Culture

Members of Orchard Vets staff form a community having the common aim of providing a high standard of veterinary care for our clients and their pets. The Practice, established over forty years ago, was founded on the Christian values of respect, honesty and care for the well being of staff and clients alike, values that we uphold today. Over the years, we have built a strong, bonded team of people who all share both the Practice ethos and the desire to provide our patients and their owners with the best possible veterinary care.

Staff members are cheerful and courteous, showing respect for colleagues, but conscientious in work, flexible, reliable and always ready to help each other out. Our family-like atmosphere provides a safe, supportive working environment in which all members of staff can feel happy and content in their work and which is free from any form of discrimination or intimidation.

Staff work in close teams which change regularly so we are really one large team, discouraging cliques or us-and-them situations. There are no supervisors as everyone is a professional and works to the best of their ability without being told what to do.

Team members support each other. Absenteeism is rare because they know it increases work and stress for their colleagues. We do not allow bullying or bad language.

Light-touch management allows staff the freedom to work together in a way that is comfortable for them but still produce the results the Practice needs. Our staff are valued and respected by the management team who work hard to accommodate their individual needs and welcome new ideas and initiatives. The result is that many of our staff, both vets and nurses alike, have, with Practice support and financial backing, taken on extra specialities which they use within the practice.

Communication is vital for any well run, happy team. We have regular meetings for all groups of staff. We operate a no-blame culture and the practice manager is always available for any member of staff at any time.

These attitudes spill over into the way staff deal with the clients and the patients. This can be seen in the following comment from a client:

"Keep doing what you do best; not only do you look after my pets but you've been there for me as their owner too."

More such quotations can be found on our “What our clients say” page in the About Us section.