We are a leading veterinary group that aims to provide the best clinical care as well as providing a great place to work and have a career.
We want to retain the very best people to enable us to deliver the best possible care to animals.
Our veterinary professionals are given the freedom to make the best clinical decisions for their patients, whilst sharing best practice across our company. They are supported by experienced professionals and client facing and support colleagues.
We are clinically focussed, foster a collaborative and supportive working environment and assist all colleagues in achieving their career aspirations.
Established in 1999, CVS is a veterinary services provider with practices in the UK and Australia.
We provide high-quality joined-up care - from small animal, equine and farm general practices, to specialist-led multi-disciplinary referrals hospitals, all supported by dedicated out-of-hours clinics.
We also provide a wide range of high-quality support services to our clients, their pets and the wider veterinary profession. We operate Laboratories (providing diagnostic services), Crematoria (providing pet cremation and clinical waste disposal), Buying Groups (VetDirect), an Online Retail Business (Animed Direct), Pet Insurance (MiPet), a preventative healthcare plan (Healthy Pet Club), and provide Veterinary Medicines (MiPet brand).
Our Purpose is to give the best possible care to animals.
Our Vision is that we want to be the veterinary company people most want to work for.
Values team members, invites diverse perspectives, welcomes challenge, and creates an environment where people recognise that their individual opinions and contributions improve the clinical outcome and wellbeing of patients, owners and colleagues.
Fairness, openness and learning by helping people feel confident to speak up when things go wrong, rather than fearing
The problem-solving approach that recognises that processes are often a web of complex and connected systems. It explores the way that these constituent parts function and influence each other over time and within the context of larger systems.
We have 500 practices in urban and rural areas, in the UK and further afield in Australia.
Once you join us, we will be able to satisfy your career, location, development and professional aspirations - from SVN, RVN, General Practitioner, Advanced Practitioner, Certificate Holder and Specialist to a wide range of non-clinical and management roles - without you ever having to leave us.
For a comprehensive practice list look here. We are also acquiring existing practices and building brand-new sites all year round.
Our Central Support Office is in Diss, Norfolk.
We recommend and provide the best clinical care every time.
We are clinically led and our new Clinical Governance Framework cultivates an environment in which high standards of care can thrive and cultivates a culture of continuous improvement.
Our six Clinical Advisory Committees, with over 150 clinical colleagues from across the group, make all key clinical decisions on medications, protocols and procedures.
Our Regional Clinical Leads support practices in achieving the highest clinical standards and help implement quality improvements. They teach advanced diagnostics and techniques, and mentor vets.
Our Advanced Clinical Services Network of 300 advanced peripatetic practitioners (vets & nurses) support colleagues in first opinion practices. They make advanced treatments available that would not otherwise be supported.
Our vet-to-vet telemedicine service Vet Oracle ™ offers specialist interpretation of results and practical virtual assistance to vets. It has five specialisms: cardiology, dermatology, medicine, neurology, oncology, radiology.
We offer financial investment in individuals enrolling in a CertAVP or PgCert postgraduate qualifications. We cover course tuition, up to 3 exam fees and RCVS library fees, plus 2-weeks study leave.
Our Clinical Research Awards are unique in the industry. They support clinical veterinary research and research supporting the veterinary profession.
We offer the best learning, education and development.
Our people are at the heart of everything we do. We have industry leading LED, multiple sites for on-the-job training, and a network of experienced colleagues offering support.
An in-house team develop our LED, with 60% of courses delivered internally.
Clinical development is core. We offer leading CPD and have a culture of recommending the best treatment.
Our network of regional clinical leads support first opinion practices by teaching advanced diagnostics and techniques.
CVS’ nurse further education college is one of the UK’s top nursing schools with above national first time pass rates.
Our free Knowledge Hub platform offers over 260 courses and 235 webinars covering a wide range of clinical and non-clinical training.
BSAVA’s full library of veterinary resources is offered free to our colleagues.
Our graduate programme supports the first 2 years in practice via training camps, programme advisers and pastoral support vets.
Our student nurse induction programme uses our own e-learning platform MiNurse Academy with nurses allocated a clinical supervisor.
We support universities by hosting extra mural training at our practices and we lecture at universities.
We run an award winning apprenticeship programme in which we have invested £millions to date.
Accredited leadership and management development programmes are also offered to all colleagues.
There are a vast range of opportunities within CVS Group.
Our diverse practices, hospitals, Advanced Clinical Service Network and VetOracle has a wide variety of roles, including general practitioners, advanced practitioners, certificate holders, specialists, and pathologists. The breadth of our group sets us apart.
Some colleagues develop their career with us in specialist roles and our people can explore careers in various specialisms, procurement, marketing, operations management, acquisitions, as well as veterinary medicine. We promote from within - and encourage secondment and permanent opportunities across our group.
Regular check-ins are held with all colleagues to discuss career aspirations, progression and to set career pathways.
We support diverse career development, helping vets and nurses to change direction and move laterally and vertically. Career pathways are developed for every colleague to prepare them for future roles and progression.
For our vets:
There is the ability to move from general practitioner, advanced practitioner, and certificate holder, to internship or specialist.
There is also the ability to move into management roles.
For our nurses:
We promote skills development and enable them to work to their maximum legal capacity.
A “nursing career pathway” offers progression across first opinion, referral and equine practices.
There is also the ability to move into management roles.
Different things are important to different people at different times in their professional lives. It could be salary, holidays or buying a new car. We offer flexibility to colleagues in their benefits packages. Depending on the role, CVS can offer:
We prioritise the wellbeing of our people.
Every decision takes our people into consideration. We offer enhanced benefits and policies to support our colleagues’ wellbeing and progress.
5 days paid leave for fertility investigations
1 week extra compassionate leave for pregnancy loss
Lead with this item as opposed to fertility
8 weeks pay to support with exceptional life events
Health cash plans (4 levels) and you can choose which is best for you
We have a wide support network so a practitioner is never alone when dealing with a case.
Our Clinical Hub Network supports each practice, our Advanced Clinical Service Network helps increase clinical knowledge, and our vet-to-vet telemedicine service Vet Oracle offers specialist interpretation and practical assistance.
Our network of Pastoral Support Vets, mentors and Wellbeing Champions help colleagues look after their mental health and career.
An Employee Assistance Programme and confidential helpline
Discounted Critical Illness cover, Life and Private Medical Insurances
We support colleagues wellbeing with regular check-ins.
We have 280 Wellbeing Champions and 374 managers trained to support the wellbeing of their team.
A colleague Wellbeing Calendar features topics such as resilience, exercise, sleep and stress.
Our CVS Refresh reward scheme gives teams a weekly allowance to spend on treats or classes.
We provide great facilities and equipment.
In the UK our practices meet the rigorous Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons voluntary Practice Standards Scheme standards.
We are investing in our practice facilities, clinical equipment and technology to improve standards of clinical care and our colleague and client experience.
In the UK, this includes rolling out a new CVS minimum practice facility standard, created by our vets, nurses, practice managers, receptionists and patient care assistants. It includes:
• Well laid out clinical spaces; multiple consultation rooms, spacious operating theatres, central preparation areas, specialist dental suites, in-house labs and digital x-ray.
• Modern office spaces, kitchen facilities, rest areas, staff showers and lockers.
• Large welcoming receptions with separate cat and dog waiting areas, along with easy access to consultation rooms for clients.
We have built new small animal first opinion practices in areas underserved by vets, along with a new £13.5m Bristol Veterinary Services specialist hospital
This enables our vets to do the work they want to do, allows our vets to offer an increased range of services, and creates a nice place to work.
Hear Ben Jacklin, our Deputy CEO talk about our practice investment
Our sustainability programme has six programmes which will impact on what we care about most.
• Reducing Energy & Carbon
• Reducing Waste
• Focusing on One Health
• Our People Development
• Promoting Wellbeing
• And fostering Equity Diversity and Inclusion
A “just culture”
Our continuous clinical improvement also relies on cultivating a “just culture” where learning is continuous, diverse perspectives are invited, challenges are welcomed and people feel psychologically safe to speak up.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Our vision is to be the veterinary company people most want to work for – regardless of who they are, how they identify, or their background.
Our colleagues tell us that feeling included and being able to be themselves is vital to feeling engaged.
So we want to foster an inclusive and equitable workplace environment where everyone feels welcome and nurtured.
