February 2019

Practice Profile: Village Vets Crosby

It is always a tough task setting up a new veterinary practice from scratch. But some have it tougher than others – as VBJ discovered when we headed to Merseyside to visit Village Vets last month…

2 mins

January 2019

Wake up and smell the coffee: why first impressions count

Focusing on four main client contact areas – exterior, interior, vibe and virtual – could make all the difference to your practice enviornment, says Dr Ernie Ward.

34 mins
Building the dream: part 1 – starting from scratch

Starting a new business is daunting, but help is always at hand. Alan Robinson explains the early considerations in setting up your own practice.

32 mins

November 2018

Practice Profile: The Veterinary Practice

In these days of manic corporate consolidation, it is important to remember the benefits owning your own practice can bring. So when VBJ was asked to visit an independently owned practice that is positively thriving in the face of corporate competition, we jumped at the chance.

3 mins
Skills in short supply: how to mend the recruitment crisis

Adi Nell and Erwin Höhn consider stakeholders’ likely responses to the shortages before proposing a revolutionary workforce planning framework.

31 mins
Getting teeth into dental initiatives: it’s a team effort

Increasing the amount of dental work your practice performs can be a great way to improve pet health and drive revenue. Yet, without the engagement of the whole clinical team, these initiatives can often lack bite.

21 mins
Building an employer reputation online

Successful recruitment begins long before a vacancy arises. In an increasingly transparent profession, employer reputation is a vital tool in the competition for our most valuable resource: people. This will be a major theme at SPVS/VMG Congress in January.

19 mins

October 2018

Practice Profile: Cromwell Animal Rehabilitation Centre

It is often said the best things come in small packages. For a branch of Cromwell Vets, that package proved to be a 9m by 4m prefabricated box. It’s not a lot, but, as VBJ discovered, it's already having a big impact ...

28 mins
Skills in short supply: deconstructing the recruitment crisis

Medivet senior partners Adi Nell and Erwin Höhn, in the first of two articles, look at the manpower problem as a precursor to delivering a framework for analysis and a strategic plan for all stakeholders in part two ...

36 mins

September 2018

Technically speaking: modern medicine in the digital age

Nuala Summerfield explains that rather than being a cause for concern, technology provides real opportunities for anyone prepared to embrace it.

34 mins

August 2018

Practice builders: staking your claim on ‘Brand Alley’

Just being good at medicine is no longer enough for practices hoping to attract and retain clients. Experience is a big priority for owners visiting and, as Simon Power explains, getting your branding right is a crucial start.

23 mins

July 2018

Client engagement – why you need to reach out to feel the love

Engaging and communicating with pet owners is essential if vets are going to administer consistent patient care and remain relevant as animal experts. Engagement begins with outreach, and outreach originates in need ...

37 mins
Pet health plans: a ready remedy to keep your practice front of mind

Health care plans can be a great way of protecting pets, bonding with clients and marketing a veterinary practice. But the devil's in the detail when it comes to deciding what to put in, what to leave out and how much to charge ...

17 mins
Practice Profile: Northlands Veterinary Hospital

There is something very British and familiar about a high street veterinary practice based in a converted red brick house. Late Victorian and Edwardian era buildings often ooze character and charm, but also present some unique challenges to a growing business, as VBJ discovered on a visit to Kettering ...

11 mins

June 2018

Choose your weapons: winning at germ warfare

Antimicrobial resistance has been described as one of the biggest threats facing both human and animal health. But there are steps all practice owners or managers can take to keep their own house in order and help beat the bugs.

12 mins

May 2018

When the chips are down: making the most of pet identification

Vets and VNs see the benefits of microchipping on a daily basis, but is this always the case for their clients? Madeline Haynes looks at what practices can do to overcome the barriers and maximise the business opportunities…

21 mins
Playing the end game: a life of luxury – or life on the breadline?

Deciding when and how to exit your veterinary practice can be one of biggest decisions any owner or senior partner will make. Whether you’re wanting to put a succession plan in place, or considering a sale, a realistic strategy is needed to prevent you from ending up out of pocket.

18 mins
Buying or selling a vet practice, part 4

In the final part of this series, corporate finance expert Gary Baines discusses the period after completion – and the skills required to go with this.

7 mins

April 2018

Mum’s the word – part two: ‘D-Day’ and the perinatal period

In the second part of her groundbreaking series, Liz Barton discusses preparing for the ups and downs of delivery and the perinatal period.

26 mins

March 2018

Practice planning: build a business while avoiding growing pains

Tempted to discount? Can’t see where to tap into new revenue streams? When it comes to growing your business in the right way and at the right speed, Ernie Ward recalls he has been there, done that and got the T-shirt…

26 mins