An established, first-opinion small animal practice in the Southeast is seeking an experienced Veterinary Surgeon to join their stable, supportive team. This is a replacement role within a well-run practice with low staff turnover, strong clinical standards and a genuine focus on work–life balance. The team is not rushed to hire and is happy to wait for the right person.

Salary - £60,000 - £70,000

The exact salary within this banding will be awarded commensurate on experience.

Location

Interested in this role You can find all the relevant information in the description below.
Salfords, Surrey

Established first-opinion small animal practice, opened in 2018 and extended in 2021. The practice is operating at capacity with a loyal, established client base and high standards of care.

The Role

• 4-day working week
• 10-hour days with a paid 30-minute lunch
• Vets finish at 6:30pm; phones off after 6pm
• Opportunity to leave early if work is completed
• Part-time considered alongside another hire

Weekend rota:

• 1 in 3 Saturdays (8am–4pm)
• TOIL for each Saturday worked
• Potential to move to 1 in 6 Saturdays if an additional part-time vet joins

Working pattern:

• Mix of consulting and operating
• 15-minute consults as standard
• Longer consults for complex cases, new clients and euthanasia
• Blocked end-of-day admin time
• Same-day appointments always held back

Out-of-hours:

• Currently supported via a sister hospital
• Long-term plan to move to fully in-house 24/7 care at group level

Candidate Requirements

• Experienced, self-sufficient GP veterinary surgeon
• Confident managing their own caseload
• Comfortable with routine soft tissue surgery and dentals
• Able to “hit the ground running” without placing pressure on the team
• Happy to support and potentially train new graduates in the future
• Openness to mentoring or GDP Adviser responsibilities is advantageous but not essential

Special interests such as dermatology, surgery, behaviour or cardiology are welcomed, the role can be shaped accordingly.

Practice Overview

• First-opinion small animal practice
• Stable team with low staff turnover
• Strong leadership with an organised, structured and supportive management style
• Excellent nurse, reception and PCA support on site

Facilities include:

• Ultrasound
• Dental X-ray (separate prep room)
• Laser
• Diathermy
• Suction
• Video equipment
• Separate theatre and prep areas
• Access to endoscopy and advanced equipment at a sister branch

Across the wider group there are certificate holders and special interests in dermatology, behaviour, cardiology, orthopaedics and exotics.

Culture and Development

• Open-door, supportive culture
• Daily case discussion encouraged
• Strong mentoring environment
• Emphasis on finishing on time and maintaining balance
• Collaborative team that covers for one another
• Christmas and summer social events

The practice prides itself on non-corporate values, flexibility, high clinical standards and long-term stability.

Benefits

• Salary: £45,000 – £70,000 DOE
• 4-day working week
• 5 weeks holiday, increasing with service
• Option to buy an additional week of leave
• January / February annual leave incentive
• £1,500 CPD allowance plus paid CPD leave
• Certificate support available
• RCVS fees plus one additional membership paid
• Staff discounts on treatments, food and products
• Direct insurance claims supported

Next steps:

For further details on this exceptional role, please click the Apply Now button. If you can specify the best time to talk, please do; we will get in touch when it suits you best. You will then be contacted by one of our specialist consultants, who will provide you with further details about the role.

If you would like to talk ahead of sending us your CV, please give us a call on

Please note, any contact is in the strictest confidence and we will not send your details to any practice without your expressed consent to do so.

Is this role almost right for you, but not quite ticking all the boxes? If so, we have many other roles available and also offer a Bespoke Job Search Service where we work proactively to find you your perfect job.

We have been named as the Recruitment Firm of the year at the HealthInvestor Awards, Winners of the Professional Service Provider of the Year at the General Practice Awards, Winners of the Recruitment Award at the LaingBuisson Awards and named on the Recruiter Hot100 list, so in dealing with us you'll be in safe hands!

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Josh Deacon