Hi Everyone!
Welcome back to The Journal, where I endeavour to bring you the good reads every month, straight to your inbox!
This past month, I headed to Melbourne to work with the brand new emergency specialist hospital, Tooronga Veterinary Hospital. Meet some of the change makers working hard to challenge norms and create change in the veterinary industry; Dr Andrew Nicholls, one of the directors behind Tooronga Vet Hospital and Dr Abby and nurse Bec from Your Home Vet. Both businesses are boldly paving the way for change and I love to see it, because this is something I have long been interested in and advocating for.
I am now in the UK for some R&R and resuming Puppy Preschool classes when I return in late June, but I made sure to hit up socials for a Real Talk before I left...
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P U P P Y P R E S C H O O L
Thank you to everyone for accommodating arrangements such that we could fit you all in before my break! We had a great month last month and it was wonderful to meet you all, particularly at my new class locations; The Campbell Vet and Molonglo Vet Clinic!
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Mia, Molonglo Vet Clinic, Coombs, ACT.
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U P C O M I N G C L A S S E S
This class is for pups aged up to 16 weeks old:
The Foreshore Vet
FULL
The Village Vet, Downer
Tuesday 18th June
6.30-7.30PM
Manuka Vet Hospital, Griffith
Wednesday 19th June
6-7PM
Kent Street Vet, Deakin
Saturday 22nd June
9-10AM
The Campbell Vet, Campbell
NEW CLASS!
Saturday 22nd June
11AM-12PM
Jamison Vet Hospital, Jamison
Saturday 22nd June
1-2PM
Molonglo Vet Clinic, Coombs
NEW CLASS!
Saturday 22nd June
3-4pm
You can enrol here at any time!
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C H A N G E M A K E R S
As some of you may know, I had been studying to become a vet but hit a few road blocks along the way and during my five years of veterinary studies, I hit the dreaded state of burn out! I chose to take pause and reassess my next steps and I relocated to Canberra to help with the opening of The Foreshore Vet. It was just what I needed... I saw critical scope for change within the industry, and found new ways to contribute and thrive without necessarily being a vet. I focussed on improving customer care and examined culture whilst helping to create initiatives that would serve the wellbeing of veterinary professionals, pet owners and their pets.
Through Puppy Preschool, I hope to form cohesion between pet owners, pets and veterinary professionals to reduce stress and improve wellbeing respectively. Pets are integral to our families and central to our lives; we know that pets improve our mental health and that pet ownership and their associated costs are at an all time high.
What you may not know is that the veterinary profession has been enduring an unprecedented nationwide staff shortage and critical attrition challenges make it difficult for veterinary professionals to do their job; to deliver care to your pets free from stress. These pressures have left the industry vulnerable to corporatisation, creating focus on profits. This tipping point is on the one hand, discouraging, yes, but on the other; exciting. Why? Because, for private practice owners who want to challenge the cultural norms, the only option left is to create change.
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Dr Abbey (left) and nurse Bec (right), co-directors of Your Home Vet, VIC.
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Y O U R H O M E V E T
Meet Abbey and Bec, a vet/nurse duo who have hit the road with their mobile veterinary services to bring you high quality veterinary care, in the comfort of your own home! With a strong focus on senior pet care, palliative care and end of life, Abby and Bec are delivering a custom offering, which aims to reduce stress on clients and patients alike. Their care and compassion is clear; as soon as I met them both, they were giggling and gushing over Bec's gorgeous golden retriever, Theo. I couldn't help but join in on the Theo-love-sesh myself! It is, after all, Theo, who brought Bec's attention to the importance of home veterinary care; she saw the difference that home care made when Theo required ongoing treatment for his ongoing condition. Dr Abby's love lies in providing pets with a gentle, caring goodbye, free from pain and the sometimes stressful conditions of a busy clinical setting.
So how are Abby and Bec planning to thrive in this industry? They are great friends and have worked together for years. This pair have an inbuilt buddy system, which not only keeps them accountable to each other but helps them to nurture and support each other. They embody teamwork. They have entirely complimentary work styles and understand the pressures that exist for them. To prevent burnout, they have other things going on; they hold teaching positions where they hope to guide and educate upcoming veterinary professionals through this changing veterinary landscape.
You can follow Abby, Bec and Theo's journey on socials @yourhomevet.melb.
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T O O R O N G A V E T H O S P I T A L
Dr Andrew Nicholls is one of the busy directors behind the brand new state of the art veterinary facility, prominently positioned among the tree lined hilly streets of Melbourne's Hawthorn East. After an enormous year of planning, Andrew, together with Dr Adem Mercan and Dr Jim Smith, brought together a large team of veterinary professionals and opened their doors last month! I spent the day photographing their premises and getting to know their team who were brimming with excitement to be a part of something fresh and different. I had to find out what exactly they were doing differently...
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Dr Andrew Nicholls, co-director of Tooronga Vet Hospital, Hawthorn East, VIC.
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When I put this to him, Andrew's response was simple. "Our goal is to challenge the status quo and create an environment in which our team members feel valued, respected, remunerated fairly and are heard..." Andrew hopes that Tooronga will be a different kind of company, profitable yes, but also rooted in it's "values, culture and management as well as it's standard of veterinary care."
Andrew shows me around the modern multi level facility, boasting 35 undercover car parks, an exclusive feline only space, and 100+ years of combined experience across his GP Vet team. The exquisite surgical suites are flooded with natural light and overlook the Melbourne city sky scape - a total luxury compared to most surgical theatres. The consult rooms are clean and warm. Tan leather seating make the waiting areas a pleasure to sit in. Purpose built end of life rooms feel like home. No wonder the team are so sprightly - I wanted to work here too!
With their management team each working on the floor, Andrew says they have "no hierarchy, we are in this together." With bespoke rostering, at Tooronga, the roles have been "tailored to fit their employees lives." With a whole team designated to customer care, a drop off consultation service and cutting edge technology, you'll be hard pressed to find better care on offer to your pets, in a an environment that is built for veterinary professionals to thrive. Tooronga is setting the stage for change... where people are what make businesses profitable.
You can follow Tooronga's journey on socials @toorongavet.
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Tooronga Veterinary Hospital, Hawthorn East, VIC.
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R E A L T A L K
On this months Real Talk, I've shared a few pointers on how best to equip your pets when it comes to blending families.
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Keep sending in your questions for me to share with the wider audience - if you are thinking about it, so is everyone else!
Thank you, to each of you for joining this community, word of mouth goes a long way and so does a review!
See you in soon!
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www.jbrpets.com | e: puppyschool@jbrpets.com | m: 0415 908 808
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