4 Day Week | True In-House OOH | Hospital Status Imminent
Tired of choosing between great medicine and a great life?
If you love practising high-quality small animal medicine but are done with burnout culture, relentless weekends, or feeling like just another name on the rota, this might be the balance you have been looking for.
The Opportunity
We are working with a growing, forward-thinking small animal practice in Devon that has built its culture intentionally. Not around targets or ego, but around collaboration, clinical standards, and making sure people actually enjoy coming to work.
You would be joining a team of fourteen vets, nine full time equivalent, across four well-equipped sites. This is not a practice standing still. A CT scanner is currently being installed, and they are on the verge of achieving RCVS Hospital Status following a recent Practice Standards inspection.
They are not simply filling a gap. They are looking for a vet who values teamwork, communicates well with clients, and wants to contribute to a genuinely supportive environment. Someone who enjoys good GP work and takes pride in doing it properly.
Why This Role Is Different
A Clinical Setup That Matches Your Ambition
Across the sites you will find dedicated prep rooms, theatres, dental suites, kennels and cattery areas, digital radiography, ultrasound, full in-house laboratory facilities, endoscopy, and laparoscopic spay equipment. CT installation is in progress.
The team includes advanced practitioners and certificate holders in pain management and anaesthesia, medicine, exotics, ophthalmology, and behaviour. Certificates in cardiology, dentistry, dermatology, and surgery are currently underway. There is also access to a peripatetic surgeon and acupuncture services.
A Teaching Practice, Not a Production Line
They provide small animal rotations for Bristol University students and were ranked number one last year for teaching experience. That says something about the patience, cohesion, and clinical standards within the team.
In-House OOH That Is Genuinely Shared
Out of hours is equally shared and structured:
- 1 weekend in 8, with the following Monday off
- 1 in 8 Saturdays, centralised at the hospital branch
- Maximum 4 nights on call in 4 weeks, with 2 included in a worked weekend
- Full RVN and vet support for inpatient care
It is busy enough to keep your skills sharp, but organised enough to be sustainable.
Location That Reminds You Why You Work
Devon and Cornwall offer dramatic coastlines, open countryside, and space to breathe. You can finish a surgical day and be walking along a beach or coastal path that evening.
Your Journey Here
In Your First Month
You will focus on settling into the team, understanding how the four sites work together, and getting comfortable with their systems and equipment. You will be supported by experienced nurses, several of whom hold additional qualifications in areas such as anaesthesia and behaviour.
By Three Months
You will be confidently managing your caseload, contributing to case discussions, and starting to shape your clinical interests. If a certificate appeals, early conversations about support and funding will already be underway.
By Six Months
You will be a trusted part of the rota, contributing to clinical standards, potentially pursuing further qualifications, and helping the team continue its progression towards and beyond Hospital Status.
What’s On Offer
Work-Life Balance
- Up to £60,000, commensurate with experience
- 4 day working week, with flexibility for 3 day weeks
- 6.6 weeks holiday, including bank holidays
Professional Development
- 5 days CPD with £1,750 budget
- Certificate support actively encouraged
- Regular performance and career development reviews
- RCVS fees, VDS, BVA and one additional membership paid
Health and Security
- Health insurance
- Health Shield contributions, from dentistry to sports massage
- Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
- Company sick pay
This is a stable, established team with investment in facilities and people.
The Candor Vets Difference
At Candor, we do not push roles. We listen first. We take the time to understand what you want your work and life to look like, and only introduce opportunities that genuinely align.
Ready to Explore?
If this sounds like a role where you can practise excellent medicine and still enjoy your life outside of work, let’s have a confidential, no pressure conversation.
Job Reference VS054