Professional veterinary recruitment

Locum Vet / Vet Nurse (RVN) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who Are Vet Seekers?

• Vet Seekers specialise in providing a full bespoke confidential service for locum & permanent veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses (RVNs) and support staff at all levels across the UK and Overseas. We are specialist recruiters with over 20 years proven success in the veterinary industry and we have helped 1,000s of candidates find suitable positions.
• We know every veterinary practice is unique, and every veterinary surgeon and vet nurse is an individual. Both have different values, principles, and reasons why they do what they do.
• As a market leading veterinary agency with over 25 years of collective experience exclusively focusing on the veterinary industry, we have developed a detailed understanding, knowledge, and reputation to be able to deliver the aspirations that you seek. We understand that working life balance, career progression, culture, a supportive environment along with financials and even commute are common talked about factors when considering your next permanent veterinary career move.
• Our primary aim is to make the veterinary recruitment process as straight forward and stress-free as possible and to find you the perfect locum or permanent veterinary job when and where you want it. We care for those that care.
• Your Veterinary Locum Agency of choice. Why? Because that is the feedback that our locum veterinary nurses and locum veterinary surgeons provide us using our 5-star veterinary locum recruitment service.
• Learn more here

What is Vet Seekers' reputation like?

• Well for an honest overview, please free to review our Trustpilot Page here
• You won't see this from many veterinary recruitment agencies!

Do you give out my CV or contact details?

NO, NEVER! We only present your details to a client after we have spoken with you and received your permission to send your CV in accordance with GDPR legislation.

What locations can you offer me work in?

Anywhere you like, as we work with 1,000s of veterinary practice across the UK and overseas.

What if you are not advertising a job that suits me?

• Once we have determined your desired criteria, your dedicated veterinary recruitment consultant will source suitable veterinary jobs tailored to your needs and veterinary career aspirations.
• Contact one of our team, tell us what you are looking for in your next role.
• We work with the major groups and all independent across the UK and overseas.
• We work for you!

What will Vet Seekers do for me?

We have extensive veterinary recruitment experience which means we are well placed to look after your requirements and offer an all-round professional, supportive service.

As a valued member of Vet Seekers, we promise to do everything we can to ensure that your locum career with us is both rewarding, enjoyable and hope that it proves to be a positive long-lasting experience for you.

• We want to get to know you first and understand how you like to work, to support you in your locum journey.

We will provide you with a professional and confidential executive search service either on a locum or permanent basis across the UK and overseas.

We have access to 1,000s of locum and permanent roles with both independent and larger group clients.

We can source individual roles tailored to your desired criteria.

We offer full CV feedback and assistance.

Provide you with interview guidance and market salary information.

We regularly keep in touch with our progress.

We don't send your CV out anywhere without your expressed permission.

How do I register with Vet Seekers?

Simply apply for one of our vacancies on our jobs page or click on the register tab on our homepage. You can also contact one of our friendly team via hello@vetseekers.co.uk or 0333 014 7374.

What happens after I register?

We will contact you to discuss your next locum or permanent career move and we will keep you regularly updated on positions that we have sourced for you. Please note that there are many practices out there that may not be actively looking to hire, but they are generally open to speaking with the right candidates with the intention to create a suitable position.

How do I hear about new jobs?

You can check our jobs page: which has updated positions added daily

We also have very active social media pages, so it's worth following us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter for regular job updates each day.

Set up daily or weekly job alerts to ensure the latest vacancies come directly to you.

Join our dedicated Locum Facebook Group Page for ad-hoc dates.

What compliance do we ask for?

Prior to you commencing a new role, we will ask you to provide the following:

ID: Digital ID check – We send you a link for this – very simple to complete

Proof of National Insurance: N.I Card, P45, P60 or HMRC Tax Letter

Certificates: Copy of your RCVS certificate and any other supporting documents

References: Written references (preferably two)

Skills Matrix: To show your veterinary skills.

Other details: Such as your full name, full address, date of birth, next of kin, but not limited to etc.

Skillset/Experience

Vet Seekers works with all levels of experience and skills sets, we will run through everything with you to make sure that locum life is going to be right for you, as believe it or not it isn't for many working in the profession.

If you are RCVS registered or soon to be, then we can assist.

Do I require insurance?

• If you are a locum – We strongly recommend that you take out your own insurance cover, as under the RCVS code of practice all vets must have their own liability insurance, covering them to the correct level required.
• You may find that some practices will cover your insurance whilst you are working for them, but you may be liable if a claim is made after completion of the locum assignment.

The RCVS Code of Professional Conduct for Registered Veterinary Professionals says:

• Veterinary Surgeons and Veterinary Nurses must ensure that all their professional activities are covered by professional indemnity insurance or equivalent arrangements.
• Read more on the VDS website - https://www.thevds.co.uk/

There are two separate insurance covers that you need to consider (the VDS provides both):

• Required: Civil liability arising from breach of professional duty etc.
• Veterinary professionals and other staff are normally covered under the professional indemnity insurance policy taken out by the practice, but we do ask them to obtain their own cover, which is actually normal practice nowadays and most clients as for this.

Recommended: Criminal and disciplinary proceedings.

Public liability insurance

• Public liability insurance covers locums if clients or the public suffer property damage or personal injury as a result of the work they do. Examples of companies that offer this kind of insurance include:

• http://www.petbusinessinsurance.co.uk
• https://www.cliverton.co.uk/
• https://www.protectivity.com/

Please note that some umbrella companies like i4 Umbrella and Purlieus Consulting may provide certain types of insurance cover, such as public liability, as part of their service. This is worth checking out.

Do you charge a fee for this service?

Not at all, all our services are completely free to the job seeker, it is illegal for a recruitment agency to charge for finding you work.

The Main UK Veterinary Groups:

You may or may not have noticed that all the groups have been looking at locum spend over the last year or so, especially with locum rates shooting up due to factors such as change in market conditions, demand, Brexit, and the Pandemic etc. So, very recently it seems the majority have implemented locum rate caps across the board with some exceptions.

Depending on which group (please feel free to ask our team for further details) average capped rates that have been put in place (depending on payment method):

Vet rates

• Ø£360 to £500 and independents
• ØUp to £700 for nights and specialist roles

Nurse rates

• Ø£16 to £23
• ØUp to £28 for nights and specialist roles

Please note:

• ØThere is a degree of flexibility.
• ØIndependent practices generally are willing to pay higher rates.

Charging hourly or daily rates?

Currently the norm is Vets charge a day rate and nurses an hourly rate.

We believe this is personal choice though.

In an ideal world, we would like to see both Vets and Nurses charging by the hour to match actual hours worked.

What should I be charging?

This is a question we hear on a daily basis at Vet Seekers. You don't want to sell yourself short or out price yourself out of the market (please do take on board the above group rate caps). It's a pretty good time to be a Locum right now with the current veterinary market conditions which is not going to change anytime soon with the national shortage of veterinary professionals, so locums are in incredibly high demand in a very buoyant market.

There are many factors to consider such as:

ØSkillset and experience

ØLocation e.g., London weighting

ØAccommodation

ØTravel

ØResponsibility, Sole charge, Days, OOH, On Call etc

ØHours/shifts

ØCurrent market conditions

ØPayment method – E.g., Inflated rate if via Umbrella or lower rate of say on a bank contract.

ØGeneral costs

ØAnd so on…

Taking on board the above factors and just to reiterate taking payment method into account:

ØLocum Day Vet - Average rate of Pay: £350 to £600 per day

ØLocum Night Vet - Average rate of Pay: £500 to £900 per Night

ØSpecialists Average rate of Pay: up to £1000 per day/night

ØLocum Day Nurse Average rate of Pay: £16 to £26 per hour

ØLocum Night Nurse Average rate of Pay: £20 to £32 per hour

ØLocum Day ANA/ VCA Average rate of Pay: £13.50 to £17 per hour

ØLocum Night ANA/ VCA Average rate of Pay: £14 to £18 per hour

Take a look at some of our locum vet jobs here to see the going rate! If you are looking for a permanent role please click here

How will I get paid?

Vet Seekers acts as an employment business, and depending on payment method we pay our locums directly each Friday upon receipt of your signed timesheet and invoice if applicable (these are all provided by us).

This guarantees that our locums are paid on time each week and veterinary practices can easily engage locums in a compliant manner without the hassle of administration.

We offer a choice of payment methods including Umbrella (PAYE), VSPAYE and Limited Company's (PSCs) in accordance with the IR35 changes effective 6^th April 2020 or if you are self-employed (Sole Trader) or under a Bank Contract (Zero Hour), then under the right circumstances we can act as an introducer where the practice if they are happy to do so would pay you directly.

If you have any queries regarding your payment, contact the accounts department on at hello@vetseekers.co.uk or 0333 014 7374 and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Timesheets:

Vet Seekers has 2 options of sending through timesheets.

• 1.Using VS digital timesheet portal that is simple to use where you add your days / hours / overtime / expenses etc and submit. This is then sent to the client to authorise.
• 2.Old fashioned paper timesheet with which can be sent as photo or attachment to timesheets @vetseekers.co.uk or faxed.

Commuting / Travel

• If you are using your own vehicle to travel between branches in working time or making house or farm visits, then you should think about charging mileage.
• Mileage is generally based on 45p per mile, but please check this before you start, and you must keep a record of this.

Accommodation:

If you require accommodation, then most practices will cover the full or a percentage of the costs but could reflect on your daily/nightly rate depending on the client.

Please also obtain all details about the accommodation, including location, what it consists off, cooking facilities, bathroom, washing machine, sole use or shared, internet, access, any bills to be paid, etc.

Accommodation is normally provided in a few ways:

On site or local practice accommodation

Generally owned and paid for by the practice, including bills

Possible council tax and internet fees have been known to be charged by some

Hotel / B&B / self-contained

Generally paid for by the practice, including bills

Accommodation allowance – General £50 to £70 per night where you or Vet Seekers will source suitable accommodation for the best price, and you would upfront the cost for that week.

If you are paid via Vet Seekers, then you would simply send the accommodation invoice or receipt with your weekly timesheet, and we would then reimburse you each week.

If paid by the end client, then you would need to submit the invoice or receipt to them, and it could take 2-4 weeks to be paid back to you.

On occasion, the practice may well pay for the accommodation directly.

CPD (Continued Professional Development)
After qualifying, vets and nurses must take on regular CPD training to ensure their skills and knowledge are kept up to date. Both permanent and locum vets and nurses must do a set number of hours every one or two years. Practices will often provide a budget to their staff to attend regular training courses.

PSP (Period of Supervised Practice)
Veterinary PSP stands for Period of Supervised Practice. It is a requirement for veterinary nurses who have lapsed their registration for a period of five years or more. During PSP, the nurse will spend a minimum of 17 full-time weeks in clinical veterinary practice, completed within a year, in order to refresh their skills and knowledge. The nurse will work with a named mentor (an experienced RVN or vet) in order to update their knowledge and skills and regain their confidence to work as a fully registered VN.

The PSP is a valuable opportunity for nurses to return to clinical practice and to develop their skills and knowledge. It is also a chance for nurses to network with other professionals and to learn about new developments in the veterinary industry.

If you are a veterinary nurse who has lapsed your registration, we encourage you to consider undertaking PSP. It is a great way to get back into clinical practice and to make a valuable contribution to the veterinary profession.

Here is some additional information about PSP:

ØPSP can be completed in any RCVS-approved training practice (TP), or a practice approved at general practice or hospital standard under the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme.

ØThe PSP nurse will be regarded, for legal purposes, as a student and will not assume the full professional obligations of a registered veterinary nurse.

ØThe PSP nurse will be able to undertake a full range of veterinary nursing work, including 'Schedule 3' procedures under veterinary supervision rather than direction.

ØThe PSP nurse will be required to complete a portfolio of evidence demonstrating their competence in all areas of veterinary nursing.

ØThe PSP nurse will be assessed by their mentor and will be required to pass an assessment in order to complete the PSP.

For more information about PSP, please visit the RCVS website

Motor Insurance

The use of a private motor vehicle travelling to, from or during an assignment is “own business use” and you are advised to check with your motor vehicle insurance company to confirm that you are covered for such risks and to arrange such cover where this is necessary. If you transport a client in your own vehicle, you must have “own business” cover for passengers as well as for yourself.

Ionising Radiation

Ionising radiation occurs as either electromagnetic rays (such as X-rays and gamma rays) or particles (such as alpha and beta particles). It occurs naturally (e.g., from the radioactive decay of natural radioactive substances such as radon gas and its decay products) but can also be produced artificially. People can be exposed externally, to radiation from a radioactive material or a generator such as an X- ray set, or internally, by inhaling or ingesting radioactive substances. Wounds that become contaminated by radioactive material can also cause radioactive exposure.

If you are required to conduct a medical X-ray, or request an X-ray, you should have received specific training in radiation protection (This is a legal requirement).

Further guidance can be found on the Health & Safety Executives web site here

Can I register with more than one agency?

Yes, as many as you like, though you may want to choose one or two who solely specialize in the veterinary market.

Many of our candidates register exclusively with us, but the choice is yours

Working with one good agency such as Vet Seekers will ensure that you are well represented and that your CV is not scattered to everybody and anybody.

Coming from overseas?

We work with all qualified vets and nurses of all nationalities. Please refer to our blog and advice page here for more information.

RCVS Fees:

If you are coming from a permanent role, it is likely that you will have had your RCVS fees paid by your employer.

You can find a list of RCVS charges here: https://www.rcvs.org.uk/how-we-work/fees/

You will need to factor in these costs when thinking about what to charge. Granted, if you are working 280 days per year, these costs don't amount to much as an average per day, but it is something to consider.

Location

Certain locations have higher locum demands then others and will always have. So, if you are looking to locum then make sure there is enough locum opportunities to provide you consistent work as and when needed.

From time to time, you may well have to commute further to get the right role for you.

Please be aware that you can't always expect to receive the same rates in each county / area.

Please make sure the area you are staying in or commuting to is SAFE! Your wellbeing is of the upmost importance!

Workplace Pension:

A workplace pension is a way of saving for your retirement which is arranged by your employer. Some workplace pensions are called 'occupational', 'works', 'company' or 'work-based' pensions. A percentage of your pay is put into the pension scheme automatically every payday. In most cases, your employer also adds money into the pension scheme for you. You may also get tax relief from the government.

You are free to choose a more generous pension, but contributions can't be below a minimum percentage of Qualifying Earnings (QE). For the 2023/24 tax year, QE is a band of earnings starting at £520/m (or £120/wk) and ending at £4,189/m (or £967/wk).

If a worker is automatically enrolled

Employer contributions must be at least 3% of QE.

Employer plus employee contributions with tax relief must total at least 8% of QE.

Employers can meet these rules in different ways, such as paying the whole 8% themselves. If an employer chooses to pay the minimum and the pension scheme uses Relief at Source (the tax relief used by NEST) then the minimum contributions are:

Employer contribution 3% of QE.

Employee contribution 4% of QE.

Tax relief 1% of QE, claimed from HMRC by the pension company.

To use the above figures, choose the option 'Minimum Pension for Auto Enrolment (RAS)'.

VS PAYE

If you are paid via Vet Seekers directly and are over 22 years of age, earn more than 10k per year in the UK, then you are deemed to be an employee of Vet Seekers and you will be auto enrolled into the company's pension scheme.

You can opt out within a set period of time.

Umbrella Pensions:

If you are paid via Umbrella and are over 22 years of age, earn more than 10k per year in the UK, then you are deemed to be an employee of that company and you will be auto enrolled into the Umbrella Companies chosen pension scheme.

You have the opportunity to opt out within a set period of time.

Always ask who the Umbrella pension provider is with and full details.

Limited / Self-Employed Company Pensions

You won't receive a pension form the client or agency.

You can set up a private pension should you choose to do so.

Please seek further advice.

Please note: Always seek professional advice when it comes to pensions.

Common Umbrella Companies Used

• Purlieus Consulting
• i4-Umbrella
• Danbro
• Exceed
• JSA
• Churchill Knight

Please note: We can provide further details on each umbrella company, and we have exclusive discounts with a few of them.

Sick Pay:

By law, employers must pay statutory sick pay (SSP) to employees and workers when they meet the eligibility criteria.

An employee or worker is eligible for statutory sick pay if they:

• have been off sick for at least 4 'qualifying days' in a row – these are days when they're usually required to work.
• earn on average at least £123 a week, before tax.
• have told their employer they're sick within any deadline the employer has set or within 7 days.

Agency, casual and zero-hours workers are entitled to statutory sick pay if they meet the eligibility criteria. Please notify your agency and practice ASAP if you are off sick. Further details can be found here

Maternity and Paternity

Statutory Paternity Pay for eligible employees is either £172.48 a week or 90% of their average weekly earnings (whichever is lower). Tax and National Insurance need to be deducted. Calculate an employee's paternity leave and pay using the maternity and paternity calculator.

Please read the below from ACAS:

• Paternity - https://www.acas.org.uk/paternity-rights-leave-and-pay/paternity-pay
• Maternity - https://www.acas.org.uk/your-maternity-leave-pay-and-other-rights/working-out-maternity-pay

Salaries:

Veterinary surgeons (locums) – the usual daily rate would be between £400 to £650 per day (average is around £500 per day) depending on hours and level of experience. Locum vets are paid by the day.

Veterinary nurse (locum) – the usual hourly rate would be between £18 and £24 per hour depending on experience. Locum nurses working in OOH positions can be paid between £20 to £28 per hour dependent on experience and hours. Unlike vets, locum nurses are paid by the hour.

Salaries for both vets and nurses can be influenced by location of the practice, rota or hours in the contract and any specific roles and responsibilities expected from the position.

Do you offer a referral scheme at Vet Seekers?

Yes! We love it when our vets and nurses refer friends or colleagues to us and to say thank you, we offer a £250 holiday voucher. For more details, please contact a member of our team. 0333 014 7374 – hello@vetseekers.co.uk

To finish off:

Vet Seekers have been doing this for years, and some of our team for 15 years, so we know the processes and are here to help you. If you consider all the above and charge fairly then you won't have any issues with continuity of locum work.

Where can I get more information?

We endeavour to be different and strive to answer all communications as soon as possible on a 24/7 basis.

Our normal office hours are Monday to Friday 8:00 am to 5.30pm. Outside of these hours we operate a telephone answering service (a human) and we will respond as soon as possible.

We can be contacted on 0333 014 7374 or email hello@vetseekers.co.uk with any questions.