Ready to join a 12-vet RCVS-accredited hospital where surgery takes centre stage and work-life balance actually matters? Acorn House offers a manageable 4-day week, minimal OOH, and the caseload to support your surgical development.
Minimal OOH: one weeknight on-call every two weeks and one weekend on-call every two months. Calls taken initially by dedicated ECC RVN; RVC handles phones 23:00-08:00 (inpatient-only after 23:00). Buddy system in place for weeknight on-call with easy swap arrangements.
This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced veterinary surgeon with a strong surgical bias to join Acorn House, a 12-vet RCVS-accredited small animal hospital in the charming market town of Bedford. You'll be working with a varied and busy caseload in an environment that genuinely values operating time and clinical development.
The role is structured around a manageable 4-day week with fixed days off and just one Saturday shift (8:00-16:30) per month. You'll rotate through consulting, theatre, late shifts, and support shifts (which run 08:30-19:00 with no routine appointments, allowing you to focus on emergencies and team support). Out-of-hours commitment is genuinely minimal: just one weeknight every two weeks and one weekend on-call every two months. A dedicated ECC RVN manages initial calls, so you can take calls from home, and the RVC handles phones from 23:00-08:00, meaning the on-call becomes inpatient-only after that window, allowing for proper rest.
Located in a beautiful county town surrounded by countryside, Bedford offers excellent transport links to London (30-50 minutes by train), nearby attractions including the Marston Vales and Chiltern Hills, and easy motorway access via the A1 and M1.
Acorn House is a 12-vet RCVS-accredited small animal hospital operating as an independent practice but owned by the Royal Veterinary College since 2018. It serves as a flagship teaching hospital, modelling high-quality first-opinion care and hosting veterinary student placements. The practice offers excellent facilities including laparoscopic and orthopaedic kits, gastroscopy, bronchoscopy, dental suite with digital radiography, ultrasound, three theatres, two dental suites, dedicated wards for dogs, cats, and exotic animals, and dedicated surgical supplies storage. Recent expansion significantly increased capacity and surgical space.
The practice holds multiple accreditations and standards: RCVS accreditation, ISFM Gold Standard Cat-Friendly Clinic, Dogs Trust Dog-Friendly Clinic, RWAF Gold Rabbit-Friendly Practice (reaccreditation in progress), RCVS-approved Graduate Development and Veterinary Nurse Training Practice, and Bronze Investors in the Environment accreditation. The team includes Advanced Practitioners in zoological medicine, small animal medicine, and diagnostic imaging, alongside clinicians pursuing certificates in small animal medicine, exotics, and feline medicine. The nursing team is led by a Head Nurse holding an RCVS diploma in Advanced Veterinary Nursing (surgical) and an ECC certificate, with additional certificate holders in anaesthesia, exotics, feline nursing, and veterinary education. The practice operates its own 24-hour out-of-hours service and has a dedicated inpatient care model.
More UK veterinary opportunities you might like
