Small Animal Veterinary Surgeon

About us

Ashlea Vets is a friendly, dedicated small animal practice in Carlisle. This year, we're celebrating our 30th anniversary! To help us continue providing the best possible care, we're looking for a sixth vet to join our amazing, supportive team.

We believe in fostering a happy, healthy work environment where everyone feels valued. We have two fantastic well-being champions, Lyndsay & Cheri, who consistently put smiles on our faces. Whether it’s leaving uplifting notes on the bathroom mirror, sharing heartfelt thanks, or organising surprise treats, like our recent visit from Eskimo Edith, when even the unpredictable British weather couldn’t dampen our spirits as we enjoyed ice creams and slushies.  We love finding creative ways to have fun and show appreciation for each other, like rediscovering childhood games of Twister and Connect Four as part of #Joyful June.

We have wonderful, loyal clients—many of them have been with us for multiple generations. A decade ago, we were proud to be Cumbria’s first practice to achieve ISFM Gold cat-friendly status, and we remain committed to providing the best care for our feline friends. We are actively promoting sustainable practices and working to reduce our environmental footprint as we work towards achieving the Bronze Investor in the Environment award. We are also a Gold Compassionate Understood practice.

Don't take our word for what a great team and practice you could be a part of; here’s some of the recent feedback we’ve received from locum vets:

• Was a pleasure to be there, and I learned so much from that experience.
• I think you are probably one of the best practices I have been in for many years. Honestly, I don’t have any negative feedback, but since you have asked, I will try... Negative feedback: you are too far away from my main airports. You should move your practice! Just joking!
• I have only positive feedback
• The support I received there from all members of staff and the care you provide for your clients is amazing and worth praising.
• I loved the cat care touches around the practice
• I appreciated the great team bond, the help and the support you gave me and you gave to each other.
• I found the clients very nice, respectful and available to investigate when it was necessary.
• I appreciated how you do many investigations in-house (which is a rare pearl in many places!).
• The nurse team is “favoloso” (in Italian)! Super knowledgeable and skilled, always on support and super fun!
• Amazing receptionists.
• I particularly enjoyed the communication part between everyone and how you discuss cases in a professional way
• Patients are treated super well!

Our team

Our vet team has a wealth of experience, with four vets having been qualified for over 20 years. We’re passionate about continually developing our skills to offer a wide range of medical and surgical services. We really enjoy working together, sharing our knowledge and skills while encouraging each other to explore and develop their interests. We have monthly vet meetings and regular practice meetings over a meal as we review protocols and share ideas on improving clinical standards. We also conduct regular audits to ensure all the measures we put in place to keep and develop our excellent clinical standards are making a difference.

Laura joined Ashlea Vets in 2010 and credits the fantastic team and their dedication to providing the best patient care for keeping her love for veterinary alive. Laura enjoys all aspects of small animal practice and is working towards her GPCert. She also took on the role of Clinical Director two years ago. Kirsty particularly enjoys dentistry, and Kathryne is interested in exotics and imaging and has recently started a certificate in diagnostic imaging. Morag officially retired three years ago, but she couldn’t stay away! We think she likes being part of the team too much, and we’re thrilled she’s still with us part-time. Our new graduate, MJ, will join us in September when she graduates from Glasgow.

We have a fantastic nursing team of 5 RVNs, 4 SVNs (3 on placement with us), and 1 ACA, who bring a wide range of interests, knowledge, and skills to the team. Marie has a dentistry certificate, and Becca is working towards an exotics certificate. We also have an experienced customer care team that keeps everything running smoothly. Rowena has been a valued team member for an incredible 22 years. Five years ago, she swapped her scrubs for a desk to become our Practice Manager. She loves looking after our team and ensuring everyone feels happy and supported.

The role

We’re excited to welcome MJ in September and want to ensure we can offer the best possible support as she starts her career. Therefore, we are ideally looking for a vet with some experience. Whether you want to be a fantastic GP vet, pursue a particular interest, or take on a certificate, we will do all we can to help you develop.

Our full-time vets work a 4-day week, with 1:4 Saturdays. We are flexible with the rota, so if you’re looking for part-time hours or have other commitments to work around, we’re happy to chat about the options available. We all share the consulting and operating shifts, so there is ample opportunity to hone your skills with the team's support.  Our standard appointments are 15 minutes, with breaks blocked out to catch up on admin or make phone calls throughout the day.

We provide our own out-of-hours service, which is generally very quiet, with a shared 1:4 rota. There is always an RVN on call to assist and look after any inpatients (which is rare). You will get a call-out fee when you need to attend the practice.

Outside of work:

We’re not just work colleagues; we’re friends. We love hanging out outside work, whether celebrating birthdays, enjoying an afternoon tea, or trying something new like axe throwing or wreath making. We always have a blast!

Carlisle is a great city within easy reach of the Lake District National Park and the Pennine Way. It offers breathtaking views and a variety of outdoor activities, including Hiking, biking, and water sports. Carlisle is just 8 miles from the Scottish borders and has excellent transport links to major cities such as Glasgow, Edinburgh, Newcastle, and Manchester.

We are offering

• A salary of £40,000 - £60,000
• 6.6 weeks annual leave, including bank holidays
• Opportunity to buy and sell holiday
• CPD encouraged, with certificates supported
• Relocation package considered
• Happy to sponsor visas
• Professional fees paid for RCVS, VDS and one other
• Well-behaved woofers welcome
• Health shield membership
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental leave and surrogacy pay
• Discounted veterinary fees/in-house healthcare plan membership

If you want to know more about our amazing team, please call for an informal chat. If this sounds like the practice you’re looking for, apply now!