Small Animal Veterinary Surgeon

About the Role

Rutland House is seeking an experienced veterinary surgeon to join their established small animal team in St Helens. This is a hybrid role split 50/50 between the modern hospital and one of the practice's branch surgeries, offering a balanced mix of first-opinion and more complex referral-level casework. You'll share operating and consulting duties equally, plus work one week every two months as the hospital's dedicated inpatient-only vet—perfect if you want general practice variety with exposure to advanced procedures.

The rota is genuinely considerate: full-time candidates work a 4-day week (three 8:30am–6:30pm shifts and one 10am–9pm late shift), with just 1:8 weekends and no additional Saturday cover. Out-of-hours contribution for day vets is minimal—limited to holiday and sickness cover only (maximum 9 nights per year). A dedicated night team handles inpatient and emergency cover, so you're not juggling multiple hats.

St Helens sits between Liverpool and Manchester (30 minutes each), with easy access to north Wales, the Lake District, and two international airports. The team regularly socialises—running clubs, bowling nights, film evenings, and a January Christmas party—so there's a genuine community feel beyond the clinic.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage a varied first-opinion caseload including routine surgery and emergency procedures at branch level
• Work referral-level complex cases at the hospital, including advanced soft tissue surgery, spinal work, and orthopaedics
• Perform approximately equal operating and consulting duties across both sites
• Serve as inpatient-only vet for one week every two months, providing continuity and post-operative care
• Collaborate with experienced first-opinion and referral clinicians, including certificate holders in small animal surgery, medicine, radiology, dermatology, and oncology
• Develop clinical skills in a supportive environment with access to in-house expertise and modern diagnostics (CT, MRI, ultrasound, digital X-ray, laparoscopy, dental radiography)
• Engage in case continuity by bringing branch patients to the hospital for complex non-routine surgeries requiring post-operative hospitalisation

Requirements

• Qualified veterinary surgeon (MRCVS/RCVS registration)
• Experience managing a varied first-opinion caseload confidently
• Comfortable with routine surgery, emergency procedures, and case work-ups to a high standard
• Ability to work collaboratively within a hospital team environment
• Interest in developing surgical and clinical skills further, including pursuit of certificates if desired

Benefits

• Salary: £40,000–£70,000 depending on experience
• Holiday: 6.6 weeks annual leave including bank holidays
• Professional development: Generous CPD budget with certificate training supported and funded
• Professional fees: RCVS, VDS, BSAVA or BVA membership covered
• Accommodation: Available if required
• Wellbeing: Employee Assistance Programme and Westfield Health cash plan (shopping, travel, entertainment discounts and cashback)
• Healthcare: Optional AXA private medical insurance
• Family support: Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental leave and surrogacy pay
• Other benefits: Company sick pay, cycle-to-work scheme, visa sponsorship available
• Social: Regular team outings and events

About the Practice

Rutland House Veterinary Group has been delivering high-quality small animal care for nearly 65 years. Established as one of the UK's first veterinary hospitals, it has grown into a modern, RCVS-accredited Tier 3 hospital in St Helens with a network of 10 branches across Merseyside and Lancashire (St Helens, Huyton, Warrington, Freckleton, Haydock, Bryn, Gateacre, Grappenhall, Penketh, and Widnes). The practice employs a dedicated team of 130 across all sites.

The main hospital is fully equipped with state-of-the-art diagnostics: 64-slice CT scanner, 1.5T MRI, digital X-ray, ultrasound, various scopes, dental radiography, CO2 laser, and laparoscopy. The team includes certificate holders and advanced practitioners in small animal surgery, medicine, radiology, dermatology, orthopaedics, soft tissue surgery, and oncology, enabling complex in-house management of most cases. The practice operates a 24/7 emergency service and offers hydrotherapy and rehabilitation services alongside routine and referral-level care.