Westover Vets, UK

Organisational background

Westover Vets is in its 125th year. We have large and small animal sites and a culture of support and encouragement that has been passed down through generations of vets.

Progression, fun and development of skills have always been an important part of the DNA of the practice and have made it an attractive place to work and stay. The current directors feel more like custodians of Westover than owners and a careful succession plan means more opportunities will be presented to new directors to continue the legacy of those before us.

Our insistence on remaining independent gives us the fluidity to manage our practice in the best interest of those in our teams. We are investing heavily in our practice and people and have fantastic facilities filled with fantastic people.

Organisation aims & mission

By promoting learning, reflection and investment we will continually improve the service we offer and the veterinary medicine we practice.

We aim to create a workplace where every member of our team can reach their full potential in an enjoyable, safe and supportive environment.

We wish to remain a significant, approachable and active part of our local community while respecting the environment around us. Westover strives to treat clients as though they are family, and patients as though they are our own. We will always endeavour to attend to each animal’s individual needs.

Founded in 1896 we will remain independent. This will allow us the flexibility to tailor our service to best match the requirements of our clients, their animals and the Westover team.

Kindness

…is integral to the way that we practice, not just in terms of our clients but one another. The thought we have given to the way euthanasias are performed reflects how important this is. We have created a private bereavement garden, we routinely offer fur clippings in keepsake jars and footprints to all owners with no charge. Throughout the pandemic, we worked to find ways to visit patients and perform home visits in a safe way as we know how important that was to many of our clients.

Integrity

None of our employees is monetarily incentivised in any way to bill, charge or sell. Our drive is for good clinical practice and customer service only. We have transparent pricing, kept affordable, rather than reactive or inflated and as a result are consistently below the regional averages.

Dedication

Our vets and nurses will offer to work extra days if we are short, they will check patients on their time off and check and report lab results from home. We do not ask for this dedication, but it is part of the DNA of Westover to always help one another. Even things as simple as picking up one another’s consults is something we are very proud of and doesn't happen in many places of work.

Respect

Recognising our clients time is as important as ours, we keep them updated on appointment alterations and aim to report results as soon as they are received. We understand the importance of their own animal no matter how mild their condition may be.

Humour

Being able to laugh with our clients as well as our colleagues is important to us. Our rapport with clients and the community is a big part of the practice, and enjoying being at work is a driving goal for Westover too. Laughter is a great endorphin releaser!

We give a damn!

We care, we support, we invest. We encourage feedback, we involve staff in decisions and plans and we act on the wishes of our teams. We provide opportunities for development, both as clinicians and as people. We promote from within wherever possible and through support, mentoring and a non-judgmental culture provide a safe place for people to practice.

Our practices are in a stunning part of the world.

Miles of white-sand beaches and thousands of acres of the Broads National park are all on our doorstep. We give people the time to enjoy their surroundings, good rotas, early finishes and good time off.

We can offer career opportunities that are fast becoming extinct due to corporate ownership. Our facilities are great, our CPD is unlimited and we want all our team members to be able to achieve their goals within the Westover group.

Someone who wants to join us on the Westover journey.

• They would be aspiring, progressive, willing to work for the team and driven to improve. We want people with ideas who are willing to put them forward, but also willing to hear others.
• They would understand that we are not perfect, but we are striving to get better.
• They would care about people as well as their patients and are invested in the relationships we make in first opinion practice.