sheep flocks? Annals of Applied Biology 1-13
Crawford, P.E., Hamer, K., Lovatt, F., Behnke, M.C., Robinson, P.A. (2024) Antibiotic use in the Northern Irish sheep flock: What lessons can be learnt from medicine records and farmer attitudes to improve stewardship of these essential medicines? Preventive Veterinary Medicine 226, 106169
Dórea,F.C., Vergne,T., Correia-Gomes,C., Carmo,L.P., Fischer,E.A.J., Messam,L.L.McV., Brodbelt,D.C.& Robinson,P.A. (2024) SVEPM 2023, the annual conference of the Society for Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine: Toulouse finally welcomes us in person Preventive Veterinary Medicine 106174
Crawford, P.E., Hamer, K., Lovatt, F., Behnke, M.C. & Robinson, P.A. (2024) Identifying veterinary surgeons’ barriers to, and potential solutions for, improving antimicrobial stewardship among sheep farmers in Northern Ireland. Vet Record Open 2024;11:e278.
Crawford, P., Hamer, K., Lovatt, F. Behnke, M. & Robinson, P. (2023) O-131 Understanding Northern Irish sheep farmers’ engagement with NSAID use: A mixed methods approach. Animal - Science proceedings 14, 153-154
Crawford, P., Hamer, K., Lovatt, F. Behnke, M. & Robinson, P. (2023) O-132 Sheep farmer engagement with flock health plans and planning in Northern Ireland: Where are we now? Animal - Science proceedings 14, 154-155
Dorea, F.C., Vergne, T., Correia-Gomes, C., Carmo, L.P., Fischer, E.A.J., Brodbelt, D.C., Robinson, P.A. & van Schaik, G. (2023) SVEPM 2022, the annual conference of the Society for Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine: A joyful hybrid meeting after two years online Preventive Veterinary Medicine 215, 105927
Crawford, P.E., Hamer, K., Lovatt, F., Behnke, M.C., Robinson, P.A. (2023) Improving analgesia provision for sheep: An analysis of farm medicine records and attitudes towards pain relief on sheep farms in Northern Ireland Vet Record Open 10:e75
Robinson, P.A. (2022) Bringing livestock back into the fold: Animal research in the Annals of Applied Biology — Past, present and future Annals of Applied Biology doi.org/10.1111/aab.12759
Palczynski, L.J., Bleach, E.C.L., Brennan, M.L. & Robinson, P.A. (2022) Youngstock Management as “The Key for Everything”? Perceived Value of Calves and the Role of Calf Performance Monitoring and Advice on Dairy Farms Frontiers in Animal Science 3. 10.3389/fanim.2022.835317
Dórea, F.C., Vergne, T., van Schaik, G., Barrett, D., Carmo, L.P., Robinson, P.A., Brodbelt, D.C. & McIntyre, K.M. (2022) Research sharing and networking in times of pandemic: The online Annual Conference of the Society for Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 202: 105611
de Klerk, J.N. & Robinson, P.A. (2022) Drivers and hazards of consumption of unpasteurised bovine milk and milk products in high-income countries PeerJ 10:e13426
Crawford, P.E., Hamer, K., Lovatt, F. & Robinson, P.A. (2022) Sheep scab in Northern Ireland: Its distribution, costs and farmer knowledge about prevention and control Preventive Veterinary Medicine 205: 105682
Redfern, E.A., Sinclair, L.A., Robinson, P.A. (2021) Dairy cow health and management in the transition period: The need to understand the human dimension Research in Veterinary Science 137, 94-101
Dórea,F.C., Vergne,T., Brennan,M., van Schaik,G., Barrett,D., Carmo,L.P., Robinson,P.A., Brodbelt,D.C., McIntyre, K.M. (2021) SVEPM 2020 — Resilience and community support in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic: The Society for Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine Annual Conference, extraordinarily held online Preventive Veterinary Medicine 191, 105368
Redfern, E.A., Sinclair, L.A. & Robinson, P.A. (2021) Why isn’t the transition period getting the attention it deserves? Farm advisors’ opinions and experiences of managing dairy cow health in the transition period. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 194, 105424
Palczynski, L.J., Bleach, E.C.L, Brennan, M.L. & Robinson, P.A. (2021) Stakeholder Perceptions of Disease Management for Dairy Calves: “It’s Just Little Things That Make Such a Big Difference” Animals 11(10), 2829
Palczynski, L.J., Bleach, E.C.L., Brennan, M.L., Robinson, P.A. (2020) Giving calves 'the best start': perceptions of colostrum management on dairy farms in England Animal Welfare 29, 45-58
Palczynski, L.J., Bleach, E.C.L., Brennan, M.L., Robinson, P.A. (2020) Appropriate dairy calf feeding from birth to weaning: "it's an investment for the future" Animals 10, 116
Robinson, P.A. (2020) "They've got to be testing and doing something about it": Farmer and veterinarian views on drivers for Johne’s disease control in dairy herds in England Preventive Veterinary Medicine 182, 105094
Charlton,K. & Robinson,P.A. (2019) A qualitative investigation of the attitudes and practices of farmers and veterinarians in Wales regarding anthelmintic resistance in cattle Veterinaria Italiana 55, 327-337
Robinson, P.A. (2019) Performativity and a microbe: Exploring Mycobacterium bovis and the political ecologies of bovine tuberculosis BioSocieties 14, 179-204
Robinson, P.A. (2019) Farmer and veterinarian attitudes towards the risk of zoonotic Mycobacterium bovis infection in Northern Ireland Veterinary Record 185, 344
Palczynski, L. J., Bleach, E. C. L, Brennan, M. L. & Robinson, P.A. (2018) Stakeholder perceptions of colostrum management for dairy calves in England. (International Society for Economics and Social Science of Animal Health conference, Montpellier, France, 14-15 May 2018. Poster)
Robinson, P.A. (2018) 'You just get used to it, and I've got my TB vaccination.': farmer and veterinarian attitudes to the zoonotic risk of Mycobacterium bovis. (Acid Fast Club Summer Meeting, 5 July 2018, University of Oxford - Conference presentation)
Lomas, H.R. & Robinson, P.A. (2018) A Pilot Qualitative Investigation of Stakeholders’ Experiences and Opinions of Equine Insect Bite Hypersensitivity in England Veterinary Sciences 5:3
Robinson, P.A. (2018) Learning spaces in the countryside: university students and the Harper assemblage. Area 50, 274-282.
Robinson, P.A. & Epperson, W.B. (2018) 'People factors' matter in veterinary scanning surveillance Veterinary Record 182, 577-578
Palczynski, L. J., Bleach, E. C. L, Brennan, M. L. & Robinson, P.A. (2017) Attitudes to calf data recording. (Total Dairy conference, Keele, England, 14 - 15 June 2017. Poster)
Robinson, P.A. (2017) Subsidising cattle, inspecting farmers, controlling disease: the socioeconomic impact of the CAP. Society for Veterinary Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine conference, Inverness, Scotland, 29-31 March 2017. Poster
Courcier, E.A., O’Hagan, M.J.H., Menzies, F.D., Strain, S.A.J., Skuce, R.A., Robinson P.A., Patterson, T., McBride, K.R., McCormick, C.M., Walton, E., McDowell, S.W.J. & Abernethy, D.A. (2017) Surveillance for Mycobacterium bovis in badgers (Meles meles) in Northern Ireland: Results of a road traffic accident survey between 1998 and 2011. Society for Veterinary Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine conference, Inverness, Scotland, 29-31 March 2017. Poster.
Robinson, P.A. (2017) Framing bovine tuberculosis: a ‘political ecology of health’ approach to circulation of knowledge(s) about animal disease control The Geographical Journal
Robinson, P.A. (2017) Farmers and bovine tuberculosis: contextualising statutory disease control within everyday farming lives Journal of Rural Studies 55, 168-180
Courcier, E.A., Menzies, F.D., Strain, S.A.J., Skuce, R.A., Robinson, P.A., Patterson, I.A.P., McBride, K.R., McCormick, C.M., Walton, E., McDowell, S.W.J., Abernethy, D.A. (2017) Monitoring Mycobacterium bovis in Eurasian badgers (Meles meles) killed by vehicles in Northern Ireland between 1998 and 2011. Veterinary Record Published Online First: 22 December 2017. doi: 10.1136/vr.103934
Robinson, P.A. (2016) Bovine tuberculosis: Opinions from the ground up. (Society for Veterinary Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine conference, Elsinore, Denmark, 16-18 March 2016. Poster)
Robinson, P.A. (2016) Learning spaces: on the screen, down the farm, in the prep room (VetEd 2016 conference, University of Glasgow, 7-8 July (Poster))
Robinson, P.A. (2015) Achieving specialist status Veterinary Record 177: i-ii. doi:10.1136/vr.h4344
Robinson, P.A. (2015) A history of bovine tuberculosis eradication policy in Northern Ireland Epidemiology and Infection 143, 3182-3195
Robinson P.A., Courcier, E.A., Gordon, A.D., Menzies, F.D., & Abernethy, D.A. (2014) Survival and risk factors for lateral spread of bovine TB in cattle herds exposed to infection at pasture in Northern Ireland. Society for Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine. Proceedings of a meeting held in Dublin, Ireland, 26-28 March 2014. 211-221
Robinson, P.A. (2014) Thoughts on farm biosecurity – knowledge and practice. M. bovis VI conference, Cardiff, Wales, 16-19 June 2014. (Winner of best poster in Social Science/Economics.)
Robinson, P.A. (2014) Bovine mobilities and biosecurity: why do farmers buy cattle? Society for Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine conference, Dublin, 26-28 March 2014. (Poster)
Robinson, P.A., Macnaghten, P., Banks, S., Bickersteth, J., Kennedy, A., Richardson, Y., Shaw, S. & Sylvestre, I. (2014) Responsible scientists and a citizens' panel: new storylines for creative engagement between science and the public. The Geographical Journal 180, 83-88
Robinson, P.A. (2013) Farmers' views on cattle and badger vaccination to control bovine TB. Society for Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine conference, Madrid, 20-22 March 2013. (Poster)
Atkins, P.J. & Robinson, P.A. (2013) Coalition culls and zoonotic ontologies Environment and Planning A 45, 1372-1386
Atkins, P.J. & Robinson, P.A. (2013) Bovine tuberculosis and badgers in Britain: relevance of the past Epidemiology and Infection 141, 1437-1444
Robinson, P.A. & Epperson, W.B. (2013) Farm animal practitioners' views on their use and expectations of veterinary diagnostic laboratories Veterinary Record 172:503
Robinson, P.A., Epperson, W.B., Huston, C.L., Pace, L.W., Wills, R.W. & Cosby, A.G. (2012) Factors influencing diagnostic sample submission by food animal veterinarians in Mississippi. Veterinaria Italiana 48 (1), 31-39
Robinson, P.A. (2012) Animal diseases and human health Geography Review 26, 12-15
Robinson, P.A. (2012) Veterinary ethnography: new shoes for 'shoe-leather' epidemiology? International Symposia on Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics proceedings - ISVEE13: Proceedings of the 13th International Symposium on Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics, Maastricht, Netherlands, 21 August 2012, 154.
Robinson, P.A., Corner, L.A.L., Courcier, E.A., McNair, J., Artois, M., Menzies, F.D., & Abernethy, D.A. (2012) BCG vaccination against tuberculosis in European badgers (Meles meles): A Review. Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases 35, 277-287
Robinson, P.A. (2012) The veterinary ethnographer: an ‘insider-outsider’ approach to disease control. Durham University Postgraduate Anthropology Conference, Durham, 25 April 2012. (Winner of best thematic poster )
Menzies F.D., Gordon A.W., Courcier E.A., Robinson P.A., Abernethy D.A. (2011) Why limit yourself to one logistic regression model? Society for Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine conference, Leipzig, 23-25 March 2011. (Poster)
Abernethy, D.A., Walton, E., Menzies, F., Courcier, E. & Robinson, P. (2011) Mycobacterium bovis surveillance in European badgers (Meles meles) killed by vehicles in Northern Ireland: an epidemiological evaluation. Epidemiologie & Santé Animale, Proceedings of the International Conference on Animal Health Surveillance, Lyon, France, 17-20 May 2011, 59-60, 216-218
Menzies, F.D., Burns, K., Fallows, J.G., McKeown, I.M., Gloster, J., Burgin, L., Courcier, E.A., McNamee, P.T., Robinson, J., Robinson, P.A., McNeilly, F. & Abernethy, D.A. (2011) Risk assessment, targeted surveillance and policy formulation: practical experiences with bluetongue. Epidemiologie & Santé Animale, Proceedings of the International Conference on Animal Health Surveillance, Lyon, France, 17-20 May 2011, 59-60, 113-115.
Robinson, P.A. (2011) Studying while working - Vet Record Careers Veterinary Record http://vetrecordjobs.com/vetrecordjobs/advice/view-article.html?id=74
Abernethy, D.A., Graham, D., Skuce, R., Gordon, A., Menzies, F., Robinson, P., Harwood, R. & Clarke, N. (2010) Shifting the TB-Control paradigm: an epidemiological critique of the bovine tuberculosis eradication scheme. Society for Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine. Proceedings of a meeting held in Nantes, France, 24-26 March 2010, 166-173.
Menzies, F.D., Gordon, A.W., Robinson, P.A., Courcier, E.A. & Abernethy, D.A. (2010) Comparison of herd risk factors for the disclosure of tuberculin test reactors for high and low bovine tuberculosis incidence areas. Annual scientific conference of the European College for Veterinary Public Health, Nottwil, Switzerland, October 2010. (Poster)
Menzies, F.D., Abernethy, D.A., Stringer, L.A., Robinson, P.A. & Jordan, C. (2009) Observations on badger activity in two areas of high and low cattle tuberculosis incidence in Northern Ireland. M. bovis V conference. Wellington, New Zealand. 25-28 August 2009, 83.

Additional Information

Teaching responsibilities

Veterinary Public Health & State Veterinary Medicine (Year 3) - Module leader
Veterinary Public Health & State Veterinary Medicine intra-mural rotation (Year 5)
Clinical Medicine and Surgery (Year 4)
Veterinary Epidemiology and Population Medicine (Year 2)
Animal Health Sciences (Year 2)
Animal Management, Health and Production (Year 1)

Awards

Harper Adams University Aspire Excellence Students' Choice Award for Inspiring Learning 2016-17
Harper Adams University Aspire Teaching Excellence Award 2014-15

Research projects

A qualitative social science investigation of UK dairy calf health and welfare - Director of Study
A qualitative study into the awareness and management of Johne’s disease in dairy herds in Shropshire - Researcher
Critical review of food and feed safety vulnerabilities in circular economy - Researcher
Reducing cattle’s susceptibility to Mycobacterium bovis infection through improved nutrition: establishing a knowledge base - Project Manager