Specialist Headhunters
01423 861727
The Role
Caseload
This opportunity is suited to someone who is ready to accelerate their clinical and professional development.
Cases are worked up fully in house and they have visiting specialists to support this, including visiting surgeons for complex orthopaedics and a cardiologist for heart scans.
They have up to 20 ops per day with 2 vets operating (numbers will vary according to the skills and speed of the vet operating and the types of ops booked in of course). They regularly perform procedures such as cruciates, patellas, cystotomies, splenectomies, foreign body removals, oncology (lumps/tumours) and BOAS surgery.
In terms of medicine cases, they see a lot of skin, bladder work ups, GI and endocrine cases. Their clients are willing to bring their pets in for hospitalisation for blood tests, imaging and taking samples. They do a lot of faecal samples and are keen not to overuse antibiotics. This is not a “stick a plaster on it and send it away” type practice as you can see.
In terms of support, the team are very good at sharing what’s happening with their cases and getting other people involved. You’re never on your own making a decision here and there’s space within the day and flexibility within the team to seek someone out to ask for help or advice. The partners have arranged the rota so that each day there is an experienced vet and lesser experienced vet operating together. Post-expansion there’s going to be more like 3-4 vets operating daily so this in-theatre learning opportunity and support is going to be even more valuable.
The Team
There are 10 veterinary surgeons here, including two vet partners. The vets have interests and certificates in surgery and medicine, and the vast caseload supports and accommodates everybody's interests.
Many of the vets have worked here a number of years, including two who have worked at the practice since qualifying in 2016.
There are multiple full time and part time RVNs who are very experienced and have worked here a long time. Many have been there 10+ years and one of the vets commented to me that the operating theatre is the most organised theatre she has worked in on the basis of the efficient and highly trained nursing team.
What makes the team great here is their work ethic and how everyone gets on and helps each other out. There is no divide between vets, nurses and receptionists and there are no cliques in the team. Everyone here has a keen learning mentality and part of learning is sharing your knowledge and experience with others too.
One of the vets I took a team testimonial from mentions that she has grown significantly as a vet during her time here, and not just through the cases she handles but by learning from being involved in other people’s cases. She has watched other vets in the team work up weird and wonderful medical cases and has learnt so much from that.
Hours and Rota
As a busy practice, the partners have always been keen on ensuring their vets can suitable downtime and an excellent quality of life. This is the type of practice where you are all-in while you’re here, and when you’re off - you’re completely off.
In a 3 week period, a full time vet here works 12 out of 21 days, and you get regular long weekends!
You get a 30 minute PAID lunch break each day and the 30 minutes counts towards your weekly working hours
Remuneration
Salary: Paid according to experience and ability but is above average compared to surrounding practices, often by about £3,000-£4,000.
CPD allowance: 3 days and £1,000 but it’s completely flexible. Certificates supported and encouraged
Annual leave: 25 days + 8 bank holiday days. Plus, a day off on your birthday, a day off when you move house, a day off when your child has their first day at school.
Pension scheme: 8.5%
Sick pay: 13 weeks of full sick pay after 1 years' service
Enhanced maternity leave: 10 weeks full pay, 2 weeks half pay, then SMP
Enhanced paternity leave: 2 weeks full pay then either 1 week full pay OR 2 weeks half pay
Private healthcare
Income protection
Death in service
And much more...!
If you're ready to take a big step forward in terms of your clinical development, or a particular area of interest AND want to maintain an excellent quality of life. This could be the practice for you.
Key Points
Established Practice with Dedicated Clients
Over 20 years old and clients that come from far and wide. Clients come here for the high end service they receive and are committed to doing what they can for their pets.
Vast Caseload
Minimal cases are referred out of the practice. Up to 20 ops per day and more non-routine than routine ops being performed. Learn from your own cases and through exposure and involvement in other people's cases too!
Unique Rota
In a period of 21 days, a full time vet will work just 12 days! You maintain an excellent quality of life AND grow significantly as a vet.
The Practice
Established for over 20 years, this practice has doubled in size and had a refurbishment. They now have further plans for expansion and will go up to 7 consultation rooms, 2 operating theatres (with two tables in each), 3 dog wards, an excellent sized colleague area for rest and relaxation, and an office area for admin work.
The long term vision of this practice is to achieve hospital accreditation and provide their own out of hours service with their own dedicated night team.
The practice is very well equipped with digital x-ray, colour doppler ultrasound, multiparameter, blood pressure monitor, orthopaedic kit, ECG, tonometer and diathermy. Once the expansion is complete, they are also going to introduce dental x-ray and endoscopy.
The Partners believe in allowing their vets to have clinical freedom when it comes to case management on the basis that the whole team are working to the highest of standards. There’s no cutting corners here and no guess work. Their complication rates and surgical come back rates are extremely low.
The whole team work together here to support each other and learn from each other. Case discussion takes place regularly throughout the day, in fact the practice was praised for their level of communication and case discussion between colleagues by the Royal College who came in to do their inspection. There is never a time when a vet is isolated in the practice, this is an open team who are not ‘status conscious’ and simply there to help each other.
The partners in the practice really want to take care of their team’s wellbeing as much as possible. They provide paid lunch breaks but really try to enforce people taking their breaks and make sure people leave on time.
In terms of support, they invite (and expect) people to come to them if they have a problem and ask for help. Whilst they don’t wrap people up in cotton wool, they are always there if you need them. If a mistake has been made, you can go to one of the vet partners and you won’t be ostracized.
The whole team are able to come to the Partners with suggestions, like upgrading the lab equipment, or introducing multiparameter. This is a practice where you will have a voice and you’ll genuinely be able to influence the way things are run and help shape the future of the practice.