Receptionist / Animal Care Assistant

The Willows; Sworton Heath; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A veterinary practice in Sworton Heath is seeking a full-time Veterinary Care Assistant. Responsibilities include providing organized client reception and assisting veterinary nurses in animal care. Candidates must have GCSEs in Maths and English, previous experience in customer service, and prior animal handling is preferred. The role offers 30 days of holiday plus benefits such as a pension scheme and CPD allowance.

Benefits

30 days holiday per year

Workplace pension scheme

Colleague pet discounts

Life insurance

CPD allowance of £250 annually

Qualifications

• Previous animal handling experience is required.
• Experience in a customer service role is essential.
• Computer literacy, especially with Microsoft Office is a must.

Responsibilities

• Provide organized client reception and assist veterinary nurses.
• Greet clients and respond to inquiries in a professional manner.
• Support stock control and manage client payments.
• Assist with veterinary care under the instruction of registered personnel.

Skills

Confident communicator

Flexible team player

Driving licence

Education

GCSE level including Maths and English C grade or above

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Our aim within the practice is to treat our patients as though they were our own animals, and to treat our clients in the way we would wish to be dealt with ourselves. This philosophy should be carried through all levels, in terms of our demeanour, appearance, professionalism and communication (between vets, clients, external providers such as laboratories and staff). We all have a part to play in ensuring the smooth running of the various aspects of the practice.

Roles & Responsibilities

• To provide a professional, effective and organised client reception.
• To provide assistance to the veterinary nurses in the care of our patients and general maintenance of the surgery premises.
• Greet clients with a smile and engage in small talk to put clients at ease, respond effectively to client enquiries via the telephone or in person and relay accurate messages to other staff.
• Make client appointments, book ops, process enquiries, requests and messages. Create new client files, update and monitor existing files, keep computer records up‑dated.
• With the help of senior members of the reception team, organise veterinary appointments and liaise with the vets to ensure the day runs as efficiently as possible.
• Be aware of worming and vaccination policies. Accurately assess client needs and offer appropriate services or products, liaising with the vets and nurses as required. Pass on queries to other members of staff when they fall beyond the limits of your knowledge.
• Support stock control within the practice to ensure that products are used in a timely and efficient manner.
• Take payments at time of sale to prevent debt from being generated, having the ability to call clients after their visit if they have not paid or monies are outstanding which will include issuing statements and reminders to clients according to set protocols.
• Perform general clerical duties including ordering stationery, photocopying and sending faxes, dealing with the mail and reminders as required.
• In the absence of your practice's nominated insurance administrator, you may be required to process claims. Full training and support will be given in order to process insurance claims according to set procedures.
• Complete all daily and weekly financial tasks and records which includes cashing up and banking procedures.
• Provide care to our patients under the instruction of a Registered Veterinary Nurse or Veterinary Surgeon. With the appropriate training tasks may include:

Veterinary Care Assistance

• General Care
• Feeding
• Exercising
• Restraining patients
• Medicating patients topically / orally / and via the subcutaneous route
• Completing hospital sheets and writing up notes
• Ensure high levels of cleanliness and hygiene in all areas of the practice, at all times
• Assist Veterinary Nurses and Veterinary Surgeons
• Operate computer systems as directed, to access patient records, update records, generate invoices and day‑to‑day procedures
• Observe and monitor in‑patients
• Supply products according to training and authorisation by a suitably qualified person (SQP)
• Assist the veterinary nurses and veterinary surgeons with administrative duties such as replacing theatre and prep stock as requested
• Preparation of theatre kits including cleaning and packaging, autoclaving drapes and swabs

Dependent upon suitability and academic qualifications held, animal care assistants may be required to undertake the veterinary care assistance qualification (VCA).

To undertake such duties as may, from time to time, be reasonably requested within the flexible definition of this post or as requested by the management team.

Qualifications

• Educated to GCSE level to include Maths and English X to a C or above grade
• Previous animal handling experience X
• Previous experience in a customer service role X
• Computer literate and prior experience of working with Microsoft Office Packages, Outlook and Internet X
• Prior experience of working in a veterinary practice X

Skills and Knowledge

• Confident communicator, both on the telephone and face to face
• Flexible team player X
• Driving licence and own vehicle insured for business X

As the Willows group has many branches it might be necessary for you to support other practices and be considerate of their needs as well as the needs of your own branch. Occasionally due to unforeseen circumstances, staff may need to be seconded to facilitate cover at other surgeries, and your co‑operation in supporting the logistics of this may be required.

Working Hours

This is a full‑time role working 37.5 hours per week Monday to Friday on a rota between 8am‑7:30 pm Monday and Tuesday and 8am to 7pm Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. Saturdays 8:30am - 12:30pm with TOIL the following week.

Benefits

Holiday entitlement is 30 days per year (including Bank Holidays) with the opportunity to buy up to an extra 10 days or sell 2 days per year. Benefits also include a workplace pension scheme, uniform, enhanced family friendly benefits, colleague pet discounts and life insurance at 1 x annual salary. We also offer Healthshield benefits which cover the everyday health needs of our teams by providing cashback for dental, optical and physiotherapy costs, alongside offering wellness services such as a Virtual GP Surgery and Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). We also offer the opportunity to take a paid day to volunteer elsewhere for a charity once a year. A CPD allowance is in place based on 1 day and £250 per year for full‑time staff.