Paragon invests in vet nurses of the future
A new, multi-million-pound vets in Yorkshire has earned swift recognition for its staff and facilities after being endorsed as an official training centre for veterinary nurses of the future.
Paragon Veterinary Referrals, in Wakefield, has already been listed as an ‘Approved Training Practice’ by industry regulator, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), just six months after it opened its doors.
The £5m multi-disciplinary practice is quickly making its mark within the industry and staff have wasted no time in delivering on a pledge to help develop new talent and create new jobs in the community.
Paragon joined forces with Preston’s Myerscough College to offer the RCVS-approved two-year course, which provides academic study allied to practical, on-the-job training.
Paragon will kick off the scheme next month (September) and three trainees are already booked on its inaugural course, with numbers set to increase in future years.
Paragon’s nursing manager Helen Sorby said: “Investing in the very best staff as well as the very best facilities is an important part of what we do here so we’re proud to make this commitment to help train and develop new talent.
“Being officially accredited so quickly means we can start offering the clinical training and work experience essential for students to qualify as a veterinary nurse.
“We’ve put an in-house training programme in place and invested in multiple training resources to help our trainees’ development alongside their college training.
“Myerscough College visited us to do their own separate assessment and we’re delighted to have received their approval too, meaning we can now work together to offer this two-year course.
“The students will study at Myerscough but join us for eight weeks each year to gain practical, hands-on experience.
“We can also welcome trainees from other vet practices on secondment to Paragon if they require specialist training and experience on equipment which their own practice doesn’t have.”
Paragon’s extensive facilities make it an ideal venue for students to work in different disciplines of veterinary care such as anaesthesia, cardiology, dermatology, diagnostic imaging, internal medicine, neurology, oncology, ophthalmology, orthopaedic surgery and soft tissue surgery.
It also has five operating theatres, eight consulting rooms and runs a 24 hour intensive care service, all of which will be accessible to the students.
Helen added: “It will be a full-on experience for our students especially as, when they are not at college, they’ll be here at Paragon working on the rota to further boost their knowledge and skills.
“That’s because our ultimate aim is that after college they will stay with us and forge a career at Paragon as fully qualified Registered Veterinary Nurses.”