Careers at Henley House Vets
Small Animal Veterinary Surgeon
Location: Uckfield, East Sussex
Salary: from £35,000 to £70,000
Closing date: 10 Oct 2023
We believe that a happy team makes a great team, and with our fantastic facilities, supported career development and focus on work-life balance, our team is very happy!
“I have worked in many practices before taking a permanent position at Henley House two years ago, and it really is a great place to work! Friendly, positive and supportive team and really good work-life balance. Working for a well-run independent practice is fantastic as you are appreciated more, have more autonomy and great job satisfaction.”Abi MRCVS
About Us
We are an independent small animal practice in Uckfield, East Sussex. At Henley House Vet Clinic, we strongly believe that excellence in veterinary medicine is centred around the people delivering the service. We work hard to ensure that our vets, nurses, and support team enjoy a fulfilling work environment with an excellent work-life balance. This doesn’t end at having excellent equipment and facilities at our disposal but offering a working pattern promoting a positive life outside of work. The result is a cohesive team who are happy, respected and supports one another.
The wonderful thing is that we’re not the only people who think that Henley House Vets is a great veterinary practice; our loyal clients do, too! Winning The Best UK Vets Award for East Sussex in 2021 is an achievement that we’re very proud of, and having a client base who appreciates what we do brings a certain job satisfaction that can’t be matched.
Chris took ownership of the clinic in 2006 and was the sole vet for five years while providing out-of-hours care. In 2013, he started working with Vet Dynamics, whose encouragement led him to realise there was more to being a great vet than permanent exhaustion! Since then, the clinical team has grown, we’ve outsourced our out-of-hours and even opened a branch clinic in Heathfield. We completed a major overhaul of our Grade II listed Uckfield premises, building an extension to house two theatres, an x-ray room and separate cat and dog wards. We also included space for a CT scanner, which we hope to invest in soon. We converted the upstairs flat into offices, a lab and a lovely staff room. We have also invested heavily in our equipment, including digital and dental X-ray, ultrasound, scope and K-Laser.
We now have a team of four vets with various interests who are always happy to share their knowledge and years of experience. Chris performs the majority of our orthopaedic surgeries, including MMPs. Louise has completed a surgery certificate, and Hannah has a medicine certificate. Abi is responsible for the day-to-day running of our Heathfield branch. Our vets are supported by our fantastic nursing team of 8 RVNs and our brilliant admin team.
“Henley House is a close-knit team that very much feels like a supportive ‘family’ to work with. Being an independent practice for so long means that the clients know us all well, and therefore, we have built up a great relationship with many of them in the local area. Additionally, we really enjoy the freedom of being able to treat animals with the best of care and the ability to approach management with new ideas and protocols. We are lucky enough to have a large purpose-built extension where we have lots of modern diagnostic equipment, which means we can do lots of workups in-house. We are looking for someone who is truly passionate about animal welfare, will blend well with our team and has a positive outlook.” The Nursing Team
The Role
Our full-time vets work a 4-day week, with a fixed day off and just 1:5 Saturday mornings (8.30 am – 12 pm). Every 5th week, we will schedule Friday as your day off so you can enjoy a long weekend. Our out-of-hours are covered by “Vets Now” in Eastbourne and Tunbridge Wells, so there are no nights, Sundays or bank holidays to work. We are also happy to chat about part-time hours if you have other commitments to work around. We have time built into the day to catch up on admin, make calls, and ensure everyone gets a proper lunch break.
We can support new graduates, and Chris, who is currently completing the VetGDP course, enjoys teaching and has mentored many vets over the years. We would also happily enrol you on the Vet Dynamics New Graduate Scheme.
We will always encourage you to develop your skills and follow your interests, so if you want to take on a certificate, this will be supported. We really want this to be a place where you can enjoy being a vet and work up your cases in-house without the need for referral, so we are always open to new ideas on how to achieve this, whether that involves further training or investing in new kit.
What we get up to outside of work
We’re a sociable bunch who often get together outside of work; this could be a dog walk, a trip to the cinema, meeting up for a meal, or something a little different. Recently, some of the team headed off truffle hunting! We also have our annual Christmas event. Last year, this involved going to the ‘Best Christmas Party Ever’.
Surrounded by beautiful, rolling Sussex countryside, this really is a lovely, rural part of the world. Uckfield is within easy reach of the South Downs National Park and Ashdown Forest, known as the home of Winnie the Pooh and where you can enjoy a walk across the 100 Aker Wood. There are excellent transport links, and Brighton, Lewes, Eastbourne and Gatwick Airport can all be reached within 45 minutes, and London is only just over an hour away.
The Package
- Salary of £35,000 – £70,000
- No fixed CPD; budget personal development is very much encouraged, with certificates supported and funded
- Five weeks holiday, plus bank holidays
- Vet Dynamics New Graduate Scheme
- Happy to sponsor visas
- Professional fees paid
If you think we sound like the practice you’ve been looking for, call us for an informal chat or apply now by sending a CV and introductory letter.
Henley House Vets is still proudly independent.
We strive to provide a thorough and caring service to our clients while maintaining an enjoyable and rewarding workplace and excellent work-life balance.
If you think you have what it takes to fill this position, please send a CV and introductory letter by email to ch@henleyhousevets.co.uk
We look forward to meeting you.
Join Us
We are always looking out for the right kind of people to work at Henley House Vets. If you think you would add to our team please send a CV and introductory email to ch@henleyhousevets.co.uk.
If we have no current opportunities, your information will be kept safely and we will contact you should something become available.
