About the Role
This is a senior Head Equine Nurse opportunity at Sussex Equine Hospital, where you’ll take responsibility for leading the nursing team and helping keep the hospital running smoothly day to day. The role is part time at 30 hours per week, with flexibility available, and the working pattern covers five days between 7:30 am and 8 pm.
Weekend shifts are on call from Friday to Monday. You’ll be joining a large, experienced equine hospital team and working closely with surgeons, medics, the intern team, the head groom, the clinic receptionist, the dispensary team and company representatives.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage the nursing team and support the intern team.
- Work alongside the head groom, surgeons, medics and clinic receptionist to help the hospital run efficiently.
- Delegate staff, write up the day board and handle the rota.
- Take responsibility for hospital equipment and liaise with the dispensary team and company representatives.
- Oversee the day to day functioning of the clinic and help ensure patients receive the best possible care.
- Set and maintain nursing standards, lead clinical governance and quality improvement activity, and support team development.
- Work with the wider practice leadership team on culture, performance and ways of working.
Requirements
- Registered Veterinary Nurse status with the RCVS.
- Significant experience in clinical practice.
- Advanced medical and surgical nursing skills.
- Proven experience of leading, mentoring and developing nursing teams.
- Strong understanding of clinical governance, quality improvement and professional standards.
- Excellent communication, leadership and organisational skills.
- Ideally 5 years plus experience in a practice.
Benefits
- Salary up to £27,000 per annum DOE.
- 30 hours per week with flexibility, plus shifts across five days between 7:30 am and 8 pm.
- Weekend on-call shifts from Friday to Monday.
- 6.6 weeks' annual leave.
- Additional birthday leave added to your holiday allowance.
- Length of service annual leave increase.
- Enhanced family friendly policies, including maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental and surrogacy pay.
- Private Medical Insurance.
- Healthcare Cash Plan and Cycle to Work scheme.
- £550 CPD allowance plus 24 hours paid leave.
- RCVS and VDS fees covered.
- Pension scheme.
- Discounted veterinary care.
- Voluntary benefits, including Green Cars salary sacrifice and retail discounts and cashback.
About the Practice
Sussex Equine Hospital in Ashington is a purpose built, state of the art equine hospital with advanced on site laboratory services. It is also a BEVA approved centre for artificial insemination and stud services.
The hospital team includes 25 Veterinary Surgeons, 7 Veterinary Nurses including the head nurse, and 30 support staff. The clinical team also includes four specialists in Equine Surgery, two specialists in Internal Medicine and two Diplomates in Equine Reproduction. The practice also hosts biannual Open Days and supports charitable initiatives in the local community.
