If you are a current Linnaeus Associate, you will need to apply internally. In order to do this, please contact our Talent Acquisition team (details can be found via The Link) and someone will be in touch to discuss and progress your application.
Your role and responsibilities
The Lead Nurse role is key to the business's ability to provide a high level of clinical standards.
The Lead Nurse will ensure that patients are managed as effectively as possible from a nursing perspective to support the profitability and further growth of the practice. Working enthusiastically with your team you will help maintain a happy, efficient working environment whilst providing outstanding patient and client care.
Main purpose and goals
Maintain an overview of the nursing team and the provision of patient care across the team that you lead
- Managing your area of responsibility by working with other lead nurses and the Nursing Manager in order to achieve this
- Demonstrating an excellent work protocol in all nursing duties, including a high level of hygiene and the ability to recognise and undertake relevant actions with regard to infection control
- Approximately 95% of the role will be clinical duties, allowing 5% for the administration that may come with that role, including a full share of the on-call rota
- Ensure that you and those working in your area of responsibility provide a high and sustainable quality of nursing care
- Provide leadership to those working in your area of responsibility and others across the business
- Ensure effective communication within your area of responsibility, other lead nurses and the Nursing Manager
- Ensure that all patients in your team area are dealt with in a timely manner and that unnecessary delays are prevented at all times
- Ensure that in your area of responsibility, the team are implementing accurate patient record keeping and that all patient care instructions are followed by the nursing team
- Ensure all members in your area of responsibility team are aware of their roles and are clear on the objectives they are working towards
- Work with the Regional Nursing Manager where required to help develop a skills matrix for nursing requirements within your area of responsibility your area of responsibility
- Work with the Nursing Manager to help support the identification, prioritisation and implementation of learning, development and CPD for nurses in your team where required
- Work with the Nursing Manager to ensure all new nurses entering the business are supported to complete their induction
- Provide effective line management of those in your team including regular feedback to the Clinical Nursing Manager, who can ensure mentoring, coaching and development discussions where needed
- Carry out Nurse appraisals if and when required by the Regional support or Nursing Manager for those who work as part of your team
- Participate in external CPD appropriate to your role plus any training in-house, ensuring post-training feedback forms are completed/cascade of relevant information to appropriate team members
- Implement the Practice Standards Scheme across the practice
- Implement the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM) standards across the practice
- Use Vetsafe reporting to target training where nursing care can be improved
- Ensuring all equipment across the practice is appropriately maintained and serviced
- Liaise with Linnaeus central office as necessary, attend Linnaeus nurse meetings and devolve any developments to the nursing team and Senior Leadership Team (SLT)
- Report and summarise critical incidents as part of Practice Clinical Governance Policy
- Be fully aware of all Health and Safety issues and read all information supplied.
Key Responsibilities
- Work with the Head Veterinary Surgeon, Regional or Nurse Manager and the senior management team to enhance patient and client care
- Support and introduce clinical standards set by The Senior Leadership team, ensuring patient records are completed fully
- Work with the Head Veterinary Surgeon and senior management team to organise the patient flow and diary management. Ensuring the most effective and efficient approach to the workload. Identifying and improving the efficiency of the patient journey from admission through to discharge
- Demonstrate and model expected professional behaviours. Demonstrating an awareness of the professional responsibilities of other team members. Liaise with the Regional Nurse and Regional Support Manager for your individual professional development and that of your team
- Provide guidance, supervision and support as appropriate to Student Veterinary Nurses and/or Patient Care Assistants. Undertake relevant training and liaise with internal and external agencies as necessary
- Liaising with the Head Vet and Regional Support Manager to oversee the financial aspects of the practice to include (where required) daily and weekly banking, management of debts and/or insurance claims as appropriate
- Liaising with the Head Vet and Regional Support Manager, overseeing equipment and stock management. Including routine maintenance, placing any and all orders, liaising with others to reorder items in a timely manner
- Perform regular audits (including review of stock, equipment and Vetsafe reporting (where appropriate). Share the results with the practice team and senior management to make changes where appropriate.
Benefits
- 5 weeks holiday plus bank holidays and Birthday Leave
- RCVS and VDS fees paid
- External CPD funded
- Extensive free online Linnaeus CPD program
- Career progression opportunities
- Staff discount schemes
- Life Assurance
- Enhanced sickness pay
- Enhanced equal family leave
- E-car salary sacrifice scheme
- Employer contribution pension scheme
- Wellness program including:
- Employee assistance program
- Eyecare voucher scheme
- Free annual Flu jab
- Cycle to work scheme
- Recruitment referral reward scheme
About us
'To be recognized as an exceptional and trusted provider of primary veterinary care to our patients and clients within the communities that we serve. Every patient, every client, every visit.
Village Vet is a progressive, forward-thinking, premium veterinary group with small and medium-sized primary care practices, four large 24-hour hospitals, and a referral centre. Village Vet is based in London, Hertfordshire, and Cambridge. We believe in supporting and investing in our staff, our facilities and ensuring that our clients and their pets receive only the best, modern first opinion or specialist care. Our staff are motivated and encouraged to gain additional certifications across all levels of employment and we offer career progression within our group. We have a strong, recognisable brand and are looking for people who share our vision and culture. We have over 400 staff members across our 32 sites and are very proud of our achievements and our reputation in the veterinary profession.
At Linnaeus, we are committed to supporting all our associates' physical and mental health. We have an amazing team of Mental Health First Aiders (MHFA) across our practices and central support office in addition to a confidential Employee Assistance Programme that is available for everyone.
If you would like to apply for this position or discuss in more detail please contact purvi.kataria@linnaeusgroup.co.uk
Part of an amazing global family Being part of this amazing global group gives us the benefit of a huge network of experts and specialists, a future we can invest in and the security that allows us to concentrate on what we do best – caring for pets. We are proud to count some of the finest specialists, veterinary surgeons and nurses in the UK among our team. Being part of the Mars family of businesses provides huge development opportunities across the group for our Associates. The future of the veterinary world is at the heart of everything we do. We are all individual but two important things bring us together: a commitment to excellence and our passion to make A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS. Linnaeus is owned by Mars, that makes us part of their 70,000 Veterinary Health Associates who spend their days thinking about the 400 million pets of the world and how to improve their lives. Being part of this amazing global group gives us the benefit of a huge network of experts and specialists, a future we can invest in and the security that allows us to concentrate on what we do best – caring for pets. Our Associates are fundamental to our success, and we are proud to count some of the finest specialists, veterinary surgeons and nurses in the UK among our team. Being part of the Mars family of businesses provides huge development opportunities across the group for our Associates. Linnaeus is an equal-opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment, we are committed to fostering a culture that is inclusive and diverse for all our associates. If you would like to apply for this role, please click the Apply Button or for more information, please feel free to reach out directly to our Talent Acquisition team at careers@linnaeusgroup.co.uk