Veterinary Care Assistant

Veterinary Care Assistant National Living Wage Thirsk, North Yorkshire Skeldale Veterinary Centre - Medivet Thirsk Full Time, Permanent

The Opportunity

Medivet Skeldale Veterinary 24-hour Hospital in Thirsk is a thriving practice set in beautiful North Yorkshire. The practice has a history like no other; we are the original home of the one and only James Herriot (Alf White) and we pride ourselves on maintaining the historic client focused ethos.

The well-established team is led by our Branch Partner – Sarah who has celebrated her 11th year with the practice and in now looking to grow the team even further with a Veterinary Surgeon who is comfortable with both routine and emergency procedures.

The practice is a large purpose-built building in Thirsk (although the old surgery in town is worth a visit) and is an RCVS practice standard scheme accredited hospital and emergency service centre, as well as being an ISFM gold level accredited cat friendly practice.This is a busy practice with a large client base where no two days are the same. The caseload varies from routine consultations to procedures, with emergency and critical care which supports surrounding practices with out of hours service.

The recently refurbished practice consists of 3 large consult rooms, a large operating theatre, dog and cat kennels, an imaging suite consisting of digital radiograph, ultrasound, and endoscopy, dental X ray, well-equipped prep area and a large waiting area. We have dedicated night and day teams which both consist of multiple certificate holders in various disciplines within both our vet and nursing teams.

This practice has an exciting opportunity for a Veterinary Care Assistant to join the team on a full time basis for 40 hours per week with a mixture of 5 x 8 hour shifts Monday to Friday between 9am and 7pm and 1 in 3 Saturdays required. 

This role is split between both Thirsk and Ripon. 

Ripon is a small, friendly and devoted team with an in-house laboratory. The practice also has the rare opportunity to offer acupuncture in combination with conventional medicine as an effective treatment plan for many musculoskeletal and other painful conditions. This approach is extremely safe when practice correctly and is well accepted by the majority of animals.

Ripon branch hours 1050-1910 & 0850-1710.

Thirsk branch hours 0750-1610, 0950-1810 + 1150-2010.

This varied and flexible opportunity will encompass shifts amongst any of the above so a full driving license and access to a vehicle is essential.  

The right candidate will be working with our Veterinary Surgeons, qualified Nurses, and Student nurses to provide exceptional care to our patients.

In this varied and rewarding role, as a Veterinary Care Assistant (VCA) you will provide essential support to the day-to-day running of the practice, learning the core principals of veterinary nursing.

You will share our values being trustworthy, caring and progressive, you’ll also take the initiative in providing high standards of care, ensuring we live true to our purpose of providing exceptional care, that’s always there.

As a Veterinary Care Assistant, you will be an integral part of the practice team and will perform a variety of duties, such as:

• Providing a gold standard service to our patients and clients
• Following cleaning protocols to maintain cleanliness of the clinical environment
• Preparing and maintaining medical equipment

This role will be National Living Wage if you’re aged 21 or over. National Minimum Wage if you’re aged under 21.

 

 

 

 

Key Benefits

  • Health cash plan from day one (covering dental, physio and optical services) with 24/7 Private GP Service.
  • Life Assurance 3 x salary.
  • Access to 24-hour counselling by phone or in person should you feel you need support.
  • 31 days’ annual leave (including Bank Holidays) rising to 36 with length of service.
  • An additional ‘Day for You’, a paid day’s leave for you to use as you wish.
  • Interest free Season Ticket Loan.
  • Cycle to Work scheme.
  • Discounts on Medivet products and services.

Role Accountabilities

Exceptional care is at the heart of everything we do at Medivet. That’s the care for our patients, our clients and for each other – we really want to make a positive difference through every interaction we have.
In this role you will:

  • Consistently deliver exceptional care to clients.
  • Support with operations and procedures.
  • Deliver patient monitoring and care, including everyday care: walking, toileting and feeding.
  • Ensure the completion of all pre and post operation activity.
  • Complete patient transfers to out of hours or enhanced care.
  • Dispense any medication required under the guidance of the Veterinary team.
  • Ensure compliance with all regulatory, practice and operational standards.

Your Skills and Experience

  • Experience of working as part of a team and building positive working relationships with colleagues.
  • Able to provide exceptional care to clients and patients.
  • Client care skills, with the ability to remain calm under pressure.
  • Able to prioritise a range of tasks and own workload.
  • Flexible and willing to learn.
  • An understanding of the purpose and importance of regulation and compliance.

About Us

Medivet is a leading veterinary care provider, with practices across the UK including a number of 24-hour veterinary centres and referral centres. We also have a growing presence overseas with practices in France, Germany and Spain.

We’re proud to support a large, connected and growing community of colleagues who provide exceptional care that’s always there. That’s more than a strapline for us, we truly believe every interaction we have matters and that we can make a real difference. This is as true for our colleagues as it is for our patients and clients. Being part of Medivet means being part of a forward-thinking and caring environment with the very best equipment and treatment options available, and the very best treatment for you as a valued member of the team.

This is the home of talented people like you who want to stand out in their field and whose compassion for animals goes way beyond their job. Join us and be part of our exciting plans for the future.

Job number: FR05665