Veterinary Surgeon

Job Description

Introduction
Our Client is an independently owned hospital based in Bridgend, South Wales, and is looking for an experienced Senior Veterinary Surgeon to join its four-Vet senior back-up rota.

This is an excellent opportunity for a confident clinician who enjoys mentoring, case discussion and supporting colleagues with emergency decision-making but does not necessarily want to act as the primary first on-call Veterinary Surgeon.

The position offers a four-day working week, a varied general practice caseload and the opportunity to provide senior clinical support every fourth week.

Working Hours / Rota
The role is based around a four-day working week, with daytime shifts ordinarily lasting eight hours. The candidate’s regular weekday off is designed to compensate for the additional hours associated with providing back-up support every fourth week.

The senior back-up rota operates on a 1-in-4 basis. During their allocated week, the Veterinary Surgeon remains available from Monday to Sunday to support the first on-call Veterinary Surgeon.

Support is usually provided remotely by telephone and may involve answering clinical queries, discussing more complex cases, providing a second opinion or assisting when there is an unusually high volume of emergency presentations.

Occasional attendance at the hospital may be necessary when the first on-call Veterinary Surgeon requires additional practical support. The successful candidate must therefore live within approximately 30 minutes’ travelling time of the hospital.

During the back-up weekend, the Veterinary Surgeon will also work on site from 8:00am to 2:00pm on Saturday and Sunday. These shifts focus on managing hospitalised patients until the first on-call Veterinary Surgeon takes over at 2:00pm.

There are no routine overnight first on-call duties associated with this particular position.

Role Description
The daytime element of the role includes consultations, inpatient care, routine and emergency surgery, and charity-related clinical work. Consulting days include a protected one-hour lunch break and scheduled time for telephone calls, clinical notes and administrative responsibilities.

The successful candidate will form an important part of the hospital’s senior clinical structure. During their back-up week, they will provide calm and accessible support to the first on-call Veterinary Surgeon, helping with case management, emergency decision-making and periods of increased demand.

Although most support is provided remotely, the candidate must be willing to attend the hospital when the clinical situation requires an additional Veterinary Surgeon on site.

The position also carries a strong mentoring element. The Senior Veterinary Surgeon will support recent graduates and developing colleagues during normal daytime hours, contributing to case discussions, clinical training and the continued development of hospital standards.

There is scope to shape part of the daytime caseload around the successful candidate’s strengths and clinical interests while maintaining a fair contribution to the wider general practice and hospital rota.

Team Size
The successful candidate will join an established hospital team that includes experienced Veterinary Surgeons, recent graduates, Registered Veterinary Nurses, Student Veterinary Nurses and wider support colleagues.

The back-up rota is shared between four senior Veterinary Surgeons, helping to distribute out-of-hours support responsibilities evenly and ensuring that the first on-call clinician has access to experienced advice when needed.

An RVN and SVN are based on site 24 hours a day, providing continuous nursing support for hospitalised and emergency patients.

Practice Details & Equipment
The hospital is independently owned, RCVS accredited and VetGDP approved. It has a strong focus on mentoring, clinical development and providing practical support to Veterinary Surgeons at different stages of their careers.

The purpose-built facility includes separate waiting and hospitalisation areas for cats, dogs and exotic patients, alongside staff and client parking.

The hospital is equipped with DR digital radiography, Doppler ultrasound, dental radiography, a dedicated dental suite, a comprehensive in-house laboratory with Sedivue urinalysis and a selection of endoscopes.

The wider organisation includes additional operating branches and a consultation-only site, providing a broad local caseload and opportunities for collaboration across the clinical team.

The hospital is located in Bridgend, between Cardiff and Swansea, with convenient access to the M4, the South Wales coastline and surrounding countryside.

Ideal Candidate
The position would suit an experienced Veterinary Surgeon who is confident with small animal medicine, surgery, inpatient care and emergency case management.

The successful candidate should be comfortable providing clinical advice remotely, discussing cases clearly and supporting another Veterinary Surgeon in making appropriate treatment decisions.

They must also be willing to attend the hospital occasionally when emergency demand or the complexity of a case requires additional practical support.

Strong communication skills, sound clinical judgement and a calm approach will be essential. The ideal candidate will enjoy mentoring, teaching and helping less experienced Veterinary Surgeons develop their confidence.

This could be particularly suitable for a senior clinician who wants to retain some involvement in out-of-hours care without regularly acting as the primary overnight Veterinary Surgeon.

This is just some of the information about the job and company, but there will be more questions. Tempus Veterinary Recruitment is happy to get those questions answered for you during the recruiting process. Tempus Veterinary Recruitment is here to make the recruiting process simple and stress free.

Haven’t worked with a recruiter before? Not a problem, key things we want to highlight;

1. All communication is 100% private and confidential.
2. Our service is completely FREE for candidates looking for new roles
3. We have roles that aren’t being advertised, so even if you are actively applying the right role might not be available.