Saturday Veterinary Care Assistant

VC Evidensia UK; Ipswich; Hybrid; GBP 27,000 - 31,000; Part time

Job summary

The Barn Vets in Ipswich, East of England is seeking a part-time Veterinary Care Assistant to join our close-knit team. You’ll support the clinical team with patient handling, care and a smooth-running practice.

Working Saturdays 8.30 - 12.30 (4 hours per week) you’ll assist the Veterinary Surgeon or Registered Veterinary Nurse and may help on reception. Experience with animals is advantageous, and a genuine care for animal welfare is essential.

Qualifications

• Experience with animals in clinical or non-clinical settings is advantageous.
• Good communication skills are essential for team and client interaction.
• Willingness to learn and develop within a veterinary environment.

Responsibilities

• Assist Veterinary Surgeon with Saturday morning consultations, animal handling, lab work and cleaning.
• Support reception duties: customer care, taking payments, answering calls, and booking appointments.

Skills

Team player

Reliable

Communication skills

Organisational skills

Proactive learner

Animal welfare

Job description

The Barn Vets - Ashcroft Road, Ipswich, East of England

At inspiring vet care, our people are at the heart of everything we do. As the UK’s number one vet care provider, we're trusted with the care of over 2 million animals, delivering our purpose of healthier animals and happier owners.

We are seeking an enthusiastic, team-orientated Veterinary Care Assistant to join our team at The Barn Vets on a part-time permanent basis.

The Barn Veterinary Practice is a long-established practice and many of our team have worked for us for 10+ years, some 20+ years! We are a small team and work well together.

How You’ll Make a Difference

As a Veterinary Care Assistant, you will play an important role in supporting the clinical team to deliver high standards of patient and client care, while helping to ensure the practice environment runs smoothly and safely.

Working under the direction of a Veterinary Surgeon or Registered Veterinary Nurse, you'll support inpatient care, assist with patient handling and restraint, help maintain clinical areas and equipment, and contribute to a positive and compassionate experience for both patients and clients.

Working Pattern

The hours are 8.30 - 12.30 (4 hours) per week (Saturdays)

Key Responsibilities

The role is primarily to assist the Veterinary Surgeon with Saturday morning consultations, duties which includes animal handling, Laboratory work, and some cleaning. The successful candidate will also be expected to assist on reception, to include customer care tasks such as taking payments and answering the telephone, booking appointments as required.

You Might Be a Great Fit If...

You are a reliable and motivated individual who enjoys working as part of a team and is keen to develop within a veterinary environment. You’ll bring:

• A caring, professional approach with a genuine interest in animal welfare
• Good communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and clients
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage tasks effectively in a busy environment
• A proactive attitude to learning, with openness to feedback and development
• Experience of working with animals in either a clinical or non-clinical setting would be advantageous

How We’ll Support You

At inspiring vet care, we’re committed to supporting your ongoing development and wellbeing. When you join us, you’ll benefit from:

• Structured development opportunities, including access to VCA development programmes and apprenticeships
• Clear career pathways with progression opportunities into Student Veterinary Nurse roles and beyond
• Supportive, collaborative teams focused on delivering high-quality patient and client care
• A values-led culture focused on care, community and continuous improvement

What We Offer Our Team

• 6.6 weeks' annual leave plus your birthday off FTE
• Increasing holiday allowance based on length of service
• Enhanced family-friendly policies, including maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental and surrogacy pay
• Employee wellbeing initiatives including Healthcare Cash Plan and Cycle to Work salary sacrifice schemes, subject to eligibility criteria
• Learning and development opportunities via the inspiring vet care Academy
• Discounted veterinary care
• Voluntary benefits including Green Cars salary sacrifice scheme and access to discounts and cashback with hundreds of participating retailers

We’re committed to supporting our people through career development opportunities, wellbeing initiatives and access to world-class learning resources.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take the next step in your career, inspiring vet care offers the support, opportunity and community to help you grow.

The Barn Vets - Ashcroft Road