Job Description

Our lovely clients based in Durham, currently have a full-time permanent position with partnership prospects for a Veterinary Surgeon with at least 3 years UK experience, to join their mixed but mainly small animal (95%) practice.

The ideal vet will be happy and confident to take on all routine surgical cases, and will potentially have attempted some of the simpler orthopaedics. You will ideally have an interest in exotics and be willing to pop out and vaccinate the occasional horse (neither essential). They’re looking for someone friendly and able to work as a member of their experienced and happy team, someone looking for somewhere to settle as there are genuine partnership prospects for their ideal candidate. You will have an excellent command of English, will put patient care first and be willing to treat the client’s animals as if they were your own, recommending treatments and surgeries you would use on your own pets.

Details:

• Start Date: Early March (permanent full-time position)

• 1:4 rota to cover any inpatients but you are not expected to remain in the practice overnight (this may reduce to 1:5 soon depending on staff availability)

• Bank Holidays shared, with lieu days

• 4 day working week, with Mondays and Fridays off tied together to give a long weekend (approximately every 4-6 weeks, depending on holidays)

• 1 night per week on inpatients

• 1 weekend in 4 covering inpatients (Sat/Sun)

• 1 Friday night care / Saturday surgery only per month

• Rota sympathetically drawn to suit specific requests where possible

• There are many nights and weekend where they have no hospitalised animals requiring care, the ‘covering inpatients’ role is then supporting the duty nurse; phone advice and occasionally helping with drips etc. (As most inpatient care is pre-planned, which does not disrupt personal time very much)

• OOH’s are covered by an outside service

• Home visits are relatively frequent and there is a practice car or a car allowance if vet uses own transport and work mileage allowance

The usual working hours are as follows:

• Monday – Friday: 8.30am – 6pm (1 vet stays until 6.30pm to see any late arrivals)

• Saturday mornings: 8.30am – 12pm (on a rota for 2 vets), with one vet able to leave once surgery finishes at around 10.30am if there are no ops or visits.

• Relaxed daily work allocation system allows flexibility and choice between ops rooms or visits most days

This practice sees varied and interesting caseloads with an interesting exotics caseload and a vet interested in acupuncture. They refer very few surgical cases, but when required there are various great local referrals for both small and large animals. Vets are encouraged to follow their own cases, with experienced advice available if required and professional development such as operating skills are encouraged and supported within the practice.

You would be joining a well-equipped, recently expanded, purpose converted building that boasts; a quiet ward and waiting room, dedicated euthanasia room, digital x-ray, dental x-ray, endoscopy, ultrasound scanning, sevoflurane anaesthesia, physiotherapy laser, in-house haematology and biochemistry, external fixation, computerised practice management system and all the other usual toys.

Benefits:

• CPD encouraged and funded with allowance and time off to attend courses (£500 + 5 days)

• Paid sick leave for 6 weeks in any 12-month period, once employed for 12 months

• 4 weeks holiday + Bank Holidays (lieu if on inpatients – Bank Holidays shared between all vets)

• Additional days off for time of service

• Professional indemnity insurance paid by the practice RCVS paid personally

• Salary according to experience, but new graduates start at £32,400 (including housing allowance) rising to £40,190 after 5 years

• Workplace pension

• Annual pay reviews have exceeded inflation for the last 10 years, and include experience weighting for the first five years qualified

To apply for this excellent position or to find out some more information please submit your CV and (not essential) cover letter to Emily Phillis at Gardner Llewelyn Group.

Contact Email: ephillis@glvets.com

Contact Number: 0117 3293 900