SOUTHFIELDS STUDENT INITIATIVE AIMS TO TACKLE SHORTAGE OF VET NURSES
6 years ago 
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A leading referral vet centre in Essex has teamed up with Nottingham Trent University to help train students in a bid to tackle a national shortage of vet nurses.
Southfields Veterinary Specialists, in Laindon, has signed up with the university to host its first ever intake of trainee veterinary nurses on full-time placements during the final year of their three-year undergraduate courses.
It’s a forward-thinking initiative from Southfields, which is part of the Linnaeus Group, and will allow the students an unrivalled opportunity to experience working within one of the country’s best-equipped, multi-disciplinary vet centres.
Southfields operations manager Daniel Hogan is promising students an ‘access all areas’ approach, pledging they will work in every department and alongside specialists in a number of disciplines.
Daniel said: “Our students will be working throughout the entire practice, experiencing every department and studying every discipline.
“That’s a lot of access and insight into the industry because we are a multi-disciplinary centre offering specialist care for Anaesthesia and Analgesia, Cardiology, Diagnostic Imaging, Dermatology, Internal Medicine, Neurology, Oncology, Orthopaedics, Radiation and Soft Tissue Surgery.
“What’s more, we’re making arrangements for them to spend part of their time at a first opinion veterinary practice to give them even more experience of life as a vet nurse.
“It’s a terrific opportunity and we believe our students will benefit enormously from their year working with us, as they work towards completing their veterinary nurse courses.”
Daniel believes the partnership with Nottingham Trent University will bring benefits for both the Laindon practice and the industry as a whole.
He said: “It’s a terrific arrangement. Firstly, we are helping train the veterinary nurses of the future, which is important for the industry as there’s a nationwide shortage.
“We hope we can benefit at Southfields, too. We hope they enjoy working here so much they choose to stay with us and build a career here.
“That’s why we are fully committed to this and want to make the initiative a real success.
“The students will be looked after as if they are employees and we will also provide their accommodation, which demonstrates just how much we are invested in this project and the people involved.”
Initially, Southfields will host four students on a full-time placement but it hopes to increase the numbers in the near future.
Daniel explained: “This will be a learning process for us, too, as we prepare to welcome our first batch of students and announce more exciting changes to our training programmes over the coming months.
“The first year will help our staff understand just what this university link-up will entail for them and how we can make it work best to ensure the most rewarding experience and outcome for all of us.
“I’m sure it’s going to be an extremely valuable partnership, one we are all looking forward to and hoping we can grow and grow in the future.”
Southfields is nearing the end of a major refurbishment of its facilities, which includes greatly extending its premises and staff, as well as installing new equipment.
Southfields employs experts from 11 different nations among its highly-trained staff, led by clinical director and chairman of the European College of Veterinary Surgeons, Henry L’Eplattenier.
For more information on Southfields Veterinary Specialists, call 01268 564664 or visit www.southfields.co.uk.
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