An inspirationally high-achieving veterinary nurse, Gillian Page BSc, RVN, Cert B&PS, has been elected President of the Veterinary Management Group (VMG).

Gillian, pictured right, trained as a veterinary nurse at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies (R(D)SVS) in Edinburgh before gaining further experience and becoming Head RVN in a small animal practice. 

From 1997-2000 she lectured in veterinary nursing, becoming Centre Manager of The College of Animal Welfare in 2000. As Deputy Programme Leader, she helped set up Scotland's first degree in Veterinary Nursing – a collaboration between The College of Animal Welfare, Napier University and the R(D)SVS.   

In 1999, Gillian then co-founded the Ayrton Veterinary Hospital near Edinburgh, making her one of the first RVNs to own a veterinary practice.

The business opened in a small Portakabin in 1999, progressing to a purpose-built RCVS-accredited Veterinary Hospital in 2006. 

Gillian was part of the design team and co-project-managed the year-long build. She led the sale of Ayrton to Independent Vetcare in 2017 but continues in the role of Business Director, in which she oversees the smooth running of the hospital.

Gillian said: "In today’s competitive and fast-changing veterinary sector, strong leadership and management have never been more important. At the VMG, we support the professional and personal development of those working in leadership roles to help them to manage their teams effectively and to optimise the performance of their veterinary businesses. 

"2018 was an exciting year as our membership reached almost 1,000 and I am looking forward to harnessing the skills and experience of my board colleagues to ensure that we provide an even higher level of support to our members in 2019."

PS: Whilst you're here, take a moment to see our latest job opportunities for vet nurses.