Interested in this role?
About the role
Do you want to work within our surgical team as a surgical rotating assistant?
Rotating between the canine surgical ward areas and theatre is a great opportunity to learn about management of surgical patients. Get involved in all stages of the patient’s journey and expand your knowledge in surgical procedures and nursing care.
Work in our state-of-the-art theatres, working alongside renowned specialists in Orthopaedics, Soft Tissue, Anaesthesia, Cardiology and Neurology. The Theatre assistants work alongside our surgeons, anaesthetists, and nurses to support the flow of patients throughout theatres. They are involved with assisting in our induction pods, clipping, and prepping patients, circulating with surgical cases, preparing, and closing theatres and processing surgical instrumentation and equipment.
The successful candidate will also work within our canine surgical wards with our surgical teams. The surgery ward team help with pre-operative diagnostic tests, preparing patients for surgical procedures, post-operative management to include medication, physiotherapy, and general nursing care. The animal care assistants play a fundamental role in assisting with inpatient care, stocking, cleaning, and infection control.
The ideal candidate will ensure a high standard of cleanliness, have responsibility for duties, to include infection control, have a desire to learn and work under pressure in a positive way.
Previous experience in a veterinary environment is desirable but not essential.
Flexibility will be necessary as the post will require participation in the OOH rota.
The role will be full time, working 39.38hr/wk, working Monday-Sunday, to include 1:4 weekends.
Benefits and wellbeing
Our people are at the heart of what we do and as your employer we want to ensure we offer flexibility, support and staff development, where possible, through:
Time off
- 5 weeks holiday per year (plus bank holidays)
- Additional holiday entitlement for Long Service
Wellbeing
- On site Mental Wellbeing Champions
- EDI committee
- Employee Forum – to ensure all employees voices can be heard
- Menopause Café
- Wellbeing talks and events
- Cycle to work scheme
- Family friendly policies, including enhanced maternity and paternity pay (after 2 years’ service)
Health
- SimplyHealth Cashplan membership
- Free annual flu vaccination
- Free Specsavers eye test voucher
General
- Free onsite parking
- U2 bus service link to Bristol
- Annual CPD allowance
- Employee discount
- Generous pension scheme – we match up to 8% pension contributions
- Reimbursement of one professional membership fee per year
How to apply
If this role sounds like the right fit for you, don’t delay, click ‘Apply’ and begin your career with Langford Vets.
- Closing date for this role is: 7th July 2025
- Interviews are expected to take place on: 10th July 2025
Job Description
Responsibilities
Job purpose
Job Purpose:
To assist the veterinary and support staff of the Small Animal Hospital, Surgery Building, in maintaining a high standard of cleanliness and hygiene throughout all clinical areas. To assist clinicians and nursing staff with the provision of in-patient care, throughout all stages of the patient’s treatment. To assist with the setting up and maintenance of rooms and equipment for Theatre and anaesthesia. There is also a requirement for a flexible working pattern and participation in the weekend rota.
Principal Accountabilities:
- Assist veterinary surgeons and nurses with clinical procedures and patient handling and restraint
- Maintain a high level of asepsis throughout the hospital including wards, theatres, and prep rooms and to ensure all areas are adequately stocked with supplies and consumables.
- Assist the veterinary nurses with inpatient care including feeding, walking, and cleaning of hospitalised animals.
- Assist the veterinary nurses and clinicians within patient procedures such as bandage changes, x-rays, physiotherapy, blood sampling and catheter placement.
- Assist the anaesthesia team with setting up of equipment and restraint of patients for pre-medication and induction of anaesthesia.
- Assist with the maintenance of anaesthesia equipment, to include changing medical gas cylinders, filling vaporisers, cleaning equipment and stocking up.
- Assist with the preparation of patients for surgery, to include clipping and skin preparation.
- Assist with the setting up of theatres for surgery, to include damp-dusting theatres, setting up kits, cleaning theatres between surgeries, cleaning and packing instruments.
- Assist as a circulating member of the surgical team within theatres, to include opening of surgical kit, suture material, fetching of anaesthesia equipment, recording of consumables used.
- Set up surgical kits as per requests and checklists
- Carry out daily/weekly and monthly duties as per checklists, including end of day shut down checklists
- Maintaining accurate patient records with regards to all clinical notes, treatment, diagnoses, client communication and client /patient information
- Cleaning of staff changing rooms and toilets in absence of cleaners
- Maintaining a good working relationship with all team members
- Communicating in an effective and pleasant manner with clients and colleagues
- Proactively identify and act upon opportunities for business improvement. Openly identify and discuss problems in order to implement and sustain improvements that increase the value we deliver to our, clients, employees, and students.
- Carry out all other reasonable duties as requested by the Head Surgical Nurse
Person Specification
Person Specification
The skills, abilities, experience and knowledge outlined below provide a summary of what is required to carry out this job effectively.
Essential |
Desirable |
Confidence and experience in effective handling and restraint of animals |
Practical experience working in a veterinary or animal-based environment |
Basic understanding of English language and mathematics |
Animal Nursing Assistant qualification or certificate in Animal Care |
Communicating effectively with clients |
Interest in advancing own qualifications |
Ability to work within a team |
|
Ability to act independently |
|
Flexible approach to work |
|
Eligibility to work in the UK |