Taverham Veterinary Hospital, UK

Organisational background

Taverham Veterinary Hospital is a large 24-hour practice based in Norwich, Norfolk.

We were founded in 1994 by a vet and a nurse and have since developed to become a large, highly-equipped, first opinion practice with a strong referral caseload. We are the only RCVS registered veterinary hospital in the area and have two two-vet branch practices, both within 10 miles of the hospital.

We have been providing an on-site out-of-hours service since 2008 and now support 25 user practices OOH. We currently employ a total of 31 vets, 49 RVNs/SVNs/ANAs and 26 support staff across the three sites, with planned ongoing expansion and recruitment.

An exciting extension (with a CT scanner!) is planned to commence in June 2022. We have certificate holders and accept referrals in the following: Internal Medicine, Chemotherapy, Soft Tissue Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery Emergency and Critical Care, Diagnostic Imaging, Cardiology, Dermatology, Dentistry, Ophthalmology and Endoscopy.

Organisation aims & mission

Taverham Veterinary Hospital has been employing at least one or two new graduates per year for the past seven years. As a practice, our mission is to support new graduates on their journey to becoming competent and confident veterinary surgeons. As members of a struggling profession, we are concerned about the lack of support new graduates often receive in their first job; therefore, as a practice that has the capabilities and enthusiasm to teach and nurture new graduates, we developed a formal tailored ‘internship’ program which has been running since 2019. It has been slowly growing over the past few years, and we now employ four new graduates every year to join this exciting and unique internship.

Our team loves to support, teach and watch new graduates flourish and we ensure time is allocated to each individual's development. We can offer a variety of experiences with different practice types and a broad, varied and exciting caseload, where there is always a senior colleague on hand to help.

The practice is aiming, with the help of the planned extension, to become the only AVP-led referral hospital in the area.

Our practice prides itself on our team and our ability to work together to provide a gold standard of care to our clients and patients.

We have monthly communication meetings between the WHOLE team, where lunch is provided (think street food vans, pizza, Christmas specials!) and we discuss everything from clinical cases and M&M rounds to wellbeing afternoons with quizzes. We also ensure there are plenty of social events on the calendar; from beach dog walks and pub lunches to full-blown parties, as we love to socialize together outside of work!

We also understand the stresses and pressures on vets, especially new graduates, so we ensure our intern program provides dedicated periods of recovery time away from the practice. Additionally, we follow a consulting template which ensures regular breaks and dedicated time for admin to ensure clients and their pets get the service they deserve, whilst the vets still get the breaks they deserve!

We are dedicated to the continued development of both our staff and the practice itself, with plentiful in-house CPD, external CPD allowance and an exciting extension imminent.

Without a doubt - the team!!!

We pride ourselves on our fantastic team. From nursing staff and veterinary surgeons to the receptionists and office staff, we are a friendly bunch who all work together to provide a service we are proud of. We feel very lucky to be able to work with such a wonderful group of people every day, and we would love for you to join us.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and hard-working new graduate to join our two-year intern program. This role would also be suitable for a recent graduate who currently feels under-supported and undervalued in their current role.

The successful candidate is a team player, keen to learn, and fits in well with the team. We are not concerned about clinical skills - if you are the right person, and we are the right practice for you, we can teach you the rest!

“I have worked at Taverham Vets since graduating in 2018 and looking back I couldn't wish for a better place to have started and continued my career!

The entire team - from front of house to management - are like one big family, providing unrivaled support and friendship throughout the inevitable ups and downs of vet life.

The huge benefit to such a big team of vets is having such varied interests and specialisms in every discipline you can think of, allowing a collaborative case approach and high standards of clinical care. We are also hugely invested in training and developing new graduates, so the whole team always have an open door policy for case discussion.

The nursing team are also highly invested in their patient's care, with many doing additional certification, which alongside our monthly communication meetings allows us to continually look for ways to improve, share ideas and keep everyone's goals aligned.

There is also a big focus on staff wellbeing, with a busy social calendar and regular events/catch-ups from fitness sessions to dog walks to dinners and full-blown (crazy) parties. Importantly, the prep station is never without a box of chocolates, biscuits or some home-cooked delights and tea/coffee is in abundance!

Overall I feel valued in my role having been able to branch out and progress, completing a certificate in my field of interest, and also taken on more non-clinical responsibilities to ensure I'm fulfilled and happy here - and that's why Taverham is awesome!” - Claire Willis, MRCVS

It's the best of city and country life in one place:

• Historical and cultural city
• A shopping mecca for local treats
• Foodie’s paradise
• Great to explore on foot
• Vibrant student scene
• Norwich market
• Pub and paddle
• Beach days on the beautiful Norfolk coastline
• Boating and water sports on the Norfolk Broads
• National Trust locations and country estates to explore
• Local vineyards and the best country pubs!