At Park Vet Group, we consider our staff to be our single biggest asset. We put enormous importance on recruiting and retaining the right people, so that we can deliver the best service we can to our clients. Our vet, vet nurse, receptionist, human resources and management teams all work together for the benefit of our clients and their animals.
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.
Each of our surgeries has its own dedicated clinical and support teams, supported by our central human resources and management teams. The management team helps to keep the business running smoothly, and is made up of the directors of the business, all vets and all still working within the practice, together with Practice Manager, Harriet Tims, and Human Resources Manager, Carole Martin, who has been with us since 1998.
You can find out more about our clinical and reception teams who look after each clinic on the relevant surgery page. You can also meet members of the different teams on our Vet Team, and Nursing and Customer Support team pages.
To find out more please click on the links below.
The Human Resources team
Carole 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.
Harriet Tims is Practice Manager and is in charge of all the support staff within the business.
Both Harriet and Carole are also closely involved in the efficient delivery of the Park Vet Hospital, Emergency Service. This service is run from our Glenfield surgery by two vets and three nurses, employed exclusively, by the Park 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 Development (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.
A team of 3 directors, practice manager, HR manager and Operations manager, Group Nursing manager, Client Care manager and Practice co-ordinator.
The Senior Management Team comprises 3 directors, practice manager, HR manager and Operations manager, Group Nursing manager, Client Care manager and Practice co-ordinator.
Most career opportunities at the Park Veterinary Group will occur within one of the three main teams – vets, nurses or receptionists.
The Veterinary team
Currently there are 22 vets who work full, or part-time, at the Park Veterinary Group and the Park Vet Hospital, Emergency Service. 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.
The small animal side of the Practice operates from 4 sites. These are stand-alone clinics of 3-6 vets each. The four 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 15 minutes, but 30 mins 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 Management and Administration teams
The 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 Directors 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 Directors.
Personal development is encouraged and every year the Senior Managers and Directors 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 Nursing Team
We 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.
Receptionist team
The 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 a minimum of 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 email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..