More than 40 new nursing team members have joined Southfields Veterinary Specialists, in Essex, in the past year.
Southfields' Recruitment Drive Sees 40 New Nurses Join
11 months ago 
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Posted
17th May, 2023 11h37
A state-of-the-art animal hospital in Essex has recruited more than 40 new starters in just one year to its rapidly growing nursing team.
An attractive combination of first-class facilities, high patient care, career development opportunities, social activities and a great team spirit are among the factors appealing to veterinary professionals flocking to join Linnaeus-owned Southfields Veterinary Specialists in Basildon.
Of those starting in the past 12 months, 27 are registered veterinary nurses, four post-registration programme registered veterinary nurses, nine patient care assistants, two radiographers and one therapeutic radiographer, providing a real testament to the opportunities afforded to the nursing team at Southfields as we celebrate Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month (VNAM).
Nicola Barrigan, head of nursing services at Southfields, said the scale of the hospital’s recruitment spoke volumes for the opportunities presented to nurses at the hospital.
Nicola said: “There’s an array of fantastic professional development opportunities available for those in the Southfields nursing team, which is why I believe we have attracted so many to join.
“Veterinary nurses have access to the Linnaeus Referral Nursing Development Programme, while our Patient Care Assistants can further their knowledge and experience by enrolling on the Linnaeus PCA course.
“We also support nurses looking to create and deliver CPD, write articles for publication and complete external advanced qualifications.”
As well as the opportunity to progress their careers, those working at Southfields can enjoy twice-weekly yoga sessions in its wellbeing room, and regular events to support wellbeing and team bonding, including quiz nights, bingo, movie nights, seasonal celebrations, and charity events.
Nicola added: “Our hospital not only includes state-of-the-art clinical facilities but has the wellbeing of our associates and patients at its heart.”
The £16 million animal hospital offers specialist services such as anaesthesia and analgesia, cardiology, dentistry, dermatology, diagnostic imaging, exotics, internal medicine, neurology, oncology, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, radiation, and soft tissue surgery.
Daniel Hogan, hospital director at Southfields, said: “This recruitment drive clearly demonstrates the ambition of Southfields to continue providing the best veterinary care in the UK.
“Southfields is already one of the largest referral centres in the UK and the scale of the hospital is now being matched by the size and quality of our outstanding nursing team.”
For more information, go to www.southfields.co.uk or search Southfields Veterinary Specialists on social media.
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