Veterinary Surgeon wanted – Independent Mixed practice – Orkney Islands

*We want to be part of your story*

We want to offer you a position where we build our caring, family-friendly workplace and your happiness into the success of our practice. We care for our team, our clients and their animals as our own..

We provide a supportive environment for someone starting out their career in Veterinary medicine or a flexible roster for someone wanting to try something different. 

Our proudly independent mixed practice in the beautiful Orkney Isles is expanding and we are ready to take on another vet.  We can offer you anything between a 3 and a 4.5 day working week. A couple sharing might work too  – we can be flexible. We are also recruiting for a RVN.

Leah, our young graduate associate vet who joined us the most recently in 2021, would be happy to chat to applicants about her experience with us and encourage you to come to join our expanding practice. 

Your caseload will include a wide variety of animals including about 65% small animals, farm work with a  large population of beef suckler cows in Orkney, some dairy and sheep, plus horses and exotics. We encourage special interests but all do some of everything. We deal with routine as well as more complex cases, we are geographically more remote so need to give emergency and critical care, but also have excellent referral links and support. We would support further development and interest in any area.  

Our friendly supportive team has 7 in the nursing team with 5 RVNs/ SVNs/VCA and 4 admin/customer care. Currently about a 4.5 FTE vet practice, we have a mix of 7 part and full time vets.  We have a holiday cover vet, and a 1 in 5 on call rota, in which we would need you to take part. An answering service takes the phone calls out of hours. 

With routine 15 minute appointments, and normal finish time 5.30pm, our last appointment is at 6 pm for the on-duty vet. Our surgery is open 8.45am until 6pm daily and Saturday mornings 9 until 12, with one in five weekends on call.  We take our dogs to work and ensure time to get out for a walk at lunchtime. Our on-call is generally quiet with seasonal busier calving and lambing periods in spring.

As a RCVS PSS and Vet GDP practice and Vet nurse training centre, we have a well equipped,  purpose-built surgery with all you will need to work up cases. These include DR digital X-ray, dental X-ray, large and small animal ultrasound scanners, endoscope, multi parameter monitor and capnograph/pulse-oximeter, ECG, BP, tonopen, biochemistry and haematology analysers, electroejaculators, motorised equine dental rasp. There is a comfortable area for team breaks with kitchen and staff room.. 

We enjoy consulting each other and working in a collegiate way for mutual support and the best outcome for our patients and their owners. A backup vet is always available so we can help each other when needed. We ensure our vets are comfortable before performing any procedures, with assistance and training given as needed. We are keen to develop our skills and learn from each other.

You will sometimes travel by boat or plane to other islands for work adding another dimension to your working days! 

 You will have 6 weeks holiday including 5 bank holidays, pension scheme, sickness pay, RCVS & VDS membership paid, CPD funded with travel costs.

Salary £32,000 to £58,000 depending on experience. Annual review. Expenses paid interview and help with relocation.

Our community with a population of about 23,000 is often voted one of the best places to live in the UK. Orkney has superb facilities including excellent local schools, great independent shops, a vibrant music and arts community, sporting facilities with many well supported clubs and teams, amazing outdoor pursuits and watersports in stunning surroundings, a busy horsey scene, cinemas, folk, drama and science festivals, archeology and wildlife. A really great place to raise a family or to enjoy life to the full. https://www.orkney.com/

Do get in touch if you are interested in finding out more, or email us to apply, at info@flettandcarmichael.co.uk

We want your influence!