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Veterinary Surgeon – Small Animal

Hay Veterinary Group, Hay-on-Wye

Hereford, Ludlow, Ross-on-Wye, Brecon, Abergavenny, Newport, South Wales are all within 1 hour’s drive.

Part-time

The Role

We are looking for a Small Animal Vet to join our friendly, caring team in the beautiful market town of Hay-on-Wye.
You will be working with a dedicated, loyal and kind crew, and we’re excited about expanding it as the practice grows. We are a family-oriented business with strong ties to our local community, and we’re striving to be a centre of clinical and people excellence for our staff and for our clients.

You may be an accomplished vet looking for a lifestyle change or to develop your career, but we’d be equally happy to consider a new or recent graduate, who would like to build experience within a mixed practice.
We are currently recruiting for a Farm/Equine Vet too, and we would welcome applications from a couple, or a job share arrangement.

Our practice is a modern, purpose-built premise with standard equipment, dental x-ray, and a new doppler ultrasound machine. Our clinicians enjoy being all-rounders but there is support for specific interests too.

Work-life balance that works for you

We are happy to discuss flexible working hours, based around our opening times. Currently there is a requirement for 1 weeknight per week on call, plus one weekend in 4 but we hope to reduce this in the future.
We know that everyone has demands and priorities outside of their career and we want to make it easy for you to strike the right balance.

We have minimum 15-minute appointment slots with the last scheduled for 5:15 during the week and 12pm on Saturdays to give us plenty of time to enjoy our surroundings.

About the Team and Culture

We are a family-run practice with a close-knit and dedicated team, many of whom have been with us since the practice was founded. Our vet team consists of 4 Small Animal, 1 Mixed, 1 TB-tester, and 2 Large Animal Veterinary Surgeons. We have 6 RVNs and 1 SVN. Our fantastic administrative team supports the other activities at the practice.
We have three certificate-holders in the clinical team (veterinary and nursing) who can provide help and support whatever your level of experience. We pride ourselves on our collaborative clinical approach with regular informal case discussions.
We aim to provide a comprehensive, empathetic, and personal service to our clients and patients. We also have links with a local animal rescue charity.

About the Area

Sitting on the bank above the iconic River Wye and straddling the English / Welsh border, Hay is a great place to live and work. Overlooked by the Black Mountains and a short drive from the Brecon Beacons, our surroundings are a haven for the outdoor enthusiast. The town boasts a myriad of independent food shops including bakers, butchers, breweries, distillers, greengrocers, and a deli. It is also justly famous for its bookshops.

The world-famous annual book festival in May attracts writers, politicians, musicians and more, and is repeated in miniature at the winter festival each November. Throughout the rest of the year, thousands of visitors are drawn to the town to enjoy independent galleries and exhibitions, while locals enjoy various choirs, theatre, creative writing, history, and photography groups.

We are lucky enough to have a very comfortable (and licensed) independent cinema showing everything from blockbusters to arthouse to National Theatre Live productions. The recently restored medieval castle hosts regular art classes and exhibitions.

Mountain bikers, walkers, runners, and paragliders are frequently seen in the hills above the town. In the summer the Wye is alive with canoeists, paddle boarders and wild swimmers.

Cycle hires and repairs (and a coffee) can be had next door to the practice, and the town hosts a lovely local market every Thursday. There is a thriving and welcoming running club within the town that hosts a park run once a week. Llangorse is a twenty-minute drive away and has a sailing club on the lake and an indoor climbing centre. There are trekking centres and riding schools to suit every equestrian ability, and miles and miles of hacking on open hill on our doorstep.

There are plenty of pubs and restaurants to choose from, with takeaways, pop-up pizza vans, gastropubs, tapas, and modern British tasting menus.

Hay is a family-friendly town with lots of baby and toddler groups, a new library, and a good choice of local primary and secondary schools.

Applicant Requirements

Our ideal candidate will share our values, and already have some level of experience. We will need you to be qualified and licensed to practice in the UK. Willingness to contribute to our OOH rota is required and an interest in surgery is desirable.

Because our employees matter

We recognise that our people are fundamental to the success of our business. Investing in our people, premises and processes is at the heart of what we do. In addition to a competitive base salary, you will benefit from -

Work life balance

• 6.6 weeks annual leave
• Increasing holiday allowance based on length of service
• Your birthday as a paid day off

Wellbeing

• Private medical insurance
• Enhanced family-friendly policies, including maternity/paternity/adoption/shared parental and surrogacy pay
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Initiatives focused on employee wellbeing
• Non-accidental injury support

Development

• £1,250 CPD allowance with 5 days paid pro rata
• Certificate support
• Learning and development opportunities via the IVC Evidensia Academy
• Access to Vetlexicon – our online encyclopaedia provider
• All our Vets & Nurses can apply for research funding
• All our Vets get £1000 per annum to spend via our Care Fund
• Infection Prevention and Control Programme
• Quality Improvement Programme

Professional Memberships

• BVA membership
• VDS cover
• RCVS fees

Additional

• Pawsome Benefits – reward gateway giving discounts and cashback with 100’s of retailers
• Pension – 5% Employee/3% Employer
• Discounted staff pet care

As a BAME and LGBTQ+ inclusive employer, we are keen to hear from candidates from all minority and diverse groups. As a Disability Confident Employer, we are keen to hear from candidates with disabilities and long-term health conditions and would be happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments needed during the recruitment process.

If this position is of interest to you then please get in touch.

At Hay Vets we value diversity of thought, background, and experience. We encourage applications from everyone everywhere – especially women, people of colour, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Research shows that members of minority groups are less likely to apply for a job unless they believe they meet all the requirements listed. Even if you feel that you do not meet 100% of the job criteria, we’d love to hear from you. You might be a great fit for another position now, or in the future. We look forward to hearing from you!

If this position is of interest to you then please get in touch.

Any questions before applying?

Speak to Nicola Grant from our recruitment team who would be happy to help you with any questions you have before applying for this role.