Patient Care Assistant

About the Role

Join Abbey House’s friendly team as a Patient Care Assistant, working across all areas of this busy small animal hospital. You’ll be at the heart of operations—from preparing theatres and supporting surgical procedures to ensuring our patients are comfortable, well-cared-for, and exercised regularly. This is a full-time permanent role (40 hours per week), with shift patterns across 8am–7pm or 9.30am–8.30pm, Monday to Friday and 1 in 4 weekends. You’ll gain exposure to diverse responsibilities, extensive internal training, and a genuine pathway into veterinary support roles.

Abbey House is part of Linnaeus and Mars Veterinary Health, a forward-thinking partnership of primary care and referral practices across the UK and Ireland. As a privately owned company, Linnaeus prioritises its people and your wellbeing, offering real career development within a community of 6000+ passionate veterinary professionals.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare operating theatres for surgery and manage the cleaning, sterilisation, and maintenance of surgical instruments
• Handle and restrain patients with care and empathy, using appropriate techniques to minimise stress
• Clean, disinfect, and maintain patient accommodation areas; actively support infection control protocols across the hospital
• Assist with patient exercise and feeding schedules
• Perform and support in-house laboratory testing, including packaging and processing biological samples
• Provide reception support: answering phones, booking procedures, handling enquiries, and processing payments
• Work effectively with Veterinary Surgeons, Registered Veterinary Nurses, and team members to ensure smooth daily operations
• Maintain reliable, adaptable, and empathetic communication with colleagues and clients

Requirements

• Passion for animal care and welfare
• Experience in veterinary, medical, or care sectors (ideal, but enthusiasm and willingness to learn are valued)
• Ability to accept instruction from management, vets, and nurses
• Reliability, adaptability, and strong interpersonal skills
• Physical capability to handle animals and perform general practice duties

Benefits

• Salary: £26,437 per annum
• 5 weeks’ holiday plus bank holidays and birthday leave
• Extensive internal CPD and professional development
• Clear career progression opportunities within Linnaeus
• Staff discount schemes
• Life assurance
• Enhanced sickness pay
• Enhanced family leave
• Employer contribution pension scheme
• E-car salary sacrifice scheme and cycle-to-work scheme
• Recruitment referral reward scheme
• Comprehensive wellness programme: employee assistance programme, eyecare voucher scheme, free annual flu jab

About the Practice

Abbey House is a primary care small animal hospital within Linnaeus, a partnership of highly-respected veterinary practices across the UK and Ireland. The practice is part of Mars Veterinary Health, the world’s largest family-owned veterinary company. This private ownership allows Linnaeus to stay purposefully driven—to create a better world for pets—whilst thinking long-term rather than focusing solely on short-term profits.

The practice brings together like-minded veterinary professionals committed to excellence and quality patient care. With access to a wider network of 6000+ associates, specialist expertise, and comprehensive wellbeing support, Abbey House fosters a culture of inclusion and authenticity where every team member can perform at their best.