Practice ownership
Becoming a practice owner with Vets for Pets allows you the freedom and independence to run your own veterinary practice. With this comes the benefit of being part of a large community of industry professionals.
Benefits of practice ownership
Clinical autonomy
All our practice owners operate with complete clinical autonomy. Being the practice owner enables you to have the freedom to make the best decisions for your patients, whatever their needs.
Salary and benefits
All our practice owners receive a salary from day one, as well as a comprehensive benefits package, including a pension, life cover, income protection and a generous 28-day holiday package.
Your local practice
You will maintain a unique identity within your local community. Not only will you be supported by the Group on a national brand level, you will have complete autonomy to develop your relationship with clients and their pets on a local level.
Becoming a practice owner with us
Discovering practice ownership opportunities
For many people, the first step in their journey to becoming a practice owner is an informal, confidential chat with one of our team. This is an opportunity to understand more about how our business model works, the financial investment, the support that you will receive from our support office colleagues, and the type of business opportunity and locations available.
Now you have gained a better understanding of how it all works and the opportunity available, we will arrange for you to attend a Discovery Day. A Discovery Day can be done in person at our support office in Swindon or virtually. During your time with us, you will meet with several key colleagues to understand how we support you as a partner. This Discovery Day is specifically for you to ask as many questions as you need to and to engage with our colleagues, to ensure you are fully informed of the support we provide.
Read our blog "What does Practice Ownership look like for you?"
Location and plan
Our model enables those interested in practice ownership the opportunity to open a brand new practice or buy an existing and established one.
We have a specialist property team on hand who support researching the local area and produce reports on the demographics which include things such as pet and vet client market, competitor analysis, property information such as rent and rates and the commerciality of that location. We want to ensure you have the best location to start your business. Once we have your location identified, our finance team will produce a business plan we will share with you. Each plan is tailored to you as an individual, to include factors such as set up costs for new practices. If you are buying an existing practice, we will factor in expenditures such as payroll, sales, and equipment already in place.
Our partnership team will work with you to ensure that you understand and are satisfied with the business plan put together for you.
Let's make it official
This is your journey to discover practice ownership, and we are on hand to ensure you have all the information you need to make your decision.
Once you are ready to proceed, we will start the sales process. We work alongside internal teams and banks to secure your funding and provide legal and sales documents. If you are opening a new practice, you will have dedicated teams to support you with your opening programme. We support you with everything from recruiting your team through to a detailed marketing plan, ensuring your launch into the community is successful.
The final and most rewarding stage of your process will be your signing day! You will visit our support office to meet with key colleagues and contacts along with our Directors. It is at this point you will sign your sales documents. Time to celebrate new beginnings!
Different routes to practice ownership
There are options to open a new practice or buy an existing one.
Practice ownership with Vets for Pets
A partnership is at the heart of everything that we do. It's our greatest strength. Our partnership model allows vets, nurses, and practice managers the opportunity to take the next step into being a business owner.
Partnering with our business experts across several key functions will help you develop your commercial and leadership skills and experience, and as an employed director and shareholder in the practice, you will have clinical freedom to make your own decisions, shape your team, develop your local presence in the community and secure your financial future.
Watch this video to see how the model works. Based on a brand new practice
New vet practice
We help you select the best stand-alone property or in-store location (inside a Pets at Home pet care centre). Your practice will be fitted out and equipped to meet your specific requirements and meet the RCVS General Practice Standard. With our support, you select and recruit your own team and receive ongoing business support from our team of experts. From day one, you can build a strong and loyal client database and enjoy working with your local community to develop your practice and brand.
Existing vet practice
As part of the ongoing business support, we advise partners to think about their exit strategy. For this reason, there are opportunities to either buy a 100% share of a business or part share where you would join an existing practice owner. There are many benefits to buying an existing practice. Not only do you have a team recruited, trained and ready to go, but you have a client and patient database, so you can start practising from day one.
Become a practice owner
Our team of experts are on hand to help you understand more about our unique practice ownership model. If you'd like to start your journey to become a veterinary practice owner, contact us today!
Vets for Pets news and blogs
To keep up to date with what's going on and to find out more about life at Vets for Pets visit our news and blogs page