One year after opening, Manchester veterinary hospital is going from strength to strength
Since opening last year, Vets Now Manchester hospital has built up an enviable reputation
The emergency and specialty hospital has been rated as “outstanding” in the delivery of emergency and critical care as well as in-patient care by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.
It has also been hailed as one of the most technologically advanced pet emergency facilities in the country.
These accolades are in no small part due to the hospital’s incredibly talented staff.
Among them is head nurse Helen Rooney. She leads a team of 18 nurses, one trainee nurse and seven animal care assistants, who each have a vital role to play in supporting the hospital’s team of specialists, referral clinicians and emergency and critical care vets.
“The Vets Now hospital in Manchester is a stunning, purpose-built facility that was put together by people who have been in the profession a long time. Not only is it nice to work here, but the team we have are really special,” said Helen.
“It’s made up of like-minded, passionate vet professionals who are all striving to deliver the highest level of care possible and at the end of every shift each of us goes home feeling satisfied we’ve made a difference. It’s an incredibly rewarding place to work.”
Helen began training as a veterinary nurse in 1994, qualifying two years later.
She started her career in a small mixed practice before moving to Rutland House Veterinary Hospital in St Helens, Merseyside, where she worked as a soft tissue nurse and later as a senior ward manager.
During this time, Helen also began teaching at Myerscough College, near Bilsborrow on the Fylde, passing on her knowledge of veterinary medicine, emergency and critical care, and in-patient care to the next generation of vet nurses.
She moved to Vets Now in Manchester last year as one of the hospital’s inaugural staff.
“I already knew Vets Now well as I’d attended almost every ECC Congress since it started and I‘d also worked some locum shifts for the company,” Helen explained. “One of the main reasons I applied for the job is I’d heard Louise O’Dwyer was on the hospital board and I loved the idea of working alongside her.
“I have always loved working in emergency and critical care and while I also enjoy transfusion medicine, critical nutrition and pain management, my interests are mainly focused on the care of very sick animals.”
According to Helen, the hospital has gone from strength to strength since the first patients came through its doors in December last year. But she now hopes to see it grow even further, particularly on the referral side.
“We have treated a lot of very sick animals over the past year,” she added. “But it would be great for the hospital to expand the number of disciplines we have in-house, with more specialists working to treat a wider variety of emergencies.
“I also hope for the hospital to become a centre of excellence for veterinary nursing – somewhere students and graduates can come for experience and see nurses at work in real-life scenarios.”
Any veterinary practice interested in referring a case to Vets Now Manchester should call 0161 826 3848.
