Lead Veterinary Surgeon Blythwood

The Team & Practice

Blythwood Vets is a long-established, first opinion small animal practice with four closely located sites across Bushey, Hatch End, Stanmore, and Northwood. Our main clinical hubs are based in Bushey and Hatch End, where you'll spend the majority of your time working alongside experienced veterinary surgeons, talented nurses, and dedicated support teams.

We've been caring for pets in the local community for over 40 years and have built a fantastic reputation for providing high-quality, compassionate veterinary care. Many of our clients have been with us for years and place enormous trust in our team, allowing us to build meaningful relationships and follow cases through from diagnosis to recovery rather than practising conveyor-belt medicine.

We're proud to be an RCVS Practice Standards Scheme accredited practice and a Veterinary Nurse training practice. Clinical collaboration is a huge part of our culture, with complex cases regularly discussed as a team, and everyone encouraged to share knowledge and ideas.

As Lead Veterinary Surgeon, you'll play an important role in supporting and developing the team. You'll provide day-to-day clinical leadership, mentor colleagues where needed, and help create an environment where everyone feels supported to grow. Previous line management experience would be highly advantageous, although experienced vets with mentoring responsibilities looking to progress into leadership are encouraged to apply.

We're looking for someone who enjoys improving not only their own clinical knowledge but also the practice around them. Whether that's refining processes, supporting colleagues, championing new ideas, or continually raising clinical standards, you'll have the opportunity to make a genuine impact.

While most of your work will be based at our multi-vet sites, occasional sole charge is required. We're therefore looking for someone who is confident making clinical decisions independently while always knowing the wider team is there for support when needed.

The practice also works closely with Cats Protection in Harrow, offering opportunities for those with a particular interest in feline medicine or supporting charitable organisations.

Most importantly, we're a team that genuinely enjoys working together. We work hard, support one another, and celebrate our successes. Whether it's sharing homemade cakes, a well-stocked biscuit cupboard, team lunches, dinners, or an evening at the local pub, we've built a friendly, welcoming culture where people enjoy coming to work.

Bushey itself offers the perfect balance between countryside charm and city convenience. With its leafy streets, rose garden, independent cafés, green open spaces, and welcoming village atmosphere, it's easy to see why so many people choose to call it home.

Just a few minutes away, Watford offers excellent shopping, restaurants, entertainment, and leisure facilities, while Watford Junction provides direct trains into central London in under 20 minutes. Whether you're looking to relocate for vibrant city life, beautiful countryside walks, or somewhere to raise a family, Bushey offers the best of both worlds.

What we're looking for

• A vet with at least 5 years UK experience with the confidence to lead by example.
• Previous line management, mentoring, or leadership experience is highly desirable.
• Comfortable managing a varied first opinion caseload, including routine surgery and consultations.
• Someone who inspires confidence, communicates openly, and enjoys developing others.
• A proactive vet who uses their initiative and is passionate about continually improving both themselves and the practice.
• Excellent communication skills with a genuine passion for building lasting relationships with clients and colleagues.
• Comfortable working collaboratively as part of a team while also confident in occasional sole charge.
• A positive, approachable, and enthusiastic individual who contributes to the supportive culture of the practice.

Benefits:

• 5 weeks holiday + bank holidays and birthday off (pro-rata for part-time)
• No out-of-hours (OOH)
• RCVS and VDS fees paid
• External CPD funded
• Extensive free online Linnaeus CPD program
• Career progression opportunities
• Staff discount schemes
• Enhanced sickness pay
• Enhanced equal family leave
• Wellness program including:
  • Employee assistance program
  • Eyecare voucher scheme
  • Free annual flu jab
  • Cycle to work scheme
  • Recruitment referral reward scheme.

Blythwood is part of Linnaeus and Mars Veterinary Health, the largest family-owned veterinary company in the world. Being privately owned, we can truly be driven by our purpose, to create a better world, and think long-term as opposed to being focused solely on short-term profits.

At Linnaeus, A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS starts with a better world for our people. Our Associates are over 6000 strong and empowered to speak up, step up, and deliver quality services. You’ll have access to a huge network of specialists, worldwide development opportunities, and an easily accessible, comprehensive wellbeing package that prioritises your physical and mental health, allowing you to focus on what you do best – care for pets.

We are committed to fostering a culture that is inclusive and diverse; we care about you and want you to be authentic, with everything you need to perform at your best. We are all individual but two important things bring us together: a commitment to excellence and our passion to achieve our purpose.

If you would like to apply for the role or for an informal chat to discuss it further, please get in touch with Joanne in the recruitment team joanne.gray@linnaeusgroup.co.uk