CHINE HOUSE VETERINARY HOSPITAL
JOB DESCRIPTION
Veterinary Assistant
The Veterinary Assistant will report to the Partners.
1. A person employed by this practice as a veterinary assistant shall maintain
membership of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and the Veterinary
Defence Society. He/she should be familiar with legislation affecting the practice of
veterinary medicine in the UK and with the ethics of practice as outlined in the RCVS
Guide to Professional Conduct.
2. The veterinary assistant must be available to provide 24 hour cover, within the
practice rota, for the relief of pain and suffering in animals.
3. The veterinary assistant is expected to assume responsibility for surgical and
medical cases. All cases must be written up in full (including batch numbers) on
hospital sheets or in diaries as work is performed. Clinical summaries should be
entered on the computer records on a daily basis by ambulatory veterinary
assistants. Hospital billing sheets should be entered onto the computer on a daily
basis. The task may be delegated to a member of the support staff if they have
available time, but the veterinary assistant must ensure that the duty is completed.
4. All in-patients must be examined and assessed by the hospital veterinary
assistants on at least a daily basis and then as dictated by the clinical case. The
hospital veterinary assistants must inform nurses of any changes in medication or
change in the clinical condition of the in-patients. The hospital veterinary assistants
must handover cases to the duty veterinary assistant when they go off duty.
Ambulatory veterinary assistants should keep colleagues informed of ongoing cases
when they go off duty.
5. The veterinary assistant must take client telephone calls and be available to
provide advice where appropriate. Veterinary assistants must inform clients of the
results of tests or surgery as soon as it is feasibly possible. They should keep clients
regularly updated of their animals’ condition and advise when further tests or actions
are indicated, and of any escalation in costs.
6. The veterinary assistant is expected to make visits to clients’ premises as close to
the arranged time as possible. The client should be made aware by telephone if a
veterinary assistant is going to be more than half an hour late. The veterinary
assistant should take due regard to their own safety before attending. If there is any
concern for personal safety, a partner or the practice manager must be contacted to
arrange appropriate protection.
7. Supervision of the support staff is essential on a daily basis and full assistance
should be given to them when required. The veterinary assistant shall assist in the
training and education of the nursing staff and should encourage them to contribute
fully to the work of the practice.
8. Veterinary students and work experience students frequently spend time at the
practice or with individual veterinary surgeons. Students should be made welcome.
Veterinary Assistants should ensure that their time at the practice forms a
constructive part of their education. Students must be made aware of the practice
health and safety policy.
9. The veterinary assistant is responsible for the appropriate pricing of all clinical
cases and has a duty to inform the client of such costs as stated in the RCVS Guide
to Professional Conduct. Work should be billed on the computer on a daily basis as
per the practice price list, with or without the help of support staff. The veterinary
assistant should attempt to minimise waste and should not expose the client to
unnecessary expenditure.
10. The veterinary assistant is fully responsible for the safety of clients and staff of
the practice when animals are being treated or handled. He/she must ensure that
animals are appropriately restrained and use chemical restraint where necessary.
11. The veterinary assistant must ensure the security of the practice premises,
drugs, equipment and his/her car at all times. Cars should be regularly cleaned and
serviced. Any safety concerns in regard to vehicles should be reported immediately
to the practice manager. Drugs and equipment should be stored in an orderly,
appropriate and professional manner. Equipment and protective clothing should
always be cleaned immediately after use and between clinical cases. Surgical
instruments should be sterilised between clinical cases. Regular car stock checks
should be performed.
12. The veterinary assistant shall behave at all times and maintain a personal
appearance that serves to instill confidence in the profession in the minds of clients
and the public.
13. The veterinary assistant should complete at least five days CPD per year.
14. The veterinary assistant should familiarise himself or herself with the practice
staff handbook, the practice Health and Safety policy, the practice COSHH
guidelines and the local rules and written system of work for radiography.
July 2010