Drove Vets, which operates six sites across Swindon, will now run its own emergency and critical care service from its veterinary hospital off Croft Road, just south of the town centre.
Veterinary surgeons Catherine Rowe, Anna Bateman and Maciej Ligus have joined the team, alongside registered veterinary nurses Emma Clayton, Linka Sendall and Amiee Simpkins. All six bring significant out of hours and emergency experience to the practice.
The appointments mark a major milestone for Drove Vets, which dates back to 1839 and now employs 117 staff.
For the past four years, the practice outsourced emergency cover to a corporate chain. However, it has now taken the service in-house, allowing greater control over operations and pricing.
Lynne Gaskarth, Drove Vets’ practice director and small animal director vet, said: “For the past four years we’ve outsourced our emergency services to a corporate veterinary chain, that would work in our veterinary hospital at night and at weekends. However, we had little control over how it was run, so we’re hugely excited to now offer a dedicated out of hours service with our own pricing structure and experienced team.
“We’re also now receiving enquiries from other veterinary practices in the surrounding area that want to be able to send their clients, that require emergency care, to a well-known, reputable and independent local business that they trust.”
Lynne added: “We’re also very fortunate to have been able to attract such an experienced and knowledgeable team to run the new service. Most of them already have a strong track record in providing out of hours and emergency services, and they were all extremely keen to join us, which speaks volumes about our reputation.”
Amiee Simpkins, one of the new recruits, said: “Drove Vets is a highly respected and well-known independent practice and when I heard about the plans to launch this new service, I immediately wanted to be part of it.
“Although I’ve worked in all areas of veterinary care, I’ve always really enjoyed the out of hours and critical care work because no two shifts are ever the same and it’s very fast paced at times.
“It’s also incredibly rewarding when you successfully treat a case that was completely unexpected and create a positive outcome for both the pet and its owner.
“I’m now looking forward to working alongside my new colleagues to make a genuine difference to local pets and their families, as well as ensuring this new service is a success.”
Drove Vets is a member of XLVets – a community of independently owned veterinary practices that work together to uphold high standards of animal care.
