Each of the Park Veterinary Group's surgeries is regularly inspected and monitored by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons to maintain its accreditation for high standards of care, for your peace of mind.
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Pet Practice Careers
Pet Practice Careers
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Our staff are our single biggest asset and as such we put enormous importance on recruiting and retaining the right people. Achieving Investors In People [IIP] status in 2002 was hard work, but hugely worthwhile, and the structure and training that has evolved throughout the Practice has been shaped in part by that achievement. In much the same way that the MRCVS tier (1, 2, or 3) tells the pet owning public something about the professional standards of a Practice, IIP status tells potential employees a lot about the way they will be looked after within a business they might consider joining. There are many benefits of working within the Park Veterinary Group, but one of the most important is the professional management team that is in place to keep the business running smoothly. The Human Resource teamCarole Martin is Human Resources [HR] Manager, as well as Projects Manager. She is involved in all personnel issues, including contracts, recruitment and appraisals. She came from a retail background and has been with the Practice since 1998. Joyce Thomas is small animal Practice Manager and is in charge of all the support staff within the business, as well as small animal drug purchasing. Joyce started working in the Park Veterinary Group as a receptionist in 1983. Both Joyce and Carole are also closely involved in the efficient delivery of our small animal emergency clinic V.E.T.S. [Veterinary Emergency Treatment Service]. This service is run from our Glenfield surgery by two vets and two nurses, employed exclusively, by the Part Veterinary Group for emergency work. This facility enables us to provide the same level of care to our patients at nights and weekends as we do during the day. It also provides a sensible work/life balance for all our staff. Anne Watters is the Practice Co-ordinator. Anne is based in the farm office and is in charge of the diary or day book. She alone knows, at any one time, where all the vets are working, and has the ability to organise cover for any absence due to Continuous Professional Develoment (CPD), holiday or illness, or obtain help if an emergency occurs. She is also in charge of managing the rotas. Anne joined the Practice as a farm secretary in 1998. Susan Cornish is in charge of the accounts team. This team of three people deal with all financial issues involving the business, including wages, bills, balance sheets and budgets. The Senior Management Team is completed by the 5 Partners. Most career opportunities at the Part Veterinary Group will occur within one of the three main teams - vets, nurses or receptionists. The Veterinary teamCurrently there are 22 vets who work full, or part-time, at the Park Veterinary Group and V.E.T.S. The 22 daytime vets are either mixed practitioners [7] or purely small animal [15]. Small animal work accounts for 85% of the annual turnover, but the farm work is an integral and important part of the service provision on offer. [see the farm section] The small animal side of the Practice operates from 5 sites. Four of these are stand-alone clinics of 3-6 vets each, and one is a lock-up branch surgery for consulting and routine operations. The four main surgeries are self-sufficient for all routine first opinion work and have their own fixed veterinary teams, promoting continuity for clients, and also for the vets the opportunity to work in a small close-knit unit, but with the back-up, expertise and free time that you only get from a multi-person practice. Within the small animal teams, there is veterinary expertise in a number of different areas, including dermatology and cardiology, and certificate holders in ophthalmology, surgery and radiology. We are a registered Nurse Training Practice and tier 3 MRCVS accredited. There is a strong ethos within the Practice for the support of career development which is viewed as a benefit for all concerned. This ethos is reflected in a generous CPD allowance and the considerable effort that is made to encourage case discussion and facilitate internal CPD. Whether you are a new graduate or have several years’ experience, the Park Veterinary Group will give you the opportunity to develop your career within a highly supportive environment. As you gain more experience and new skills, there is scope for promotion within the Practice, without the hassle of finding a new job - again helping with continuity for clients and staff alike. The veterinary teams constantly strive to meet our clients’ expectations by providing an expert service, delivered in a caring manner. We have an enviable reputation, carefully built up over the last 30 years, and our aim is to continue to build on that and at one and the same time enjoy what we are doing. There is a large degree of clinical freedom and a very consensual management style, with an emphasis on a friendly working environment. All surgeries are by appointment only. Routine slots are 10 minutes, but 20mins are provided for first vaccinations, internal referrals, and euthanasia appointments. You will be expected [within the limits of your experience and abilities] to follow your own cases through, whether medical or surgical, and there is always plenty of willing help and expertise available. In-patients are hospitalised and looked after 'round-the-clock' at our Glenfield surgery, where they are under constant supervision, without the need for movement to and from their usual surgery. The normal working day starts at 8.30am with the last appointment at 6.30pm [and an hour’s break for lunch]. There is a fixed half-day off each week, either in the morning, [start work at 3pm], or in the afternoon, [finish when the morning’s work is done – approximately 1pm] There is no night work, and Saturday mornings [until 2pm] are worked on a 2 in 7 rota. There is no Saturday afternoon work, and Sundays [8am – 7pm, emergencies only] are on a 1 in 14 rota. There is a holiday allowance of 25 days, plus bank holidays. A 5 day CPD allowance has up to £2000 funding. There is BUPA cover from day 1, a stakeholder pension scheme, a profit related pay scheme [based on Practice profitability], a car or car allowance, and house or housing allowance. Salary is based on market rates with reference to SPVS figures. There is no negative weighting given due to the excellent rota on offer and the starting salary is reviewed within the first 3 months and subsequently, at least, on an annual basis. A high head-line salary is never used to attract applicants, but good vets are well looked after and are able to share in the financial success of the business. The Management and Administration teamsThe Practice is run as a team. The Senior Managers are strongly involved with taking the business forward and are responsible for the smooth running of the Practice. The Partners provide support and guidance where required. In each site there are Team Leaders for each department and they liaise directly with the other Senior Managers or Partners. Personal development is encouraged and every year the Senior Managers and Partners are involved in an annual planning session away from the Practice. The Accounts Department provides us with a smooth efficient management of the financial affairs of the Park Veterinary Group. This role is vital as we have links with large numbers of suppliers and clients. The NursesWe pride ourselves in being an Approved Training Practice for nurses. We have a 100% record in recent years in enabling our nurses to pass the arduous nursing exams. We have our own Assessors who aim to train and develop the nurses and assist them through their exams. The nurses are encouraged to use their skills and are actively involved in consultations with clients, follow up appointments after operations and a full and active role in the theatre assisting with anaesthetics. Laboratory work is very much part of our business and all nurses are involved in this important area. The nurse teams are divided amongst the main surgeries and are rotated between surgeries to ensure they have a full opportunity to learn from the trained nurses. The aim is to have 2 fully qualified nurses per surgery as a minimum and a team of other nurses under training working with them. ReceptionThe receptionists are the first point of call for our clients and are highly valued by the Practice. The job is busy, demanding and interesting. The 3 main sites have 2 receptionists working at any one time providing telephone support, managing the reception area and helping clients. Full support, induction and training is given to any new members of the reception. If you work well in a team, are good at what you do, and want to get better, email Carole Martin on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it |