Small Animal Veterinary Surgeon

A supportive and forward-thinking hospital practice with a friendly team that will help develop your skills and career.

Below covers everything you need to know about what this opportunity entails, as well as what is expected from applicants.

Bishop’s Stortford Vets is an independent small animal hospital in beautiful Hertfordshire, which has been part of the community for over 120 years. We achieved RCVS-accredited status in 1985 and continually invest in the latest equipment and training to provide the highest standards of patient and client care.

Our friendly, close-knit team of 16 vets have many years of experience, allowing us to work up and manage the majority of cases in-house, including most soft tissue surgeries and orthopaedics. We also have exciting plans ahead, with an extensive refurbishment on the way.

The Team

Poppy and Lauren recently made the big decision to become directors, joining Ruth and Neil as co-owners of the practice. This is why Poppy felt this was the right place for her to become a partner,

“It’s a genuinely lovely and supportive practice. The partners have always been focused on patient care, not targets or incentives, so you can concentrate on just doing a great job. With all the partners being part of the clinical team and brilliant vets, you know there is always someone to support you if you need a hand, and they are really keen on keeping up to date, so we’ve got great kit with lots of toys. You just have to ask if you want something we haven’t got! As an independent practice, we can really focus on what matters to us and what we need within our practice, and I feel that it really shows in both our team’s engagement and in the level of service that we offer our patients. Providing our own out-of-hours means that not only do we offer the best care to our patients, but we also get to keep and follow through all our own cases, and you definitely gain more experience faster when you do out-of-hours” Poppy MRCVS

We have a wide range of interests within the team. Neil is passionate about both orthopaedic and soft tissue surgery and is always happy to help with unusual or tricky cases. Ruth has a small animal internal medicine certificate and enjoys cardiac ultrasound. Poppy has completed her surgery certificate and is also leading our drive to become more sustainable. Rachael holds an ECC certificate, bringing valuable expertise in emergency and critical care to the team. Suzie is currently working towards her surgery certificate, while Henry is pursuing a medicine certificate. Rosemary is interested in behaviour and dermatology and is our go-to person for these sometimes tricky cases. Malwina has completed her ophthalmology certificate and recently progressed to Advanced Practitioner status. She is now relocating, and while we’re sad to see her go, we’re excited for her as she takes the next step in her career in a role dedicated to her passion for ophthalmology. Sarah, Freya, Olly and Aphra complete our clinical team along with Lauren, our VetGDP advisor, who is supporting our new graduate, Georgia.

We have a superb nursing team of 29 RVNs, SVNs, and ACAs and an excellent admin team who keep everything running smoothly. We are also fortunate to have the expertise of our in-house laboratory manager and a qualified Canine Hydrotherapist, enabling us to offer hydrotherapy onsite. On the rare occasion we need to refer, we benefit from having multiple referral hospitals within a 40-minute drive of the practice.

What our team say about us

“I am having to move away from BSVH for my partner\’s work, and I am gutted to be leaving. I have been so much more supported than in any other practice; there is always time to discuss complex cases and to do surgery /ultrasound/ endoscopy with a partner, so you progress. They are open to new ideas; I was encouraged to go on an epidural CPD and buy the kit so we can improve our anaesthetics. Every time I have needed help out of hours, a partner has called me back to help me and has always offered to come in. I don\’t think you could find a better general practice to develop in.” Fred MRCVS

“I began working at Bishops Stortford 18 months ago as a new graduate vet, and I haven’t looked back since. For me, it has been a great place to begin clinical practice. From day one, I have been actively encouraged to follow up on my own cases and treatment plans, backed by the support of my colleagues, where I’ve felt it’s needed. Having graduated during a global pandemic, this was very important to me. I was initially given additional support to ensure I was just as confident in my abilities as the rest of the team was from the start. BSVH has helped to shape who I am as a vet, and I look forward to plenty more learning and laughs with the team.” Aphra MRCVS

“BSVH is certainly one of the best hospitals I have ever worked for. They have a very supportive and friendly team. Being at BSVH is like being in a big family; everybody treats each other with respect, yet has a really fun time together. They have a superbly knowledgeable veterinary team who are very humble and easily approachable, and they are always there to help and share their skills. I have learnt a lot during my limited time at BSVH. From internal medicine, cardiology, surgery (both soft tissue and orthopaedic), endoscopy and ultrasound, they have it all covered at an extremely high level. BSVH is the true golden model of being an independent practice. They always look after and value their team\’s well-being and always put patient care before anything. There are numerous occasions when they will go above and beyond for the patients that require prolonged veterinary care, where finances are limited. I never would have left BSVH if not because of my change of location. BSVH is certainly a place I will miss dearly.” Michelle MRCVS

\”I have worked at Bishops Stortford since July 2016 and have seen many ups and some downs, as is inevitable in the life of a busy practice. However, through all of this time, I have been proud to be part of a hardworking and caring team that always strives to work to the best of our ability, and I like to think provide the best standard of care we can. The clinical directors have always been very supportive, both in helping achieve clinical progression goals and with personal issues. Especially after the trials of the pandemic, I struggled with anxiety and burnout. Bringing my concerns to the directors, I was able to make changes to my working days and arrange a sabbatical, taking some time from work to reset and renew my interest and energy for the veterinary life!\” Sarah MRCVS

Kit

We have all the kit you’d expect in a well-equipped hospital; ASIF kit, mono/bipolar cautery, multi-parameter anaesthetic monitors with capnography, digital x-ray, rigid, doppler ultrasound, in-house laboratory, laser therapy, tonometry, an operating microscope, a slit lamp, loupes and a separate dental suite with dental x-ray as well as our brand new all singing, all dancing ultrasound machine. We have also recently upgraded our flexible video-endoscopy and invested in laparoscopy, which we are in the process of setting up, and will be able to offer this service soon.

About the role

We’re looking for a vet with a few years of experience who’s ready to take the next step in a place where you’ll feel supported, encouraged, and part of a truly collaborative team. If there’s an area of veterinary medicine you’re already passionate about, or one you’re curious to explore, we’ve got the right mix of interesting cases, hands-on support, and funding to help you take that next step, including starting a certificate if that’s where you’re headed. With Malwina’s departure, it would be a bonus if you have an interest in ophthalmology, but this certainly isn’t essential. We know starting somewhere new can feel a bit daunting, so we’ll pair you with a buddy vet during your induction to help you settle in.

You’ll be working alongside a great bunch of people in a practice where sharing knowledge and supporting each other is just part of daily life; whether it’s discussing a tricky case, scrubbing in on a new procedure, or picking up tips from someone with a different area of interest. You’ll also have the chance to pass on your skills, playing a valued role in mentoring and supporting our new and recent graduates alongside the partners.

Our daily schedule is designed with support in mind, with a minimum of three vets for consultations and two on ops each day, so you’re never without a second opinion (or a spare pair of hands). We also have an active clinical WhatsApp group for vets and hold regular in-house CPD sessions, so there’s always something new to learn and someone to learn it with.

The Rota

Our full-time vets work a 4-day week with an early finish once a week. For seven weeks out of nine, this is a 1 pm finish, meaning you will only be working a 3.5-day week. For the remaining two weeks out of nine, the early finish is 5 pm. We can be flexible with the rota, so if you are looking for a part-time position, we are happy to chat about the options available. We have designated time blocks for breaks, as well as for catching up on calls and admin. We have a spacious and comfortable staff room with sofas, so you can get away from the clinical area during breaks.

We value our work-life balance, so we decided to split the weekends so nobody works a full weekend on call. These are the equivalent of 1:9 but split over two weekends, and we’ve found this has really improved everyone’s work-life balance. We offer bonus pay for any procedures carried out when on call and have an RVN on-site 24/7 to care for any inpatients.

The local area and what we get up to outside of work

Bishops Stortford is a pretty market town, with plenty of cafés, restaurants and great schools, all surrounded by beautiful rolling countryside. Many team members have dogs, so we have our own ‘doggie work team’ who join us in practice and walks during breaks. The practice is also just across the road from the local leisure centre for those who want a swim or workout before or after work, plus a large park for lunchtime walks. We enjoy getting together as a team and are busy organising our summer BBQ.

The area offers many outdoor activities, such as cycling, walking, open-water swimming, and fishing at nearby lakes, not to mention that we’re just over an hour from the Essex coast. There are excellent rail links, with a direct train service to London Liverpool Street that takes approximately 45 minutes, one to Cambridge that takes 30 minutes, and Stansted Airport is just 15 minutes away. So, keen travellers will find it easy to jet off for a weekend getaway.

What are we offering:

• Salary up to £77,000
• CPD encouraged, with certificates fully supported and funded
• Relocation package up to £3000
• Open to offering sabbaticals
• Five weeks\’ holiday, plus bank holidays
• Accommodation is available in a separate flat during on-call if you prefer to stay at the practice
• Visa sponsorship available
• Bring your dog to work
• Company pension

If you want to learn more about us, please call us for an informal chat or apply now!