At inspiring vet care, our people are at the heart of everything we do. As the UK’s number one vet care provider, we're trusted with the care of over 2 million animals, delivering our purpose of healthier animals and happier owners.
We are seeking an enthusiastic, team-orientated Veterinary Care Assistant to join our team at Summerhill Vets on a part-time basis.
Summerhill Veterinary Centre is a small animal, single site, well equipped practice and has been based in Fakenham, Norfolk since 1993. We recently relocated to a purpose-built site in April 2026, to allow further expansion of our services and facilities.
We are an RCVS accredited first-opinion practice, which also takes local referrals in multiple disciplines. We are a training practice for veterinary nurses. We aim to provide a high quality, professional, friendly service, and all work together as a team, and with our clients, to provide the best care for their pets.
All members of our team are equally important to this process, and we are keen to ensure all staff reach their potential and find their own niche within the practice, thus external referrals are rare. Quality of life and the wellbeing of our employees is of paramount importance to enable us to deliver the best service possible.
We have a low staff turnover, and are a stable, experienced team in all departments. We are a rural practice in a market town in a close-knit community, close to the North Norfolk beaches, pinewoods, the Norfolk Broads and equidistant between Norwich and Kings Lynn.
As a Veterinary Care Assistant, you will play an important role in supporting the clinical team to deliver high standards of patient and client care, while helping to ensure the practice environment runs smoothly and safely.
Working under the direction of a Veterinary Surgeon or Registered Veterinary Nurse, you'll support inpatient care, assist with patient handling and restraint, help maintain clinical areas and equipment, and contribute to a positive and compassionate experience for both patients and clients.
Working Pattern
- Normal working days are Monday to Friday
- Shifts vary between 08:00 and 20:00, with flexibility where possible
- Participation in the on-call rota once trained
- On-call duty times are between 17:30 and 08:00 Monday to Friday
- Weekend on-call duties are from 08:30 Saturday to 08:00 Monday
- Weekend duties are either a Saturday or Sunday
- No routine consultations during on-call periods
Key Responsibilities
We are looking for a VCA who would like the opportunity to train in-house to assist the nursing team and then enrol to become a Student Veterinary Nurse.
- Supporting inpatient and day patient care
- Assisting with theatre nursing and supporting vets and nurses during procedures
- Developing skills in anaesthesia monitoring, pre-operative planning, patient admissions and discharges, and post-operative monitoring
- Supporting daily nurse-led clinics including chronic care packages, blood pressure monitoring, vaccinations, puppy, adult and senior health assessments
- Working across a variety of nursing functions including operations support, hospital nursing, nurse clinics and veterinary consult support
- Progressing towards Student Veterinary Nurse training and eventual RVN qualification
We are looking for a VCA who would like to become a Veterinary Nurse and join our newly relocated practice from July 2026.
You will be able to work within our skilled, experienced and supportive team and, in time, be comfortable working with a vet on call and participating in the on-call rota, benefiting from a well-rounded experience of the role.
We would like the successful candidate to progress within the practice and will support them to follow their professional aspirations, find their niche, and build a rewarding long-term career while helping the team continue to grow together.
At inspiring vet care, we’re committed to supporting your ongoing development and wellbeing. When you join us, you’ll benefit from:
- Structured development opportunities, including access to VCA development programmes and apprenticeships
- Clear career pathways with progression opportunities into Student Veterinary Nurse roles and beyond
- Supportive, collaborative teams focused on delivering high-quality patient and client care
- A values-led culture focused on care, community and continuous improvement
- 6.6 weeks' annual leave FTE
- Increasing holiday allowance based on length of service
- Enhanced family-friendly policies, including maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental and surrogacy pay
- Employee wellbeing initiatives including Healthcare Cash Plan and Cycle to Work scheme
- Learning and development opportunities via the inspiring vet care Academy
- Discounted veterinary care
- Voluntary benefits including Green Cars salary sacrifice scheme and access to discounts and cashback with hundreds of participating retailers
We’re committed to supporting our people through career development opportunities, wellbeing initiatives and access to world-class learning resources.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take the next step in your career, inspiring vet care offers the support, opportunity and community to help you grow.
Up to £18,505.76 per annum
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
