Prospective Redundancies Update

Re: Prospective Redundancies

Fuzzyduck — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 22:29:19 GMT

Apply to willows, you have nothing to lose and your practice are not going to train you in the foreseeable future if they are having to make cut backs. Even if you don't get the job it will be good interview experience and you never know you might be successful, nothing ventured and all that

Re: Prospective Redundancies

Elerrina — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 18:47:05 GMT

My position isn't a training position officially. I was employed as a lay person to assist in day to day cleaning and handling etc but always told that i would get to train eventually. We know more than one will be going but dont know how many as it depends who goes. But they have also said that after this there will be no more risk and it should all be sorted so everyone elses job will be safe

Re: Prospective Redundancies

Chippet — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 11:31:18 GMT

Another thought is, how much does it cost to be a training practice...is this something they might get rid of? Hence losing your position anyway?

Re: Prospective Redundancies

Chippet — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 11:29:45 GMT

Are they only making one redundancy? If they need to save 50k and you're on an average wage, they need to loose more than one, which may indicate, if mot immediately, but in the future you will continue to have insecurity -which will be awful. I'd be inclined to apply for the other post, you'll probably have more opportunities in the long run. You've got to look after yourself because no one else will. Sorry for the tough love. I really do feel for you.

Re: Prospective Redundancies

Steph Worsley — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 23:01:31 GMT

why not apply anyway?? nothing ventured and all that jazz.....I have to sympathise 100% with you, the first practice (corporate) I was at was shut down within a week...ie big boss came on the monday and we shut for business on the fri, thankfully they agreed to re-locate me and I moved to live with my uncles, however after another 12 months they decided to bring joint venturing in, once again I felt the threat of redundancy hanging over my head, I found another practice looking for SVN's and applied and got the job so I jumped before I was pushed really

Re: Prospective Redundancies

Elerrina — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 22:46:26 GMT

I wouldn't be so worried if I was a QVN but im not unfortunately. I was hoping to get the opportunity to train here but obviously that's unlikely now. One person has taken voluntary redundancy and someone else is in talks, but I don't think any of the nursing team are looking to leave. If i get made redundant I'm going to apply to the willows i think as they have 2 SVN jobs going. Other than that i dont really know i guess i could go and do the vn degree route instead.

Re: Prospective Redundancies

Mark Hedberg — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 20:52:36 GMT

Sorry to hear that, my sympathies! Hope you get through things ok...

Re: Prospective Redundancies

Celine — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 20:43:32 GMT

Oh dear that's really upsetting news, I'm sorry.

Can I play devil's advocate for a moment? I'm sure this is a really scary prospect for everyone, and I don't want to downplay the seriousness of the situation. You may have an idea of who will be going, or maybe not. Has anyone mentioned if they are considering leaving voluntarily? Would you absolutely not consider doing so? I realise that people have ties to areas and things, like houses etc but how about you? Have you ever considered locuming? If you don't think you could find enough work in your wider area then you could always be selective, take only the jobs that offered accommodation, and come back at weekends. It ends up being virtually all profit, unless you needed to travel really far.

I say this because I have met so many young nurses who are only something like 23 and have never been outside the practice they trained at, never worked away from the town they grew up in, and have no intention of doing so. I think it's a great shame, and seeing the ways other practices run really helps you as a nurse. I'd say the same thing about travel, which helps you develop more as a person.Any scope for taking some time out and going to do something fun AND advancing, like a spay/neuter trip to Spain or Greece, or further afield with some conservation/rehabilitation work? (Plenty of us could point you in the right direction).

I know change is scary, and none of us would want to be in this position BUT you don't have to see this as leaving you with no options. I apologise if I'm preaching away to someone who has travelled and worked the world and finally settled down!!

I really hope the outcome is something you are happy about. Big hugs!!

Re: Prospective Redundancies

Elerrina — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 20:17:01 GMT

I suppose its better than waiting a month but this week will be hell. Everyone is trying to guess who it will be and i think i might cry if anyone asks me to go to the office lol.

On the upside willows is recruiting svns so might be an opportunity there, imo i have plenty of experience =)

Re: Prospective Redundancies

Alison Clare Hickman — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 19:58:26 GMT

Aw honeybun, I feel for you. Fingers crossed for everyone.

x x x hang tough, Elerrina. Hugs.

Re: Prospective Redundancies

Elerrina — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 18:11:12 GMT

They've taken our ideas and are going to use some of them but as we all thought they still want to make redundancies. Theyre asking for voluntary ones to be in by wednesday and we find out on friday who will go. I just cried all through my lunch, i really dont want to lose my job =(

Re: Prospective Redundancies

jane Lewis — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 22:59:23 GMT

An open day or evening is a great way to show local people what you do, or what about seeing if there are any local events you could go to. We do a stall at the local dog show each yr offering advice and freebies (which we bribe off reps) as well as a raffle for local charity, always goes well and builds a relationship with community. Or if your quiet what about contacting your vaccine rep and asking about running a vaccine amnesty. We did that wen we were quiet last yr and it brought a lot of people through the door, allowing us to recommend others things like dental and diet advice/products. We sent out letters to all owners of dogs and cats who had not been vaccinated in last two yrs and got a huge number of restarted vaccines most of which have come back for boosters this year :). Good luck x

Re: Prospective Redundancies

Sal the 1st — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 22:42:42 GMT

just in case nobody has thought of this (but guess somebody will have done if management are on the ball)

keep a tally of the practices that telephone you for case histories locally - not only does it tell you how many clients you are losing but when you compile a list and take a look at their websites it might give you some pointers as to what they are doing differently and what makes their practice more attractive to owners and work at making yours the most appealing.

Take a look at your own website - if your website concentrates on the large animal side and small animal is an incidental then its a real turn off to SA owners - ie I know an LA vet who is absolutely fantastic with horses but I wouldnt ever trust him with anything smaller than a shetland pony because he just isnt cut out for small animal work, he doesnt have the patience or bedside manner to deal with either the owners or their pets.

get some open days or evenings organised - get the bods coming through the door so they can see what you have to offer them and their pets

get everybody in the practice to come up with at least 5 ways they think could improve things and then sit down over a pizza and brainstorm - and then make sure what ever is decided gets done

Re: Prospective Redundancies

Elerrina — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 22:30:51 GMT

Your number 5 point is something that has been an issue (some of the team feel) for a while. We don't always bill things correctly or knock some off a large bill and on quite a regular basis too. I understand that it is expensive and you do feel bad when its something as simple as an x-ray but we do need to make money

Re: Prospective Redundancies

Mark Hedberg — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 22:11:11 GMT

[quote user="Elerrina"]

It's difficult trying to think of ways to help as I'm sure management will have already thought of it

[/quote]

And if you don't come up with the ideas, they can't say no, can they? :) 50k is an oddly precise number, is that how much they lost last year?

Suggestions still on the board:

1. Bad debts

2. Outstanding insurance claims

3. Bit cheeky to be stealing from Alison Lambert's book, but do your receptionists like giving lots of phone advice? A far better place for advice is in the consult room. Make sure that instead of offering advice on the phone, they offer appointments instead. (Please note I DO NOT mean to blame your practice's troubles on your reception team.) What I mean is that it's easy to be so nice on the phone you're accidentally giving away the consults the vets need to make money. Offer appointments, not advice. Gets people in the door.

4. How are your vaccine reminders? Do you have a computer practice management system? Find out a list of your owners with out of date vaccines. Sometimes they've just forgotten and a phone call will remind them that it's time to get revaccinated. Gets people in the door.

5. Discounts: How is your discount policy? Lots of practices get bullied into 'taking a bit off the bill' for no good reason, and you could easily be losing 50,000 a year in discounts. (Just in case that sounds crazy, that's only a discount of £200 per day. Do you discount £50 off 4 bills in a day? Do that every day and that's £50,000 in lost revenue.)

6. Is the phone ringing? Pick it up! Don't let it ring for ages. Phone courtesy is paramount, clients go where they feel welcome!

It's not easy to turn a bad situation around; but fingers crossed this helps! Good luck!

6a: and yes, staff training, but I work at CAW so I *would* say that, wouldn't I?

Re: Prospective Redundancies

Elerrina — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 21:56:40 GMT

We're a mixed practice and large animal is currently propping up small animal. They want to save 50k a year I think. We're struggling to get people through the door and spending money with us. They have tried swapping to lots of cheaper drugs etc but it hasn't helped and consults have been decreasing year on year. It's difficult trying to think of ways to help as I'm sure management will have already thought of it

Re: Prospective Redundancies

Mark Hedberg — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 21:30:59 GMT

1. Ring up your distributors and drug reps. Renegotiate EVERYTHING. Point out that if you go bust, they won't get any more drug orders. If they won't give you a discount on a brand of drug, maybe switch to a cheaper drug (eg generics.)

2. Are you busy? If you're busy and the money is flowing out, then you've got cost issues that need to be sorted.

3. Are you not busy? Need to sort out where your clients are going, or why they stopped coming.

4. How are your bad debts? Got too many of them? Get that sorted.

5. Do you have a big stack of insurance claims? Get those filed immediately, that's pure money that's not being given to your practice.

Those are the top 5 that spring to mind, can you tell us a little more about your situation?

Prospective Redundancies *Update*

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Prospective Redundancies Update