We’re proud of our culture of support and belonging, and colleagues returning from time away to start a family are given all the help they need.
Whether it is enhanced maternity pay and benefits or flexible working, including part-time hours, new parents are supported on the latest step of their career journey.
Here, Loren Shearing, clinical director at Tameside Vets in Greater Manchester, discusses how she’s able to be a hands-on mum and fulfil her career dreams at VetPartners….
TO say the last four years have been life-changing for Loren Shearing would be a huge understatement.
A promotion to clinical director at Tameside Vets in Greater Manchester and achieving her Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice have made it a successful and fulfilling period in her career.
Away from the consult room, there has also been much excitement for Loren, who proudly welcomed the arrival of baby Arthur in October 2022.
Having her hands full away from her practice, with the demands of being a new mum, did not compel Loren to give up her dream career as a vet, and nor has it stalled her progress.
Thanks to flexible working opportunities offered by VetPartners, Loren successfully combines motherhood with an impactful career leading a team working across Tameside’s clinics in Ashton-under-Lyne, Hyde, Droylsden and Stalybridge.
Working in a supportive, caring culture in an organisation that puts people at the heart of everything allowed Loren to enjoy being a new mum.
VetPartners’ enhanced maternity pay enabled her to focus on Arthur, while returning for keep-in-touch (KIT) days, which helped her to stay up to date with her work, keep in touch with colleagues and ease the transition back into the workplace after her maternity leave ended.
Supportive working environment
“I am so grateful to have a supportive working environment because, having worked incredibly hard, I didn’t want to have to choose between family life and my career when Arthur arrived,” said Loren.
“Flexible working opportunities made a real difference for me. I returned to work full-time but my working pattern changed enabling me to be able to make it home, so that I get to spend some time with Arthur before his bedtime.
“I feel so sorry for those women who comment on veterinary social forums saying their flexible working requests have been rejected without any negotiation and they feel they have to leave the profession. I’m so grateful I was able to have a baby and also felt able to return to work.”
Loren admits the KIT days helped her to maintain both her skills and confidence in preparation for her return to her demanding role as a clinical director which involved both clinical work as well as supporting and leading the team.
She said: “I work in a supportive environment, and we have a great team at Tameside Vets, where everybody looks after each other. During maternity leave, you do worry about losing your skill set but colleagues were so helpful. They stood next to me while I was doing procedures to offer any advice, guidance or even moral support.
“We have new graduates with fresh ideas and vets with certificates, as well as nurses with diplomas and a range of skills vets don’t have, and they were there to help and support me on KIT days and when I first returned full-time. The Reception team were wonderful in managing my diary for me and ensuring that my workload remained manageable, whilst I found my feet again.”
Loren, who qualified from Liverpool University in 2012, is glad she did not have to compromise her career after motherhood because she is thriving in her role as clinical director after being promoted from senior vet in 2020 when Tameside expanded with the opening of its Droylsden branch.
‘I love being a clinical director’
VetPartners supports clinical director making the step up in the leadership role and to adjust to the unique demands they face through its Senior Leaders course.
Loren further increased her knowledge and skills by completing the RCVS Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice (CertAVP).
Loren said: “I love being a clinical director and I love finding solutions to problems and making positive changes. I couldn’t have done this role without that training from the VetPartners Senior Leaders course. The training in finance, HR and business helps to equip you for the non-veterinary side and expand your skill set. The course was invaluable in helping me to connect the dots from working as a clinician to managing a team of people.
“VetPartners provided the push I needed to progress my career as a clinical director, and what I didn’t know, I was able to learn, which gave me confidence in my decision-making.
“I’d also reached the point as a General Practice vet that I needed to know a little bit more and studying for the CertAVP helped me to improve my knowledge and fine tune my approach to cases. Rather than refer cases, I am able to look at the next step, which is especially useful when working with charities that can’t afford referral services.”
Loren is also dedicated to supporting the next generation of vets by acting as a mentor and VetGDP Advisor to new graduates at Tameside Vets coming through the VetPartners Graduate Programme.
“I enjoy coaching new graduates and helping them to develop their skills,” she said.
“I remember that was me a few years ago at the start of my career. Helping newcomers in the profession is really rewarding. It is two-way thing because they may have learned a better way of doing things since I was qualified.
“Going from being a student to being a vet and making decisions and communicating with clients is a big thing. That’s why the VetPartners Graduate Programme is a great bridge between university and practice life.”
- VetPartners offers maternity pay of eight weeks full pay, 12 weeks half pay followed by 19 weeks Statutory Maternity Pay. We are also introducing a one-off payment of 5% of expected annual salary when the primary carer returns to work. We offer two weeks of full pay during paternity leave. This also applies for primary and secondary carers during adoption and surrogacy.
- To find out more about careers at VetPartners, or to arrange a friendly chat, contact careers@vetpartners.co.uk
For media enquiries, please contact Amanda Little, VetPartners PR and Communications Director at amanda.little@vetpartners.co.uk or 07970 198492
