Horsham vet practice's new break room to improve staff wellbeing

Anderson Abercromby Veterinary Referrals in Warnham, near Horsham, has remodelled unused space on the first floor to create a spacious new break room for its team members, plus a changing room and locker area and a large meeting space with seating for 25 people. A lift ensures the space is accessible for everyone.

Moving the team facilities upstairs has freed up space to create extra dog kennels on the ground floor and means the practice has been able to install eight additional kennels, including three large walk-in kennels for canine in-patients.

The project cost £400,000, with the investment coming from VetPartners, the larger veterinary group Anderson Abercromby Veterinary Referrals is part of.

Practice manager Sarah Booth said the work was carried out to create improved facilities for patients and the team.

She said: “Anderson Abercromby is already a great place to work, but we wanted to offer the best possible facilities to our dedicated team. Our ethos is to provide the highest levels of care for pets, and to enable our team members do achieve this it’s important they are happy in their working environment and have great facilities to work with.

“For pets, the new kennels area is light and spacious, and it has allowed us to include more walk-in kennels for larger dogs, to make sure they are as comfortable as possible when visiting us.

“We are very proud of the new team space, which has a homely feel and is somewhere our vets, nurses and receptionists can enjoy a proper break away from the workplace downstairs. It’s furnished with sofas, coffee table and dining table and includes a large kitchen plus a breakfast bar where people can sit and look out over the lovely countryside we’re surrounded by.

“The separate locker and changing facilities are also making a difference to everyone as they now have dedicated areas to store their belongings and get changed.”

Anderson Abercromby is one of the South East’s small animal orthopaedic referral centres and the team includes specialists in small animal surgery. Pets are referred to the practice from first opinion veterinary practices in Sussex, Surrey, Kent Hampshire and the surrounding areas and services include advanced diagnostics and surgical procedures including fracture repair and the treatment of joint conditions.