Basildon Hospital (Pitsea) Vets4Pets

I have been a veterinary surgeon for the last 10 years working all over the world. I have been privileged to live and work with some great people in Essex for the last 8 years practising veterinary medicine.

My passion for excellent delivery of animal care and high quality customer centered service has been the main drive throughout my career. My special interests are all aspects of internal medicine and cardiology; I am currently studying for a certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice.

When I am not working, I enjoy reading, jogging, playing football with my three boys and actively policing our exotic fishes from being overfed by the boys!

I've been with Vets4Pets Basildon since June 2017, having graduated from the University of Liverpool with distinction in 2014. I worked for 3 years in mixed practice prior to joining the team.

I’m the surgical lead for the practice, meaning I am responsible for all inpatient and surgical care standards. I have an Advanced Veterinary Practice certificate and a Post Graduate certificate with study in small animal surgery. Clinically my main interests lie in soft tissue surgery: specifically airway and reconstructive surgery. I am also strongly interested in anaesthesia and analgesia. I am also the head of graduate development for the practice.

At home, I’m blessed/cursed with a border terrier, Gimli, who is nothing but trouble! I’m an enthusiastic (if not overly accomplished) climber, and love getting into the national parks for weekends wherever possible.

I’m from the sunny South Africa and graduated from Onderstepoort in 2015. I spent my first year working in a rural settlement near Cape Town doing mostly surgery. In 2017, I moved to Colchester where I spent 2 years working in small animal practice before joining the Pitsea team. My special interest lies in surgery, emergency and critical care.

Outside of work I enjoy all things sport, especially rugby and football. When I’m not watching or playing sport, I enjoy travelling and exploring the cultural side of London. My hobbies also currently include buying books I will likely never read and trying to learn Portuguese.

Hola! My name is Carmen I am from Spain and I have been a vet for 8 years, 7 of them working in the UK as a small animal vet. My main interests within the veterinary medicine is soft tissue surgery but I enjoy all aspects of it.
I am a big cat fan and in my spare time I love spending time with my 5 cats and my pup Noa.

I also enjoy being outdoors in nature doing activities with my friends and loved ones.

 

I studied Veterinary Medicine in Valencia in Spain. I am Spanish however I am quite international as I grew up in the Netherlands and spent a year living abroad in Budapest in Hungary.

My main areas of interest are Soft Tissue Surgery, Inpatient Care and Critical Care. I have a Maltese dog who loves to travel so I often take him out hiking or to the beach. We make a pretty good musical duet which consists of me playing piano and his singing!

I love to travel and I like to combine this with my love for animals, so I often volunteer with wild animals in developing countries. When I am not working or traveling I enjoy cooking, dancing salsa and catching up with friends or family.

I am new to the Vets4Pets team, and my main areas of interest are emergency medicine and dermatology. I recently graduated from the RVC as a veterinarian and have a previous degree in Zoology from the University of Leeds.

 

At home I have a 2 year old daughter who keeps me very busy as well as an extremely naughty toy poodle called Copper! I also have a lovely rabbit called Jabba, who helps to calm some of the chaos! In our spare time we enjoy swimming and trips to the zoo.

Vikki is currently on maternity leave.

Anastasia Giakoumetti is from sunny Greece.  She graduated 2 two years ago and she has been working as a veterinarian ever since.

Anastasia joined the Vets4Pets Basildon team late 2020 and is really excited about it. She have a strong interest in surgery and in diagnostic imaging . In her free time she enjoys going to the gym, hiking  ,reading books and listening to music.

I have been nursing since 2009 in busy hospital environments and qualified in January 2013 working at a busy vets for 2 years. Here I developed a passion for nurse clinics and specialised in Diabetic and Hyperthyroid Clinics.

Since starting at Vets4Pets I have been promoted to Head Nurse and have continued with my nurse consult expertise, now also offering our K-Laser therapy sessions. I enjoy working closely with the rest of the nursing team and training our student nurses.

I have 2 rescue cats - Jinx and Cluedo. In my spare time I like to turn my hand to something creative such as sewing, painting or fancy dress if I get the chance!

I began working for Vets4Pets in 2013 as a student veterinary nurse while on placement at university, I quickly fell in love with the practice and the possibilities it would bring my love and passion for providing high quality nursing care. It seemed the love was mutual and I was offered a full time placement and a diploma in veterinary nursing which I completed in 2015. Prior to this I have qualifications in animal management and laboratory technicians. My love for patient care has led me to continue to pursue my interests in anaesthesia, surgical nursing and peri-operative nursing. Outside of work, I enjoy reading, spending time with family and looking after my animal family at home including drake my Rottweiler/great dane, Aleister my saluki, Luna my boa constrictor and Edgar my chameleon.

I started work at Vets4Pets Basildon when the practice first opened in 2010, after qualifying as a veterinary nurse with a BSc (hons) in veterinary nursing from the Royal Veterinary College. I went to work at the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals at the Royal Veterinary College as a Medicine Nurse for a year where I gained valuable experience in nursing more complicated medical cases and general referral nursing. I have a keen interest in nursing rabbits but also in anaesthesia, both of which I have completed further courses on. I have recently gained my Certificate in Emergency and Critical Care allowing me to further my knowledge in this area. Outside of work I enjoy looking after my Abyssinian cat, Leo, my two rabbits Teddy and Scarlett and my Rottweiler, Lola.

I have been working with the Vets4Pets team for the last 4 years and thoroughly enjoy the huge variety of pets that we see. The areas of nursing which I enjoy the most are ward nursing, spending time with our inpatients and discussing the best healthcare options with our clients in consult.

Since working with Vets4Pets I have also gained a very handsome one eyed cat named Englebert who has now turned me into a crazy cat lady. I am sure as my career continues I will ‘adopt’ several more waifs and strays!

Candice began her training as a student veterinary nurse at the Animal health trust referral centre before graduating university with a Bsc (Hons) in veterinary nursing science in 2016. Since then she has worked in a small veterinary practice for 3 years until she joined the Vets4Pets Basildon team.

Candice is really enjoying her time here and feels she is learning more and more every day. She loves how knowledgable and friendly the staff are and that the patients really do receive gold standard care. She also works as part of the night team which has helped her develop her skills and confidence and means she gets to spend lots of time nursing the in-patients.

In her spare time she enjoys baking and decorating cakes and keeping fit at the gym. She have two rescue dogs called George and Jai who love to cause lots of mischief!

Beverley started nursing in 2009 and qualified as an RVN in the summer of 2013. Beverley’s main interests in nursing include ward nursing, intravenous fluid therapy treatment and emergency and critical care. She also has a huge interest in feline behaviour and completed her ISFM certificate in feline friendly nursing.

Beverley joined Vets4Pets Basildon in October 2020, bringing with her 2 years experience as a Client Care Manager from a previous veterinary surgery. Beverley enjoys practical nursing two days a week and maintains her nursing registration by completing her yearly CPD requirements. Beverley spends another day each week in practice fulfilling her Client Service Manager role.

In her spare time (the little that she has!) she enjoys spending time with her husband and young twins, and very much looks forward to a rare night out socialising with friends and family.

I have only recently joined the vets4pets team as a student nurse but am already finding it to be a very welcoming environment and am looking forward to learning more with this amazing team supporting me.

Before joining vets4pets I studied for a degree in Animal behaviour at university and have spent the last two and a half years working in a rescue centre.

At home I have a Rex rabbit called Robyn and in my spare time I enjoy seeing friends and family, eating out and I love to read.

I previously undertook the level 3 diploma in Animal Management at Capel Manor College which I finished in 2013. During which I enjoyed carrying out a lot of volunteer work in farms, stables and zoos. After college I enjoyed working with reptiles for three years before joining Vets 4 Pets at the start of 2018.

I have always kept many pets including reptiles, small furries and my rescue cat Tom and two rescue dogs Nina and Raffles. I love working here because it’s all about the animals and spending more quality time with them giving them lots of TLC and pampering.

I started working in the vets in 2016. I previously undertook a level 3 diploma veterinary care assistant at the College of animal welfare which I finished in 2019. I am currently continuing my studies as a student vet nurse.

In my spare time I enjoy competing my two horses Ted and Miss Grace at British dressage. I love working here because it’s all about the animals and spending quality time with them, giving them lots love and TLC to ensure they are happy and settled while at the vets.

I joined vets4pets in June 2018 as a veterinary care assistant. I am due to start my veterinary  nurse training in February 2020.  My favourite parts of nursing are inpatient care and theatre practice.

In my spare time I enjoy taking my crazy boxer ‘Red’ for long walk and keeping fit in the gym.

I began working at vets4pets in June 2019 as a receptionist and veterinary care assistant, I had previously been volunteering at the practice one day a week for around 10 months for my college course.  

Prior to working at Vets4Pets I completed a level 2 and level 3 animal management course at Writtle college. I have worked in animal sanctuary’s, kennels and Cattery’s and farms, but have always known that the veterinary environment was where I really wanted to be. My main goal is to become a veterinary nurse, and am now working as a veterinary care assistant which I really enjoy.

My favourite animals are guinea pigs and in my free time I like to go on dog walks, go shopping and spend time with my friends and family.

I started working in vets4pets Pitsea July 2020. I was so happy to start as it’s my dream job to be a veterinary nurse.

I started as a veterinary care assistant and have now started my veterinary nurse training in January 2021.

In my spare time I like to play with my two french bulldogs. I love being able to care for all animals.

 

Amy previously worked for an animal charity for over three years which she really enjoyed but wanted to move to the medical side of animal care.
Amy has a fascination with exotic animals, she has had quite a few in her life time. Amy's favourite two so far have been Guinea pigs and bearded dragons.
In her spare time Amy loves to explore nature and visit nature reserves. She also loves being creative and has a hobby of drawing.

Jenna started at Vets4Pets Basildon as a Veterinary Care Assistant in January 2021.

Hannah joined the Vets4Pets team in March 2021 after leaving a career in hospitality to follow her ambition of becoming a vet nurse. She is currently studying for a VCS qualification and once completed, hopes to study further and qualify as a nurse.

Hannah has always loved animals, she has been horse riding for 12 years and would love her own horse one day. She also has a cat, two rabbits and a rescue dog from Puerto Rico.

Ellie joined Vets4Pets Basildon in June 2021 as a Veterinary Care Assistant.

Ellie wanted this position as she would like to further her career and complete an apprenticeship in veterinary nursing.

Ellie's main interests include reptiles, such as snakes and lizards! In her spare time, she likes to rescue and rehabilitate exotic animals.

 

Emily has always had a passion (almost addiction) to animals for as long as she can remember - for almost as long she knew she was destined to provide them with the care they deserve. 
Emily gained her Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing at Writtle in 2018 and has been a Registered Veterinary Nurse ever since. She enjoys all aspects of nursing from inpatient care to anaesthetics and imaging. She will never turn down an opportunity to learn new things and looks forward to doing so at Vets4Pets.
When not at work Emily enjoys outdoor activities, drawing, spending time with her family and playing with her hamster.

I started my career as a neuro physiotherapist in the NHS many years ago which has and would always be one of the most fulfilling roles I have ever done. Whilst in the NHS, I gained further qualifications in management and progressed into working as a clinical manager organizing and delivering services across South West Essex.

I left this role to team up with Shola to achieve our long term dream of being able to offer excellent patient focused care to all the pets we are privileged to look after whilst at the same time delivering great client experience.

I am blessed with three beautiful boys who ensure that I don’t ever have a dull moment! Outside work, I enjoy spending time with my family, watching movies and travelling the world.

Karen has been with the team since we opened in 2010. Karen started off in reception but found her expertise lies within insurance and finances and she is proud to say that she now runs this department. Karen loves her job and feels that every day provides something new.

Karen enjoys spending her free time with her family and taking her teenage son to his many football matches. Karen also has a staffie called Daisy and a 50 year old tortoise called Dave.

Beverley joined Vets4Pets Basildon in October 2020, bringing with her 2 years experience as a Client Care Manager from a previous veterinary surgery. Beverley is a Registered Veterinary Nurse and has regular nursing shifts to maintain her registration.

In her spare time (the little that she has!) she enjoys spending time with her husband and young twins, and very much looks forward to a rare night out socialising with friends and family.

Claire has been part of the Basildon team since April 2016. Claire is loving being back in the veterinary scene after having a break from it for 10 years.

Claire has worked with animals in one way or another since she was 14. Claire feels that every day brings a new challenge to her role and enjoys the fact that no 2 days are the same.

At home she has an 11 year old Cocker spaniel named Ruby and a budgie named Summer.

Jackie has been part of the Reception team since mid-2017, and previously worked in animal welfare from a young age.

Jackie owns 2 cheeky dogs named Lupin and Mini, collectively known as the Binky’s. And has a keen interest in exotic’s and insects, owning a growing selection of Beetles, Millipedes, Insects, Frogs and Reptiles.

Lucy joined Vets4pets in 2018 after leaving school. Before joining Vets4pets she had several part time jobs in kennels and a cattery.

Lucy has always loved animals and caring for them. She has her own pets at home including a Welsh springer spaniel Oscar and a horse called Eddie. In her spare time Lucy enjoys going out with her friends and spending time with her pets.

Lucy is really enjoying her time here at Vets4pets. 

 

Brittany has been working at Vets4Pets since August 2018. 

Brittany has 3 cats called Jazz, Pebbles and Tinkerbell - who’s 20 years old and is still going strong! She also has a one eyed dog called Pablo who absolutely loves all the fuss he is given and the long walks he goes on.

Roisin joined the Vets4Pets team in March 2020.  Roisin enjoys the challenges that the role brings. There is always something new and interesting going on each day.

Roisin has two pets of her own – a black and white Springer Spaniel and a black and white rabbit so she is on the lookout for a panda or a penguin next to match!