Veterinary Surgeon

About the Role

This part-time veterinary surgeon position at Vets Now Witham offers the chance to develop your emergency and critical care expertise within a friendly, well-established team. You'll work backshifts on a 4-week rolling rota, combining weeknight and weekend shifts with a fair share of bank holidays. The shift pattern includes Monday to Friday 7pm-12am and Saturday to Sunday 4pm-12am, giving you structured scheduling rather than unpredictable hours.

Located between Chelmsford and Colchester with easy A12 access, Vets Now Witham is a busy ECC facility where you'll often work as the second vet on shift. This collaborative approach means you'll share knowledge and tackle complex cases alongside experienced colleagues, providing genuine mentorship and support throughout your role.

The practice invests heavily in professional development. You'll have access to CPD funding, study leave for relevant qualifications like ECC certificates, and structured coaching. If you're considering transitioning into emergency work, the AdvantEdge programme offers hands-on training and flexible e-learning to build your confidence.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide emergency and critical care to small animal patients presenting out of hours
• Work as part of a two-vet clinical team on backshifts, collaborating on complex cases
• Perform clinical examinations, diagnostics, and treatments within your scope of practice
• Contribute to a supportive team environment and share knowledge with colleagues
• Maintain clinical standards and professional development within the ECC setting

Requirements

• Qualified veterinary surgeon (BVSc, BVetMed or equivalent)
• RCVS registration as a veterinary surgeon
• At least six months solid clinical foundation experience
• Willingness to work shifts within the agreed 4-week rota pattern
• Commitment to ongoing professional development

Benefits

• Up to £85,000 per annum (pro rata, dependent on experience)
• Private medical insurance
• Membership of employee wellbeing programme
• Enhanced sick pay and enhanced maternity policy including 6 months full pay
• Family-friendly policies including paternity and adoption pay
• 7 weeks pro rata annual leave plus your birthday as a paid day off
• £1,500 CPD allowance plus 35 paid hours pro rata for professional development
• ECC certificate support with financial contribution and paid study leave
• RCVS fees, VECCS membership, and VDS indemnity cover included
• UK Standard Pension: 5% employee contribution, 3% employer match
• Up to 50% discounted staff pet care
• Death in service benefit of two times annual salary
• Paid volunteering days
• Access to Edge training programmes (Cutting Edge and AdvantEdge)
• Vets Now For You reward gateway offering discounts and cashback with hundreds of retailers

About the Practice

Vets Now Witham is a dedicated emergency and critical care facility operated by Vets Now Emergency Limited, part of the wider Vets Now Group. The practice is strategically located between Chelmsford and Colchester in Essex, providing 24-hour emergency care to small animal patients across the region. The team is well established and experienced, creating a supportive working environment where ongoing mentorship is part of the culture.

As part of Vets Now, the practice benefits from group-wide resources including structured training programmes, professional development initiatives, and a commitment to work-life balance. The facility is equipped to handle complex emergency cases and offers candidates the opportunity to build expertise in ECC while maintaining sustainable shift patterns and genuine flexibility around their personal circumstances.