Stuart and I set up our independent mixed practice based in Alnwick in beautiful Northumberland in 2017. We started with two nurses and two receptionists and have grown steadily since. We’re now a 6-vet practice (including ourselves) with 5 nurses, 5 receptionists and an administrator. We are very lucky - being a relatively young practice that started with a blank canvas – that we have been able to establish things pretty much as we want. We always had a clear idea of how we wanted the practice to develop, and we have been lucky to realise that vision with our amazing team. We are genuinely a nice place to work, and we can support you with whatever level of experience you have.
Our approach is that the most important thing is the service we provide to our clients, and not how much "stuff" we can sell them, and as such, we have no merchandise in the waiting room. All our team members are very invested in the business's success - providing a friendly, personal approach with great clients who fully appreciate this, and this, combined with complete clinical autonomy, means we have great job satisfaction. On top of that - we are located in one of the most beautiful parts of the UK, just 2 miles from a breathtaking coastline. In fact, this part of Northumberland is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, offering stunning scenery right on your doorstep.
Our caseload is mainly small animals, with some farm work but no equine. The farm work is beef and sheep and consequently quite seasonal, with busier parts of the year (spring and autumn) but other periods when it will be more dominated by small animal work. We also work closely with Marine Life Rescue, and it’s not uncommon to be called to treat distressed seals.
We are ideally looking for a full-time vet who mainly enjoys small animal practice and only handles large animal cases during OOHs. We are also happy to have a chat if you’d rather pick up some farm work during the day or if you are purely interested in small animal work. We are open to discussing a rota to fit your bias. Someone with a special interest would also be welcome, and your interests would be encouraged and supported.
We listened to our team's ideas to improve work-life balance and recently moved to a 4-day week. Our consults are 20 minutes, and our last consults are at 6 pm. Within the 6-week rolling rota, you will work 5 x 4-day weeks and 1 x 5-day week, with just 1:6 weekends, which includes Saturday consults (9 am - 12.30 pm). This new rota has enabled us to schedule a long weekend (Friday- Monday) every six weeks, which the team loves. We are also happy to chat about part-time work.
We’re always looking for ways to improve our services and recently completed our brand-new dental suite. We’re also talking to charities in Greece and Spain about offering our services for their neutering clinics, which is a great cause and the perfect excuse for a funded week in the sun.
We’re a sociable practice; we often have drinks together after work on Fridays. We also sponsor the local rugby team and get together to cheer them on at their Sunday matches. You can bring your dog to work, and there are lots of lovely walks near the practice. Our Christmas parties and summer BBQs are lovely family affairs and a great opportunity to get the whole team and their families together. For a spot of serious shopping and nightlife, you can be in Newcastle in 30 minutes, and Edinburgh is just over an hour away. Newcastle Airport is only 40 minutes away, making it convenient for international travel.
* Salary up to £75,000, with regular salary reviews
* Five weeks' holiday, plus bank holidays, and this increases a day each year of working with us, up to a maximum of 6 weeks
* We have a generous CPD budget and are happy to support your interests
* We fund RCVS, VDS, BVA, and one other professional membership of your choice
* Great staff discount scheme
* Happy to sponsor visas
* Bring your dog to work
If all this sounds interesting, please call for an informal chat or apply now.
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