Ophthalmology Veterinary Nurse – FTC

About the Role

This is a fantastic opportunity to bring your advanced nursing skills to a specialist ophthalmology service within a state-of-the-art referral hospital. You’ll deliver expert nursing care to complex ophthalmic cases in a supportive multidisciplinary environment—the kind of work that makes nursing rewarding.

Based at Southern Counties Veterinary Specialists in Ringwood, this part-time fixed-term contract will be available to start from Summer 2026 for up to 12 months. You’ll work approximately 34 hours per week across Monday–Thursday shifts (either 09:00–18:00 or 10:00–19:00), plus a 1:5 Saturday rota (07:00–19:30 in the wards). It’s structured, predictable, and built to fit your life.

The practice itself is impressive: recently expanded with a brand-new purpose-built theatre complex, 10 consulting rooms, a dedicated rehabilitation centre with physiotherapy and hydrotherapy facilities, and further additions including a diagnostic suite and ICU area coming soon. This is a hospital that invests in its infrastructure—and its people.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead ophthalmology-specific inpatient care with a focus on complex surgical cases
• Assist clinicians during consultations and in theatre, including scrub assisting
• Manage patient admissions and discharges
• Prepare and administer perioperative and postoperative medications
• Assist with anaesthetic induction and patient monitoring
• Prepare patients for surgery and support their recovery
• Involvement in the preparation and administration of perioperative/postoperative medications
• Assistance in the induction and monitoring of anaethesia
• Collaborate with the advanced nursing team and dedicated care assistants to ensure excellent patient comfort and care

Requirements

• Registration as a Veterinary Nurse with the RCVS
• Significant experience working in clinical practice with a keen interest in ophthalmology
• Experience with complex ophthalmology cases in a referral or advanced-care setting (advantageous)
• Strong communication skills and ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams
• Commitment to evidence-based practice, clinical governance, and continuous improvement

Benefits

• Leave: 6.8 weeks’ annual leave with increasing allowance based on length of service
• Professional development: £550 CPD allowance plus 24 hours paid leave; RCVS and VDS fees covered
• Health & wellbeing: Private Medical Insurance, Healthcare Cash Plan, Cycle to Work scheme
• Family support: Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental, and surrogacy pay
• Financial: Pension scheme, discounted veterinary care, voluntary benefits including Green Cars salary sacrifice and retail discounts
• Note: Benefits are pro-rated for this part-time, fixed-term position

About the Practice

Southern Counties Veterinary Specialists is a specialist-led small animal hospital renowned for managing complex cases with expertise across multiple disciplines. The team includes recognised specialists in ophthalmology and other key areas, supported by an advanced nursing team and dedicated rehabilitation specialists offering physiotherapy and hydrotherapy. The hospital’s recent expansion demonstrates a serious commitment to modern facilities and quality patient care.

The practice is part of IVC Evidensia, the UK and Europe’s leading veterinary care group comprising over 900 practices and referral hospitals. IVC Evidensia is built on the belief that careers should be built without limits—their people are supported to make more clinical impact, access more opportunities, and play active roles in their professional communities through investment in learning, innovation, and genuine wellbeing support.