Community support for new indie practice

Vets Eve Thomas and Sarah Parker got a little help from new friends when they decided to open their own practice together.

Builth Wells Veterinary Practice in mid-Wales opened its doors on 5 October with the aim of offering a more comprehensive service to farm, equine and small animal clients in the area.

Support

One of the first things Dr Thomas and Dr Parker did when they began the project in earnest was to sign up with the XLVets independent vet community.

And according to Dr Thomas, the support the pair have received from XLVets throughout their journey has been hugely beneficial.

‘Commitment’

Dr Thomas said: “We were amazed at how much specialised support and experience we could receive from XLVets that would otherwise have been quite difficult for us to access, including HR help, assistance with CPD, clinical coaching and mentorship.

“Everyone we’ve had contact with throughout XLVets has a shared commitment to excellence and that’s exactly what we want to deliver at our new practice.”

Expanded

The practice already has separate cat and dog wards, and is investing in new equipment – including digital x-rays and ultrasound – as well as redecorating and rebranding the premises.

The aim is to expand reproductive services in particular, as breeders in the area need to access ram and bull fertility testing, and scope exists to work more actively to develop herd health plans. The equine side of the practice will also be expanded.

‘Excellence’

XLVets marketing manager Susan Goodfellow said: “Most people know that established practices can join the XLVets community, but they often don’t realise that we support start-ups, too – in fact, we’re increasingly working with enterprising individuals, across all species, setting up for the first time.

“It’s good to see that even in the most challenging times, people are striving to lead and achieve excellence.”