OOH Veterinary Care Assistant

Handforth, North West England, United Kingdom Pets at Home OOH Veterinary Care Assistant

Vets for Pets Northampton Hospital | 24/7 Emergency & Critical Care

Looking for a rewarding role where no two nights are the same?

We have an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic, compassionate and motivated OOH Veterinary Care Assistant (VCA) to join our friendly and experienced team at Vets for Pets Northampton Hospital.

As a busy 24/7 veterinary hospital, we care for a wide variety of patients, from routine inpatients requiring overnight monitoring to critically ill pets needing emergency treatment.

We also provide out-of-hours emergency care for 10 other veterinary practices across Northamptonshire, making every shift different and offering fantastic opportunities to develop your skills and experience.

About Our Hospital
We are a purpose-built, RCVS-accredited veterinary hospital with excellent
facilities, including:

• 10 consulting rooms
• 3 operating theatres
• 4 dedicated inpatient wards
• Separate isolation facilities
• Fully equipped diagnostic imaging suite
• In-house laboratory facilities
• Spacious, well-equipped colleague room for relaxing during breaks

You'll work alongside a dedicated OOH Vet and Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN), playing an important role in ensuring the smooth running of the hospital and delivering excellent patient care throughout the night.

What You'll Be Doing

Patient Care & Clinical Support

• Assisting the veterinary team with the care, comfort and monitoring of hospitalised patients
• Supporting RVNs and vets with treatments and diagnostics
• Helping to care for emergency and critical care patients
• Performing urgent in-house laboratory tests
• Preparing patients and equipment for emergency surgical procedures
• Setting up theatres and assisting the clinical team during procedures

Hospital Support & Organisation

• Maintaining excellent standards of cleanliness, hygiene and infection control
• Cleaning and preparing clinical areas, kennels and equipment
• Restocking supplies and ensuring the hospital is ready for the next emergency
• Supporting the smooth running of the hospital during busy overnight shifts

Client Care & Communication

• Answering emergency telephone calls and supporting reception duties
• Welcoming and assisting clients attending the hospital overnight
• Providing compassionate support to clients during difficult and emotional situations
• Supporting pets and their families during end-of-life care and bereavement

We're looking for someone who is:

• Passionate about animal welfare and committed to providing outstanding patient care
• Compassionate, caring and empathetic towards both pets and their owners
• Confident working in a busy, sometimes unpredictable emergency environment
• Organised, proactive and able to prioritise tasks effectively
• A strong team player with excellent communication skills
• Reliable, adaptable and comfortable working overnight
• Willing to learn, develop new skills and take on a varied role
• Able to remain calm and professional when dealing with emergencies and emotionally challenging situations
• Previous experience in a veterinary practice, hospital or animal care environment would be advantageous, particularly experience working with hospitalised patients.

About the role

• This is a part time role with a shift pattern of 2 Nights On, 6 Nights Off (7pm-8am)
• Additional day shifts can be provided if required
• Salary £13.75 per hour

Benefits:
In return, we offer such benefits as 20% discount at the Vet Group, Pets at Home and the Groom Room, access to discounts and cashbacks, in-house career development opportunities, pension and holiday allowance. We even have onsite parking!

Location: NN5 5JW

We take our inspiration from pets in embracing people from all walks of life, and we value, respect and celebrate difference. We encourage our people to be their best selves so that we can create a better world for Pets, our Planet, and People. Our ambition is to reflect the diversity of the communities we operate in, and we are intentional in addressing and removing barriers to create opportunities for the exceptional talent and potential in our communities. Even if your skills and experience don't perfectly align, if you think you can make a unique contribution through your values and behaviours, we want to hear from you!

Business Unit: Vet Group

Date: 9 Oct 2026