Housevet Positions
Applications are invited for the next 3 housevet positions starting in December 2020, early Spring and mid-Summer 2021.
The Liphook Equine Hospital is an internationally renowned equine referral hospital with state-of-the-art facilities based in Hampshire in the South of England. The hospital has 10 RCVS and EBVS specialists who are supported by the housevets a diagnostic imaging clinician, medicine resident and approximately 70 nursing and support staff and a large on-site laboratory. The hospital team works closely with the large ambulatory team of 11 vets who provide first-opinion care to horses in Hampshire, Sussex, Surrey and beyond. More details of the practice are available on our website www.TheLEH.co.uk.
Currently, we employ a team of four Housevets who work for a fixed -term of 18 months. The housevets work as a team alongside the hospital clinicians and nurses. The housevets’ prime duties include anaesthesia, intensive care monitoring and the day to day management of the 50 hospitalised in-patients, including both diagnostic procedures and treatments. Orthopaedic investigations, including nerve blocks, are an important part of the role and, in addition, there will be ample exposure to other diagnostic techniques (such as radiography, scintigraphy, ultrasonography and MRI) as well as to colic and lameness work up. The housevets work under the direction of recognised Specialists in both Surgery and Medicine and are well supported by a large team of excellent nurses, who work shifts to provide full 24 hour care.
The position is challenging and the hours are long but there is a tremendous amount of experience to be gained by applicants with suitable enthusiasm and a desire to learn. Accommodation is provided in a house in a nearby village. As this house is shared with the other members of the housevet team it is, unfortunately, not suitable for couples. No pets are allowed in this accommodation. The out of hours rota is shared equally between all members of the housevet team and the duty housevet is required to stay on site, at nights and weekends, in a self-contained flat. The team of housevets work a shared rota for their part of the out of hours system whilst other veterinary surgeons in the practice are responsible for the ambulatory calls and for the surgical and medical rotas. Duty nurses take all phone calls outside office hours.
These positions are offered for a fixed term contract of 18 months. Following the term as a housevet it is not expected that any vacancies will occur in the practice for assistantships but we have found that, in past years, our housevets have had little difficulty finding suitable employment either in practice or in residency programmes. Indeed, there seems to be a widely held view in the profession that our housevets have received some of the best post-graduate training and clinical exposure currently available in the UK.
We are looking for enthusiastic team players to join our friendly but hardworking Hospital team, who are all dedicated to providing first class care to the horses, ponies and donkeys entrusted to our care. The majority of the hospitalised cases are referred patients but we also have a large first opinion clientele and there may also be a limited opportunity to become involved directly with first opinion outpatient cases during your stay. As you will be in frequent contact with owners and referring veterinary surgeons, a good, confident and sympathetic manner with both clients and professional colleagues is essential. For this reason, we look for those who have been qualified for at least a year, preferably more, and candidates who have not previously worked in practice in the UK for at least one year or who do not have English as their mother tongue may be at a disadvantage in the selection process, as fluent spoken and written English is essential.
In addition to an above average salary and rent-free free accommodation we also provide a car allowance, house and mobile phone, uniform, private health insurance and a free private accident/disability insurance scheme. More importantly perhaps, we also offer good working conditions and, we believe, a happy and supportive environment. There is ample scope for your professional development and continuing further education within the practice.
Applicants are requested to send in a covering letter and a CV to Barbara.Thornley@theLEH.co.uk. . Closing date for applications Monday 31st August 2021.
