Inside an Employee Owned Vet Practice
A main focus of Vetsure across the years has been to champion independent vets within the industry. Since Vetsure’s inception, we have worked with independent vets up and down the UK, from up in the Scottish Highlands, down to Penzance in Cornwall. We are always looking for way to celebrate the vets within our network for the continuous hard work they display as well as their dedication to innovative technologies and good business practice, with two now being employee owned establishments!
A glowing example of independent vet champions are Hitchin Veterinary Surgery and Pennard Vets. These two veterinary groups are employee-owned establishments, which means the practice itself and the staff benefit greatly from a number of factors that allow the practice to provide the best care possible for pets in the local community.
What does ‘employee owned’ mean?
Being employee-owned, the staff hold more power when to comes to the operations of the practice. Employees now have more influence on what their profit is spent on, whether it be a state-of-the-art veterinary machine or investing in new training so the staff can build further on their existing skills.
This allows the staff to strive forward with innovative technologies to treat more and more pets, as well as feeling empowered and accomplished to steer their practice in the right direction. Having a range of stakeholders, from veterinary surgeons and nurses to receptionists and managers allows for different voices to be heard and therefore, any issues to be addressed. Overall, creating a better working environment for employees and a better service for their clients.
And above all else, the clients know that their beloved pet is being treated by an individual who genuinely cares. The values of the practice have been set out by those looking after your pet. When a pet is unwell, it is one of the most stressful and worrying times, so you can be assured that the staff at both Pennard and Hitchin will do their best to help you in any way they can.
Hitchin Veterinary Surgery
As of 12th May 2023, Hitchin Veterinary Surgery were very happy to announce that they became an Employee-Owned Trust (EOT) practice. This allows them to give power back to the employees to ensure they remain an intimate and efficient team-focused business.
Since launching in 2016, they have proven to be an incredibly passionate and caring practice, where the pets they care for is at the heart of everything they do. It’s clear that this practice value their staff, and every member is celebrated for their hard work.
On their opening day, they were inundated with new clients and registrations ready for their opening, and since then, they have grown so much, receiving an outstanding 35 Practice of the Year nominations in one year.
Founder Stuart said “I have made this decision because I wanted to reward my very special team who have helped me build an amazing practice which I am enormously proud of. I wanted to make sure Hitchin Vets is not taken over by a corporate entity and become just another business, as I value my employees and the clients that make this practice so special.”
Pennard Vets
Holding the title of the largest employee-owned vet group in the world, with 125 years of service, Pennard Vets are proud to be a pioneer of the industry.
They are a small animal group with 5 practices across the Kent area. Being an employee-owned establishment, their employees are able to shape the future of the practice, such as their employee benefit scheme and how profits are reinvested into the company.
Another testament to their tireless work, in 2022, Pennard Vets became a classified B Corp establishment, which means they go above and beyond to “voluntarily meet higher standards of transparency, accountability, and performance.”
Join Our Network
Vetsure work with over 800 practices across the UK, and that number is growing every day. We know that many independent vets may feel isolated, and start-ups may feel that they need guidance. Vetsure for Vets represent a network of caring, passionate, and like-minded members for vet practices of all types. Being a part of our network means you can enjoy the benefits, from increased buying power for in-demand stock to Pet Health Plans, linking prevention with cure.
If you’re interested in learning more about what the Vetsure Network has to offer you and your practice, get in contact with us today.