Small Animal Veterinary Surgeon

About the Role

This is a veterinary surgeon opportunity at Mount Vets, an independent small animal hospital in Somerset. The practice has a strong team culture, with plenty of case discussion, shared input and support on more challenging work, so you are not left to work things out alone.

The role is built around a structured day. Full-time vets work a 4-day week with a set day off, clinical hours run from 9 am to 6 pm, and there is an extra hour at the end of the day for catch-up if needed. Consults are 15 minutes, with double appointments for more complex cases and euthanasia, plus diary gaps for messages and inpatient care. There are two vets operating each day, with a third vet operating for most of the day, and each vet has at least one dedicated operating day per week.

Mount Vets provides its own out-of-hours service, with dedicated night RVNs on site for inpatient care. On-call is from home, and the rota includes 7 weeks out of a 9-week rolling pattern with no Saturdays, no weekends and no night on-call, plus one week with Saturday and Sunday on-call duties. The practice is also happy to consider a 3-day week for a vet joining the OOH rota.

Key Responsibilities

• Work across a varied small animal caseload in an independent hospital setting.
• Manage your own consulting and operating time within a diary that includes 15-minute consults, double appointments for complex cases and euthanasia, and built-in catch-up space.
• Take part in inpatient management and case continuity with the wider team.
• Contribute to clinical discussion and shared decision-making within a supportive, collaborative office-based team.
• Participate in the practice's own out-of-hours rota, including home on-call duties as scheduled.
• Make use of the opportunity for regular operating days and case work-up to a high standard.

Requirements

• You should be a qualified veterinary surgeon.
• Experience level is not stated, and the advert welcomes both developing and more experienced vets.
• You should be comfortable working as part of an out-of-hours rota.

Benefits

• Salary from £45,000 to £75,000, depending on experience.
• 28 days holiday, including bank holidays.
• CPD is actively encouraged, with support for certificates.
• Private health insurance and an employee assistance scheme.
• RCVS and VDS fees paid.
• Cycle to work scheme and local gym discount.
• A rota that includes 7 weeks out of 9 with no Saturdays, no weekends and no night on-call.
• Home on-call, with dedicated night RVNs in the hospital for inpatient care.

About the Practice

Mount Vets is an independent small animal veterinary hospital in Wellington, Somerset. The team includes 14 vets, 16 RVNs, SVNs and VCAs, with several certificate holders across surgery, medicine, ophthalmology and dermatology, plus vets studying towards certificates in ophthalmology and diagnostic imaging.

The wider practice has been established for over sixty years and also runs branch practices in Wiveliscombe and Broadhembury. It provides a dedicated small animal emergency service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, and is RCVS accredited as a Veterinary Hospital.