Veterinary Patient Care Assistant

About the Role

The Crescent Veterinary Centre is recruiting a Veterinary Patient Care Assistant on a 6 month fixed term contract, starting in December 2026. This is a full time role for 40 hours per week, worked Monday to Friday between 08.30 and 19.00.

You'll be part of a CVS Vets-owned practice in Melton Mowbray, supporting RVNs and vets with patient care while also helping the reception team when needed. The role combines hands-on animal care with client-facing duties, so it suits someone who is calm, resilient and comfortable switching between clinical and front of house work.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide nursing support for animal patients
• Assist vets and nurses with animal restraint
• Walk, feed and clean patients
• Prepare emergency and operating areas
• Carry out general cleaning and maintenance tasks
• Run internal lab samples
• Answer emergency calls
• Support the reception team with booking appointments, answering the telephone, greeting clients and processing payments

Requirements

• Strong customer service and public-facing communication skills
• Resilience and the ability to handle emotional situations with kindness and professionalism
• Genuine empathy and clear communication
• Experience in animal welfare, including feeding, cleaning and handling, is essential
• A positive team-focused approach
• Experience in a veterinary environment is preferred
• Candidates must have the Right to Work in the UK, as visa sponsorship is not available for this clinical support role

Benefits

• Salary aligned to National Minimum Wage, with hourly rates of £12.71 for ages 21 and over and £10.85 for ages 18 to 20
• Five weeks' annual leave pro rata, plus bank holidays
• Staff discount on veterinary bills and care
• Staff discount on Animed Direct purchases, including pet medicines, products and food
• Employee Assistance Programme for confidential wellbeing support

About the Practice

The role is based at The Crescent Veterinary Centre in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. The practice is part of CVS Veterinary Group, which says it operates a network of over 500 practices and employs more than 8,000 professionals.

CVS Vets describes its culture as focused on caring, supporting, learning and progressing, with an inclusive workplace that values diversity and aims to reflect the communities it serves.