Jobs

If you’re already an experienced ECC vet then you’ll know there’s nothing quite like it, and if you’re new to the game then welcome! There’s no better reward than seeing your patient recover after you remove the bleeding spleen or stabilise after you drain that pneumothorax. The world of emergency and critical care can be truly thrilling and will develop not only your clinical skills, but your problem solving, decision making and time management. You will save patients that genuinely wouldn’t have made it had you not been there.

At Ellesmere Port, we are looking to build upon our current ECC team by welcoming another vet. We are a large, 24-hour hospital that provides OOH cover to a number of our local surgeries. We are lucky to be able to offer you a fantastic caseload, but ensure that it is manageable, giving you the time you need to dedicate to your patients. We have a really great mix of surgical opportunities and medical challenges through our inpatients and any new admissions you may see. We have all the toys you’re going to need – hospital grade ultrasound, xray, CT, well stocked operating theatres, multi-parameter monitoring, chest drains and access to pet blood bank for blood products. Our clear, accessible and fixed price inpatient and surgical packages remove some of the barriers commonly seen by owners trying to access emergency care for their pets, and help balance the divide vets and nurses can face between providing care and cost – all of which makes it easier for you to get on with the work you need to do to help sick pets. 

In this role we are looking for experienced vets who want to get creative about how, when and where they work! Examples of how we can create a flexible role for you include:
- Compressed or staggered hours
- Part time hours that suit you (for example, school hours)
- Annualised hours
- Remote working (telemedicine)
- Weekend working
We also want to allow for flexibility within the clinical role – love spending the day in theatre performing exciting surgeries? Or do you prefer to investigate and image but leave the cutting and drilling to someone else? We want our team to be able play to their strengths so if you have a clinical bias one way or the other, we want to know about it!

We think this role will appeal to you, if:
- You want to have a varied caseload and rewarding job, but still be able to balance this with your personal life
- You’re an experienced vet who wants to be heard and can help us improve our standards of patient care
- You’re a vet with a social conscience who wants to make veterinary care more accessible to pet owners who earn the real living wage

We want our team to be able play to their strengths so if surgery is yours, we’d love to have you on board.
We see a high proportion of sick and injured pets and our advanced surgical streams receive both internal and external referrals covering a wide range of surgical conditions. We invest in our sites and don’t compromise on patient care. Our CT scanner allows for excellent surgical planning and we have all the appropriate equipment you might need. Specialised kits for TECA, BOAS and ophthalmic surgery, a PAX locking kit as well as a full complement of non-locking plates, an oscillating saw and, not to mention, a fantastic surgical nursing team that provide excellent support and patient care. We have a particularly large stifle caseload and so are well-equipped for TTA, CCWO and MPL.

We think this role will appeal to you, if
- You want to have a varied caseload and rewarding job, with a good proportion of time on a surgical rota.
- You’re an experienced vet who wants to be heard and can help us improve our standards of patient care.
- You’re a vet with a social conscience who wants to make veterinary care more accessible to pet owners who earn the real living wage.
- You want to be part of a collaborative culture, where your opinions will be valued and your voice heard.

We are looking to grow our team with another passionate Veterinary Surgeon. There is the opportunity for a non-permanent position as one of our lovely vets is due to go on Maternity leave in a few months. So we could take someone for Maternity cover, or a permanent position.

We always strive to support everyone's development through practical skill training, in house CPD and external CPD and courses. Many of our vets and nurses are undertaking Certificates (but many aren't, it's up to the individual!)

Shifts vary and can be designed to suit the right candidate. Night work is night shifts on a 1:14 rota, with 1:14 weekend inpatient day shifts.

You will be based at our main Loanhead Hospital, but with the opportunity to work at our branch practices.

We pride ourselves in offering our own out of hours service, covered by our own team of Vets and Nurses within our Loanhead branch.

We wish for the successful applicant to thrive within the team, building a loyal client base and taking part in the growing future of our practice.

A bit more about us.....

.....operating out of four branches across the Midlothian area the ICR Family now has 22 Nurses and 22 Vets, with 5 VCA's, two practice managers, two Clinical Directors, 18 receptionists and support staff. Students are regularly welcomed to the practice, and we currently have three SVNs undertaking their training with the support of their clinical coaches at ICR.

At ICR we LOVE TO LEARN. Some of our Nurses hold Cert VN ECC awards, others are sitting mixtures of behaviour, exotics and medical certifications. Within our veterinary team we have certificate holders in medicine, emergency and critical care and dermatology and more being undertaken in surgery and behaviour. We also have a board-eligible exotic Vet and are expanding our exotics service.

All training is fully supported and encouraged by the practice.

We have all the hospital gadgets you could wish for, including laparoscopy, endoscopy, digital x-ray, ultrasound, multiparameters, dopplers, fluid pumps, syringe drivers, blood gas analysis, biochemistry and haematology analysers, laser therapy machines, tonopens, the list goes on and on!

We are proud to provide a successful laparoscopy (keyhole) service to our clients with daily keyhole procedures taking place. We are an enthusiastic team who have a strong drive to improve practice standards and clinical excellence.

As a community-based practice we regularly take part in local fund-raising events and gala days. We create a yearly ICR Christmas Calendar with all proceeds going to a new selected charity each year. We also run a Community Nursing service where clients can request post-operative care, medication assistance and other treatments from our team in the comfort of their own homes.

Job Description
Nursing Auxiliaries
(Veterinary Care Assistant / Kennel Assistant)


General description of reception role
As a nursing auxiliary, you'll be involved in hands-on nursing care of a range of animals, ensuring their care & wellbeing is catered for throughout their stay within the practice. You'll work alongside the whole veterinary team to promote animal health and welfare. The practice cannot be successful without competent & caring nursing auxiliaries.
You will be expected to be professional, calm and courteous at all times, maintaining a neat & tidy appearance. A high standard of behaviour and appearance is required at all times to ensure client confidence & the welfare of patients under our care.

Your tasks will include:
• Confidently handle & restrain patients.
• Assisting veterinary surgeons & veterinary nurses in surgical or medical procedures.
• Providing nursing care to hospitalised patients, including exercise, nutrition, etc.
• Sterilisation & maintenance of equipment and instruments.
• Stock control of consumables.
• Laundry.
• Maintaining the cleanliness of all areas of the practice.
• Maintain health & safety within the practice, including yourself, other staff members, members of the public and patients.
• Ability to contribute as part of the team, helping with various tasks as required
• Receptionist duties, if required to cover holidays or sick leave.

Whilst you may be required to discuss veterinary care of patients, you are not expected to diagnose conditions or prescribe medications. You should pass on any veterinary related enquiries to the relevant clinical staff.

Company Location
You will be based at our Linlithgow branch, at Unit 42 Mill Road Industrial Estate, Linlithgow EH49 7SF

Hours / Days of Work
Our ideal candidate would be a full time employee (Mon-Fri, 40hr/week), but the right person, we could be flexible with hours to suit.

Rate of Pay
The rate of pay will be based on the National Minimum Wage or Real Living Wage, depending on the applicants age. A pay review will take place every 6 months, and pay will increase with any training undertaken & qualifications gained.

Job Description
Veterinary Nurse
(Registered or Student)

It must be remembered that veterinary nurses (whether registered or student) must, at all times, work within the guideline of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 and The RCVS Code of Conduct.

General description of veterinary nursing role
As a veterinary nurse, you'll be involved in hands-on nursing care of a range of animals, providing both emergency and routine healthcare. You'll work alongside the whole veterinary team to promote animal health and welfare through responsible ownership and play a key role in the education of pet owners. The practice cannot be successful without competent & caring veterinary nurses.
You will be expected to be professional, calm and courteous at all times, maintaining a neat & tidy appearance. A high standard of behaviour and appearance is required at all times to ensure client confidence & the welfare of patients under our care.

Your tasks will include:
• Reception duties (please see relevant job description)
• Schedule 3 tasks, as permitted by RCVS.
• Confidently handle & restrain patients.
• Admitting & discharging surgical or medical in-patients.
• Preparation of in-patients, catheter placement, intubation, etc
• Assisting veterinary surgeons in surgical procedures.
• Monitoring anaesthetics & recovery of patients.
• Providing nursing care to hospitalised patients, including administration of medications, fluid therapy, exercise, physiotherapy, nutrition, etc.
• Sterilisation & maintenance of equipment and instruments.
• Wound care.
• Dental x-rays, scaling & polishing.
• Grooming – dematts, nails clips, etc
• Nursing clinics – 2nd vaccines, microchips, weight clinics, pre-neutering advice, etc.
• Dispense medications prescribed by Veterinary Surgeon.
• Perform diagnostic tasks & tests – taking blood samples, running samples
• Radiography – positioning, exposures, maintenance etc. A named dosimeter should be worn at all times whilst working within the diagnostic area.
• Maintaining patient records.
• Laundry.
• Stock control – ordering, maintaining batch numbers,
• Client advice & education – adhering to practice protocols.
• Respond to client queries within a timely & efficient manner.
• Maintaining the cleanliness of all areas of the practice.
• Maintain health & safety within the practice, including yourself, other staff members, members of the public and patients.

General description of veterinary nursing role (cont)

• Support student veterinary nurses and work experience pupils undertaking placements.
• If required, you will carry out Clinical Coach duties & training.
• Ability to contribute as part of the team, helping with various tasks as required.


Key Skills Required for a Veterinary Nurse
As a veterinary nurse, the key skills we expect are:
 Demonstrate ability to ensure delivery of exceptional patient care.
 Strong customer service orientation.
 Team Player.
 Excellent communication to internal and external customers (both written and verbal)
 Self-motivated and motivational to others.
 Positive and enthusiastic approach to tasks.
 Ability to work on own initiative.
 Excellent organisational and administrative skills with a strong attention to detail.
 Ability to record and document clear accurate information.
 Ability to use tact and discretion when dealing with difficult situations.
 Ability to effectively balance study and work.
 Mobility to all Westport branches.

As a Registered Veterinary Nurse, you are expected register with the RCVS and to maintain your CPD hours. Westport Veterinary Clinic will provide you with a budget to facilitate & encourage your continued learning within the veterinary field.

We do not expect you to carry out any duties in which you have not been fully trained or feel uncomfortable carrying out. You will not use any equipment you have not been trained to use.

Whilst you may be required to discuss veterinary care of patients, you are not expected to, or legally allowed to diagnose conditions or prescribe medications.