Staff outside Southfields Veterinary Specialists, in Essex, which has undergone a major rebrand
Linnaeus Group Invests Almost £10m In Practices
6 years ago 
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Following a sustained period of major investment in both its people and practices, the Linnaeus Group is fast establishing itself as one of the UK’s leading veterinary service providers.
The Solihull-based group has now unveiled plans to expand its North Downs Specialist Referrals (NDSR) Hospital, in Bletchingley, by 50 per cent, building on substantial investments it has made in a number of its sites across the country over the past 12 months.
With work beginning at the end of this year and due to be completed next summer, the £1.5 million expansion of NDSR will see added consultation rooms, extra theatre and procedure rooms, more kennels, a new staff room and extended vet space, along with a new meeting room. It will also contain state-of-the-art MRI and CT scanner facilities.
A further investment will be made to recruit new vets and nursing staff for NDSR as the business continues to grow substantially.
This expansion comes on the back of other major investments made by the group, including a
£1.5 million rebrand, refurbishment and expansion of its leading oncology referral centre Southfields Veterinary Specialists, in Essex, which has seen the addition of new hi-tech equipment, along with the recruitment of key specialists and a new leadership team.
Further still, £1 million has been spent on a major extension of Linnaeus’ flagship practice Willows Veterinary Centre, in Solihull, which incorporates a dedicated new radioactive iodine treatment unit for cats with hyperthyroidism, which is set to open soon, as well as expansion of its existing facilities.
The group, which was formed in 2014, is also investing more than £5 million in creating the new purpose-built Paragon Veterinary Referrals centre, in Wakefield. A state-of-the-art animal centre, Paragon is due to open its doors at the start of next year, offering a wide range of specialist services for referring vets in the north of England.
Living up to its promise of commitment to excellence in every way, Linnaeus is also investing in its people, having introduced a new wellbeing programme for staff as part of its Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), helping provide wellbeing support for colleagues in what can often be a high-pressure industry.
In 2018, the group will also be launching its first official graduate scheme, offering graduates a centralised programme of combined clinical and personal development, mentoring and support to take them from classroom to consulting room in a fully-supported way, while offering the flexibility to develop their career how and where they want.
Lynne Hill, chief executive of the Linnaeus Group, said: “Linnaeus continues to expand, providing significant investment in new and existing vet practices. With that expansion comes responsibility and, as a group, we have put a number of support systems in place for practices and colleagues.
“While Linnaeus continues on its journey to become the UK’s leading veterinary group, we believe we are fast becoming a group which is very attractive to join, refer to, or work for, with quality care for the animals we treat, their owners and our staff at the heart of our vision.
“This is a vision shared by our practices who, while being a valued member of the group, maintain their independence and whom we will help continue deliver the very best patient care.”
To find out more information about the Linnaeus Group, which will have a significant presence at the London Vet Show at the Excel London on November 16 and 17, visit https://events.linnaeusgroup.co.uk/.
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