Receptionist/Animal Care Assistant
| Posting date: | 05 December 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | Not specified |
| Additional salary information: | Colleague pet discount, uniform, life insurance, Healthshield benefits (money back towards general wellbeing), Volunteering Day |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 14 December 2025 |
| Location: | WA16 8HT |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | Willows Veterinary Group |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | Job Ref 68 |
Summary
JOB TITLE: Receptionist / Animal Care Assistant
REPORTING TO: Branch Manager via Head Nurse
LOCATION: Holly House Veterinary Surgery, Mobberley Road, Knutsford, Cheshire, WA16 8HT
DATE WRITTEN: December 2025
Job Overview:
Our aim within the practice is to treat our patients as though they were our own animals, and to treat our clients in the way we would wish to be dealt with ourselves.
This philosophy should be carried through all levels, in terms of our demeanour, appearance, professionalism and communication (between vets, clients, external providers such as laboratories and staff). We all have a part to play in ensuring the smooth running of the various aspects of the practice.
Roles & Responsibilities: To provide a professional, effective and organised client reception. To provide assistance to the veterinary nurses in the care of our patients and general maintenance of the surgery premises.
Main Duties:
1. Greet clients with a smile and engage in “small talk” to put clients at ease, respond effectively to client enquiries via the telephone or in person and relay accurate messages to other staff.
2. Make client appointments, book ops, process enquiries, requests and messages. Create new client files, update and monitor existing files, keep computer records up-dated.
3. With the help of senior members of the reception team, organise veterinary appointments and liaise with the vets to ensure the day runs as efficiently as possible.
4. Be aware of worming and vaccination policies. Accurately assess client needs and offer appropriate services or products, liaising with the vets and nurses as required. Pass on queries to other members of staff when they fall beyond the limits of your knowledge.
5. To support stock control within the practice to ensure that products are used in a timely and efficient manner.
6. Take payments at time of sale to prevent debt from being generated, having the ability to call clients after their visit if they have not paid or monies are outstanding which will include issuing statements and reminders to clients according to set protocols.
7. General clerical duties including ordering stationery, photocopying and sending faxes, dealing with the mail and reminders as required.
8. In the absence of your practices’ nominated insurance administrator, you may be required to process claims. Full training and support will be given in order to process insurance claims according to set procedures.
9. Complete all daily and weekly financial tasks and records which includes cashing up and banking procedures.
1. You will be required to provide care to our patients under the instruction of a Registered Veterinary Nurse or Veterinary Surgeon. With the appropriate training tasks may include:
• General Care
• Feeding
• Exercising
• Restraining patients
• Medicating patients topically / orally / and via the subcutaneous route
• Completing hospital sheets and writing up notes
• Ensure high levels of cleanliness and hygiene in all areas of the practice, at all times
• Assist Veterinary Nurses and Veterinary Surgeons
• Operate computer systems as directed, to access patient records, update records, generate invoices and day-to-day procedures
• Observe and monitor in-patients
• Supply products according to training and authorisation by a suitably qualified person (SQP)
• Assist the veterinary nurses and veterinary surgeons with administrative duties such as replacing theatre and prep stock as requested
• Preparation of theatre kits including cleaning and packaging, autoclaving drapes and swabs
Additional notes:
• Dependent upon suitability and academic qualifications held, animal care assistants may be required to undertake the veterinary care assistance qualification (VCA).
11. To undertake such duties as may, from time to time, be reasonably requested within the flexible definition of this post or as requested by the management team.
REPORTING TO: Branch Manager via Head Nurse
LOCATION: Holly House Veterinary Surgery, Mobberley Road, Knutsford, Cheshire, WA16 8HT
DATE WRITTEN: December 2025
Job Overview:
Our aim within the practice is to treat our patients as though they were our own animals, and to treat our clients in the way we would wish to be dealt with ourselves.
This philosophy should be carried through all levels, in terms of our demeanour, appearance, professionalism and communication (between vets, clients, external providers such as laboratories and staff). We all have a part to play in ensuring the smooth running of the various aspects of the practice.
Roles & Responsibilities: To provide a professional, effective and organised client reception. To provide assistance to the veterinary nurses in the care of our patients and general maintenance of the surgery premises.
Main Duties:
1. Greet clients with a smile and engage in “small talk” to put clients at ease, respond effectively to client enquiries via the telephone or in person and relay accurate messages to other staff.
2. Make client appointments, book ops, process enquiries, requests and messages. Create new client files, update and monitor existing files, keep computer records up-dated.
3. With the help of senior members of the reception team, organise veterinary appointments and liaise with the vets to ensure the day runs as efficiently as possible.
4. Be aware of worming and vaccination policies. Accurately assess client needs and offer appropriate services or products, liaising with the vets and nurses as required. Pass on queries to other members of staff when they fall beyond the limits of your knowledge.
5. To support stock control within the practice to ensure that products are used in a timely and efficient manner.
6. Take payments at time of sale to prevent debt from being generated, having the ability to call clients after their visit if they have not paid or monies are outstanding which will include issuing statements and reminders to clients according to set protocols.
7. General clerical duties including ordering stationery, photocopying and sending faxes, dealing with the mail and reminders as required.
8. In the absence of your practices’ nominated insurance administrator, you may be required to process claims. Full training and support will be given in order to process insurance claims according to set procedures.
9. Complete all daily and weekly financial tasks and records which includes cashing up and banking procedures.
1. You will be required to provide care to our patients under the instruction of a Registered Veterinary Nurse or Veterinary Surgeon. With the appropriate training tasks may include:
• General Care
• Feeding
• Exercising
• Restraining patients
• Medicating patients topically / orally / and via the subcutaneous route
• Completing hospital sheets and writing up notes
• Ensure high levels of cleanliness and hygiene in all areas of the practice, at all times
• Assist Veterinary Nurses and Veterinary Surgeons
• Operate computer systems as directed, to access patient records, update records, generate invoices and day-to-day procedures
• Observe and monitor in-patients
• Supply products according to training and authorisation by a suitably qualified person (SQP)
• Assist the veterinary nurses and veterinary surgeons with administrative duties such as replacing theatre and prep stock as requested
• Preparation of theatre kits including cleaning and packaging, autoclaving drapes and swabs
Additional notes:
• Dependent upon suitability and academic qualifications held, animal care assistants may be required to undertake the veterinary care assistance qualification (VCA).
11. To undertake such duties as may, from time to time, be reasonably requested within the flexible definition of this post or as requested by the management team.