Wards Animal Care Assistant

About the Role

Swift Referrals is seeking a compassionate and reliable Animal Care Assistant to join the wards team on a part-time basis, covering maternity leave for 12 months. Working four 9-hour days per week, you’ll play a vital role in supporting inpatient care at this purpose-built multi-disciplinary referral hospital, which opened in 2019 to world-leading standards.

You’ll work under the direction of veterinary surgeons and registered veterinary nurses, providing essential care to animals recovering from surgery and specialist treatments. Your work will directly improve the wellbeing of patients from the hospital’s out-of-hours service and referral caseload, contributing to a compassionate patient experience in a state-of-the-art environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the wards team with daily inpatient care across the hospital’s specialist disciplines (orthopaedics, neurology, internal medicine, and soft tissue surgery)
• Assist with feeding and walking animals to maintain their comfort and recovery
• Provide attentive care and reassurance to patients from both emergency and referral services
• Assist with patient handling and safe restraint under veterinary supervision
• Help maintain clinical areas and equipment to the highest standards
• Support the clinical team in delivering high-quality patient and client care

Requirements

• A caring, professional approach with genuine interest in animal welfare
• Reliable and motivated, with enthusiasm for working within a veterinary environment
• Good communication skills and ability to collaborate with colleagues and clients
• Strong organisational skills and ability to manage tasks effectively in a busy setting
• Proactive attitude to learning, with openness to feedback and development

Benefits

• 6.6 weeks’ annual leave, plus additional leave on your birthday
• Increasing annual leave accrued through length of service
• Enhanced family-friendly policies including maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental and surrogacy pay
• Healthcare Cash Plan
• Pension scheme
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Funded learning and development opportunities via the IVC Evidensia Academy
• Discounted staff pet care
• Access to discounts and cashback with hundreds of participating retailers
• Voluntary benefits package to suit your needs

About the Practice

Swift Referrals is a multi-disciplinary referral hospital purpose-built in 2019 to industry-leading standards, specialising in orthopaedics, neurology, internal medicine, and soft tissue surgery. The hospital houses world-class facilities including a 1.5T Siemens MRI scanner, 128-slice GE CT scanner, doppler ultrasound, endoscopy, arthroscopy equipment, and state-of-the-art operating theatres. The team of over 80 employees is fully committed to staff wellbeing, reflected in consistently positive team satisfaction feedback.

Swift Referrals is part of IVC Evidensia, the UK and Europe’s leading veterinary care group comprising over 900 practices and referral hospitals. IVC Evidensia is united by a shared purpose of happier animals and happier owners, with a commitment to supporting careers without limits through investment in learning, innovation, and wellbeing at every career stage.