VetNI

Veterinary Northern Ireland

Emergency Care Team – Belfast Veterinary Care

By

Emergency Care Team – Belfast Veterinary Care – Independent. Affordable. Hospital‑Level Care. Belfast Veterinary Care is expanding into a 24/7 emergency and critical‑care hospital, following the success of our independent referral service. Our ethos is simple: advanced veterinary medicine delivered with compassion, transparency, and affordability. We are progressing through RCVS Veterinary Hospital Accreditation and aim to become Northern Ireland’s only Independent Veterinary Hospital.

We are recruiting a dedicated night emergency team to provide the service our region needs.
Positions available:
• Veterinary Surgeons
• Registered Veterinary Nurses
• Support Staff

About us:
Located just off the Westlink, our modern hospital offers CT, ICU, theatres, ultrasound, endoscopy, and full in‑house lab. We are a non‑corporate practice where your voice matters, supported by specialists, advanced practitioners, and senior nurses. Our mission is clinical excellence at a fair price, ensuring every patient receives the best care possible.

Essential criteria:
• Veterinary Surgeons: MRCVS, confident in ECC, sole‑charge capable.
• RVNs: Qualified, strong ECC nursing skills, calm under pressure.
• Support Staff: Organised, excellent communication. Strong experience.

Desired criteria: ECC or referral experience, certificates, advanced training.

What we offer:
Competitive salary, pension, employee discount, free parking, health & wellbeing programme, on‑site gym and library, plus genuine opportunities to grow with a hospital expanding into 24/7 service. Apply:
Email Matthew at headnurse@belfastveterinarycare.com, CV with references and qualifications or for a confidential chat.

Experienced Small Animal Vet (Maternity Cover) Portglenone

By

We are looking for an experienced Small Animal or Mixed Veterinary Surgeon to join Parklands Portglenone Surgery on a maternity cover basis from December 2026, ideally 3 days per week minimum. Based at our Portglenone Branch you will be part of a 13 SA vet team over 5 sites with a high medicine and soft tissue, orthopaedic and ECC case load availability. You would be working in a dynamic structured team towards 1st and 2nd opinion caseload with a structured career progression within a family environment. We have excellent facilities including US scanner, endoscopy, digital x-ray and in house laboratory and lots of support and CPD to help you achieve your goals.

The Role
The package offered is up £60,000 pro rata depending on experience. CPD strongly encouraged and supported.

The Benefits
• 6.6 weeks paid holiday including bank holidays & enhanced Company Sick Pay
• TOIL for weekend work
• £1,750 CPD allowance per annum & career progression opportunities
• Health Shield – wide ranging contributions for health and wellbeing treatments & focus on employee wellbeing
• RCVS Membership paid and subscription to AVSPNI along with VDS cover
• Enhanced paternity, maternity, adoption, shared parental leave and surrogacy pay
• Colleague engagement survey & annual pay reviews

If you would like further information please contact David.Mccann@parklandsvets.co.uk who will be able to discuss this exciting opportunity with you further.
To apply for the role please email your CV and covering letter to hr@parklandsvets.co.uk

Farm Vet, Iveagh Vets, Banbridge

By

We have an excellent opportunity for an experienced Farm Animal Vet to join our friendly and supportive team of 7 experienced Vets. We are a progressive, independently owned mixed practice. We are situated 30 minutes from Belfast and 90 minutes from Dublin.
We are mainly dairy based, with a strong focus on herd health and fertility with around 40 farms on routine fertility visits. With growing demand for Calf health schemes and knock down disbudding.
The ideal Vet will have experience in herd fertility management with excellent communication skills with both colleagues and clients and be passionate about providing an excellent service.
• 4 day working week (8.30- 6.00pm) and 1 in 5 Saturday mornings 8.30-1.00pm and 1 in 5 weekend. (part time hours would be considered)
• Vehicle and accommodation provided.
• CPD encouraged and paid for.
• RCVS and VDS fees paid plus membership of AVSPNI.
• Farm equipment including several easy scan ultrasound scanners, Bull fertility testing, in house mastitis testing and IDEXX lab. Vetimpress, Uniform Agri and Interherd+, for fertility management and analysis.
• Out of Hours 1 in 5 rota farm animal only.
• Competitive package commensurate with experience with option of bonus scheme or equity share.
If you are interested or would like to discuss further, please contact Marcus on 07501724790 for a chat or email your CV or any enquiries to Marcuswhitevet@yahoo.co.uk

Nursing opportunities with Flynn Vets Belfast

By

Our independent, first opinion practice sees an extensive range of medical, soft tissue and orthopaedic cases. We have excellent, modern facilities and host external specialists who see referral patients in our clinics.
We are recruiting for two positions:
Head Nurse
The successful candidate will have:
• Significant clinical experience as an RVN with evidence of leading within a nursing team.
• Strong knowledge of veterinary nursing practices and procedures
• Able to adapt quickly to new nursing skills and technologies.
You will oversee all aspects of nursing in clinic to maintain high standards in a capable, confident nursing team and demonstrate excellent communication, leadership and organisational skills in a veterinary setting.
Key Responsibilities:
• Leading and managing the nursing team to maintain high standards of patient and client care.
• Supporting management in practice improvements; ensuring compliance with current legislation and regulations.
• Delivering efficient day-to-day running of the clinic.
• Overseeing stock, ordering and equipment maintenance on site.
Registered Veterinary Nurse
This role would suit an experienced RVN or a more recently qualified RVN who is keen to progress.
You will:
• Contribute to all aspects of nursing at the clinic.
• Be a good communicator; motivated, and efficient,
• Able to deliver a high standard of customer and patient care,
• Work well independently and collaboratively.
Both roles are 40 hours per week over 5 days. Your rota will usually include one evening per week, rotational Friday evenings and one in five Saturdays for which you get time off in lieu.
We offer:
• competitive salary commensurate with experience;
• supportive, friendly team with opportunities for development;
• RCVS and VDS fees;
• generous CPD allowance and paid CPD leave.
To apply, please forward your CV to flynnvetskatrina@gmail.com. For further information, contact Katrina by email or phone on 028 9079 9500.

Large Animal or Mixed Vet(s) – Erne Veterinary Group Ltd

By

Large Animal or Mixed Vet(s) – Erne Veterinary Group Ltd, Enniskillen & Lisnaskea.
Join our independent, privately owned veterinary practice in the heart of Fermanagh.
Erne Veterinary Group Ltd is seeking 1 or 2 Large Animal or Mixed Veterinary Surgeon(s) to join our friendly, supportive team in Enniskillen & Lisnaskea, Co. Fermanagh.
We are a well-established, independent practice offering a varied caseload with an emphasis on high-quality care, teamwork, and work-life balance. Whether you’re newly qualified or bringing years of experience, you’ll find a warm welcome here.
What we offer:
• Privately owned practice – no corporate targets, just good veterinary care
• 1 in 5 rota, with excellent work-life balance
• Practice vehicle provided
• Competitive salary based on experience
• CPD encouraged and funded
• A supportive, experienced team always willing to help
About Enniskillen & Fermanagh:
Our location is a dream for anyone who loves the outdoors. Situated between Upper and Lower Lough Erne, Enniskillen offers incredible natural beauty, water sports, hiking, and a peaceful pace of life – all while still being well-connected.
We’re proud to offer a great working environment in a stunning part of the world.
To apply, please send your CV and a cover letter to ernevets@gmail.com or CALL US on 02867721294 and ask for Chloe if you would like to chat informally first or to find out more.

NIVA AGM – a great start to 2022

By

Yet again this year COVID played havoc with the best-laid plans and NIVA held its second successive Virtual AGM on Wednesday 9th February.

Outgoing President Mark Little welcomed a pleasingly large crowd and summarised the variety of NIVA’s activities for the year – providing input to a plethora of consultations, engaging with issues affecting animal welfare and the interests of the profession, providing representation and support for members, raising money for local charities (£1470 for Vet Support NI and almost £3000 for Air Ambulance NI), and seeking out creative hybrid ways to provide CPD, craic and convivial company when circumstances allowed. Mark thanked all those who had helped him in achieving his aims for a phenomenally busy year (members, sponsors, Council, the officer team, his family and the tireless team at VetNI), before handing over the reins and the very impressive NIVA Chain to new President Fiona McFarland.

Fiona graduated from Bristol in 2004 and started her career in farm practice in Somerset before returning to NI in 2011 to work in Earlswood Veterinary Hospital, where the legendary Des Thompson first encouraged her to become involved with NIVA Council. Fiona has an enormous amount of experience to bring to the twin roles of NIVA and BVA(NI) President. In addition to years on NIVA Council she has served on BVA Policy Committee, been instrumental in setting up Young Vet Network and Vet Support NI, and worked as a locum in over 45 practices in Northern Ireland before taking up her current role in industry as Account Manager Ireland North for IMV Imaging. 

Fiona is looking forward to a busy year as we (hopefully) emerge from the pandemic and get to grips with Brexit, workforce issues, climate change and sustainability. She will be ably assisted by Mark, who continues as SVP, and Esther Skelly-Smith, whose election as JVP was ratified by the membership. Susan Cunningham was elected as Public Relations Officer, and Seamus O’Kane and Rachel Davies continue as Treasurer and Secretary respectively. Council members Sean Rooney, Kirsten Dunbar, William Sherrard, Lara Wilson and Ed Taylor are stepping down this year, and were thanked for their hard work. New Council members Aoife Ferris, Patricia Van Veen, Ruth Moreno, Roisin Dickinson, Sharon Verner, Orla McAlister, and an impressive 59 new ordinary members were ratified by the membership and welcomed.

The business part of the meeting being concluded, Fiona introduced the evening’s speaker  – Professor Michael Doherty, Dean of UCD Veterinary School, who provided an Educational Perspective on Future Challenges for the Veterinary Profession.

NIVA is extremely grateful to Boehringer Ingelheim for their ongoing support, and particularly sponsorship of this year’s NIVA AGM.

Vet education – a very current topic to be addressed at NIVA AGM

By

Professor Michael Doherty

The NIVA Annual general meeting on Wednesday 9th February 2022 will include a presentation by guest speaker Professor Michael Doherty, Dean and Head of the School of Veterinary Medicine and Professor of Veterinary Clinical Studies in the School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin. Who better to help us understand the “Future Challenges for the Veterinary Profession – an Educational Perspective“?

NIVA members and non-members can register for this talk via the entry for the event on the VetNI calendar.

Members can nomination fellow members for the role of Junior Vice President by e-mailing info@vetni.co.uk

This event has been generously sponsored by our colleagues at  Boehringer Ingelheim 

VSSCo Educational Bursary 2021

By

Your local veterinary wholesaler has been supporting practice in NI for 65 years but did you know that VSSCo also supports individual vets in practice by offering a sizeable annual bursary to further educational or research ambitions? If you are still learning and striving to improve your clinical practice, take a closer look!

VSSCo Educational Bursary 2021

By

Your local veterinary wholesaler has been supporting practice in NI for 65 years but did you know that VSSCo also supports individual vets in practice by offering a sizeable annual bursary to further educational or research ambitions? If you are still learning and striving to improve your clinical practice, take a closer look!

NIVAs “Step out to help out!” challenge – 2021

By

Just a few pics of SOME of the NIVA “Step Out to Help Out” walks

Answers to some FAQs:

Yes, doing the walks on horseback is allowed!

Our charities? NI Air Ambulance and Vet Support NI.

No, its not too late to join in – these walks will continue all year. Drop VetNI a line if you can’t find the details. We’ll get you signed up and send you a very desirable NIVA snood/buff/neck gaiter thingy so you too can make jokes about walking in the buff!

Submitting photos of your walks isn’t compulsory but it does give you the chance to win a prize 🙂

If you want to join in whilst pushing a lawnmower, who are we to stop you.

Can’t manage the walking? Why not sponsor other walkers instead? the JustGiving page is here.

Yes, group walks with NIVA colleagues are now being planned. Watch your e-mails for details!