Is anywhere else going through an incredibly quiet patch?

RE: Is anywhere else going through an incredibly quiet patch?

funkyfish — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 18:46:58 GMT

It's still crazy busy here in East Devon. Still getting lots of puppies and kittens registered and it's hard to find an op slot for routines within three weeks....

RE: Is anywhere else going through an incredibly quiet patch?

Charlotte Rydz — Sat, 30 Nov 2024 12:55:04 GMT

Exactly this. I myself said goodbye to my little old lady ‍ almost a year ago, never been without cats in my entire life and adore them. Yet even I have made the decision to foster cats over ownership for now.

Totally agree that if you are bonded to a practice and happy with your staff etc to just do all you can, great ideas Ben. Especially the school visits, children are so receptive, I’ve noticed from events I’ve run this year, the problem lies with the parents. I think parents should be involved in these visits too.

RE: Is anywhere else going through an incredibly quiet patch?

Ben Ogden — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 19:59:13 GMT

Looking at market trends, pet ownership is in decline, people at the bottom end are relinquishing pets or avoiding veterinary practice and those in the middle are not replacing their pets when they have to say goodbye.

All those pando pets have matured and are in those years they don’t need as many vet visits (watch this space in 6-7 years…). My advice is if you’re bonded to the practice and the team you use the Q word to get pro active; client engagement with videos, Q&As, community things like school visits, now is the right time to be messaging village fairs etc to be the ‘dog show’ judge or sponsor. More business minded, look into leakage and shrinkage, if times are tough, help the practice tighten its belt.

RE: Is anywhere else going through an incredibly quiet patch?

Charlotte Rydz — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 11:47:14 GMT

I’ve noticed the Locum RVN work decrease over the last few years. Even in London, which during mid 2010s was a very great way of working for me. There was always a position available me. Sometimes multiple, I’d let other locums know of shifts etc.

Late 2010s (before pandemic) practices seemed to really be trying to get locums to take contracts. I had a few that wanted me to do this. And like you say no work in your area right now, maybe it is because clients are avoiding vet care and therefore vets can’t afford to staff. I’m not sure it’s the time of year though as I was always busiest November/ December for locum work.

Looking at the job list on here just now is quite shocking. 9 positions only. Has anyone heard of any practice closures?

RE: Is anywhere else going through an incredibly quiet patch?

Sammyannieantha — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 14:15:56 GMT

Hi I totally get why you are concerned- I'm a locum RVN and there is literally no work around my area.. corporates are cutting down and in my opinion it's because clients are struggling to avoid vet care. It's increasingly worrying for us locum RVN. It could however just be that time of the year. I think we will truly know the severity or it may pick up in the new year. Didn't want to put a downer on things but I feel your concerns

RE: Is anywhere else going through an incredibly quiet patch?

Charlotte Rydz — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 08:08:56 GMT

I’m sorry you feel this way. I don’t read the responses that way. I don’t think anyone on here would find worry and anxiety entertaining at all.

My response to you was meant to be supportive, from my personal experiences. I have faced redundancy twice in my career, so I certainly do not find anxiety over job losses entertaining. In fact it is something that never leaves you once you’ve gone through it.

How are things in your practice at the moment?

RE: Is anywhere else going through an incredibly quiet patch?

Arlo Guthrie — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 21:23:07 GMT

Funny how people read things differently, I thought the replies have been very supportive and dont quite understand what you are seeing as ‘anything but’….

RE: Is anywhere else going through an incredibly quiet patch?

VetNurse Anon a/c — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 20:58:49 GMT

Wow - posted here for support and feel the responses have been anything but… I’m glad our worry and anxiety about losing our jobs have caused you all a great deal of entertainment, sorry to have interrupted your busy-ness!

RE: Is anywhere else going through an incredibly quiet patch?

Arlo Guthrie — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 09:32:36 GMT

Charlotte Rydz ... a £50 Amazon voucher is on its way to you for your post!

RE: Is anywhere else going through an incredibly quiet patch?

Charley83 — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 19:20:16 GMT

Swings and roundabouts, i am in an independent and we had had a big influx of new clients from the surrounding corporates, most have stated they wish to move as we are cheaper so cost is definately a big factor at present.. We are kept busy enough for a 2 vet branch practice

RE: Is anywhere else going through an incredibly quiet patch?

Charlotte Rydz — Sun, 13 Oct 2024 08:47:31 GMT

Are you in an Independent or corporate? People really are struggling financially. It is really worrying.

RE: Is anywhere else going through an incredibly quiet patch?

Charlotte Rydz — Sun, 13 Oct 2024 08:43:24 GMT

Slower days are great for catching up on bits and spending extra time with the inpatients

RE: Is anywhere else going through an incredibly quiet patch?

Charlotte Rydz — Sun, 13 Oct 2024 08:41:05 GMT

Woah you said the ‘Q’ word! Surely this will have rectified your concerns .

I’m not in practice at the moment but I do know the charity practices are still very busy. So I’m guessing costs will have something to do with it. Given your local indie places are still doing okay it might also suggest that clients aren’t so keen on corporate practice.

From a pet owner perspective, I visited what I thought was an independent practice to soon discover it was a corporate. It was so expensive and the staff seemed miserable, which was really sad to see. I even heard them talking about sales/ procedure targets and how to upsell.

I’ve also worked in corporate vet practice and the higher ups have ways of communication that look after their interests. So while they may not be worried for the business as a whole, they likely are about individual practices.

Just keep looking out for yourselves, do your best, if you’ve got nice and approachable line managers talk things through with them. And keep looking for new opportunities.

RE: Is anywhere else going through an incredibly quiet patch?

Selena Carnell — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 19:41:39 GMT

we had couple of quieter days this week so it was good to catch up on some jobs that get missed.

RE: Is anywhere else going through an incredibly quiet patch?

Louise Royle RVN CertCFVHNut — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 19:20:30 GMT

I think as a 'senior veterinary nurse' the majority of us won't even mutter the Q word aloud let alone post about the subject especially before a weekend on call .That said yes in general there has been a trend towards less operations, less phone calls etc but not every day, at the start of the week we had no operations booked and by Tuesday pm each day had something going on. Clients are delaying vaccinations by at least a month and there have been less routine surgeries but that's not unusual given the time of year, current financial climate etc. Small independent practice surrounded by corporate practices.

RE: Is anywhere else going through an incredibly quiet patch?

Arlo Guthrie — Thu, 10 Oct 2024 11:00:15 GMT

[quote userid="8705" url="~/f/nonclinical-discussions/32546/is-anywhere-else-going-through-an-incredibly-quiet-patch"]Is anywhere else going through an incredibly quiet patch? [/quote]

Looks like everyone else is SOOOO busy they havent even had time to reply

Hopefully someone with a more interesting take on this will be along soon, but certainly I haven't heard of things slowing down dramatically, and it seems a bit strange, especially if the local indie is still busy.

That would suggest to me that the practice needs to try and do some local marketing to see whether that bears any fruit, and perhaps even think of doing it in a way that elicits information about what's going on (for example, could you have a pop up nurse clinic on the street somewhere, and ask owners where they are currently going. Just a thought).