Veterinary Surgeon

About the Role

You’ll join Palmerston Buckhurst Hill, a long-standing village practice with a London postcode but a genuinely neighbourly soul. This isn’t a high-throughput clinic—it’s a place where cases are followed through, handovers are personal, and inpatients are cared for in-house by people who know them. Many clients have been bringing their animals here for years, and you’ll become part of that continuity of care. Working full-time at an average of 41.5 hours per week with two Saturdays in six, you’ll manage a varied and satisfying caseload: surgery, consults, long-term care, and plenty of familiar faces. The best part? Out-of-hours emergencies are handled externally, so your on-call is for your own inpatients only—it rarely disturbs your evening.

Leadership here is human. Sarah, the Practice Manager, has been part of Palmerston for over two decades and leads with warmth, fairness, and high standards. Nurses, vets, and care assistants work side by side, and the team genuinely has your back. This role suits a vet who enjoys building real relationships, doing careful medicine, and being part of a team that believes this work is about love as much as skill.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver routine consultations and surgery with confidence and care
• Manage a mixed caseload including surgery, routine consults, and long-term patient care
• Work collaboratively with the nursing and care assistant team on inpatient management
• Provide on-call cover for inpatients only (approximately one night per week)
• Build and maintain strong relationships with long-term clients and their pets
• Contribute to a culture of careful, relationship-based medicine

Requirements

• RCVS registration as a Veterinary Surgeon
• Confidence in routine consultations and surgical procedures
• Comfortable working independently with strong team support around you
• Kindness, care, and steady hands—attitude matters here
• Ability to thrive in a calm, relationship-focused practice environment

Benefits

• 5 weeks holiday plus bank holidays and birthday leave
• Accommodation provided if needed
• RCVS and VDS fees paid
• External CPD fully funded
• Extensive free online Linnaeus CPD programme
• Career progression opportunities
• Staff discount schemes
• Life assurance
• Enhanced sickness pay
• Enhanced equal family leave
• E-car salary sacrifice scheme
• Employer contribution pension scheme
• Comprehensive wellness programme including employee assistance programme, eyecare vouchers, free annual flu jab, cycle to work scheme, and recruitment referral rewards

About the Practice

Palmerston Vets is part of Linnaeus and Mars Veterinary Health, the largest family-owned veterinary company in the world. Being privately owned allows Linnaeus to be driven by purpose—creating a better world for pets—and thinking long-term rather than chasing short-term profits. The practice itself is a long-standing village clinic with a loyal client base and a team culture centred on supportive leadership and quality care.

At Linnaeus, a better world for pets starts with a better world for the people who care for them. You’ll have access to a huge network of specialists, worldwide development opportunities, and a comprehensive wellbeing package that prioritises physical and mental health. The organisation is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture where you can be authentic and perform at your best.