Practice Staff
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+ Directors
Richard Pettit B Vet.Med., MRCVS
Veterinary Director
Hadleigh Based
Tom Forsyth BVSc, MRCVS
Veterinary Director
Brantham Based
John Reading B Sc (Hons)
Director
Hadleigh Based
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+ Veterinary surgeons
Rasa Simoniuyte MRCVS
Veterinary Surgeon
BranthamGemma Oliver B VetMB BA MRCVS
Veterinary Surgeon
BranthamSarah Tavener BVSc MRCVS
Veterinary Surgeon
HadleighLocal to the area Sarah qualified from Bristol University in 2003 and worked for 4 years in mixed practice locally before a period of locuming . Sarah returned to the area joining the Hadleigh team where she has developed her interests in imaging, particularly ultrasonography, and soft tissue surgery which complement her qualification in acupuncture . Marrying into the local farming fraternity and with 2 small children , Sarah does still manage to find time to run a small flock of sheep .
George Lightfoot MA Vet MB GPCert (SAM) GPCert (SAS) MRCVS
Veterinary Surgeon
BranthamStelios Mavromatis MRCVS
Veterinary Surgeon
BranthamSheelagh Hargreave VetMB MA CertVCI MRCVS
Veterinary Surgeon
HadleighLucy Mitchell BVetMed MRCVS
Veterinary Surgeon
BranthamDr Rosina Page-Baker B VetMB MRCVS
Veterinary Surgeon
HadleighDr Marie Beales B VSc MRCVS
Veterinary Surgeon BranthamSarah Cooper MRCVS
Veterinary Surgeon
HadleighNadine Kirschmer MRCVS
Veterinary Surgeon
Brantham
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+ Management
John Reading BSc (Hons)
Director
Based at Hadleigh
Karen Highland
Secretary and Accounts Assistant
HadleighLocal to Hadleigh , Karen has been with Highcliff for 34years, now working on the administration and accounts side . She has been integral in building up the unique and bespoke in house VIP scheme- an envy of many practices. Over the years Karen has accrued a husband, 2 children, 3 horses, 3 dogs, 2 cats, 2 rabbits, 2 guinea pigs and a number of birds. As with many of her colleagues ,Karen has acquired some of these animals from the strays seen at the practice. When Highcliff was a mixed, mainly large animal practice, Karen worked in the office arranging large animal visits, working reception plus accounts work. From working part time, when her children were growing up , Karen is now full time again but not fully escaped from parental responsibilities as her daughter Bethan is the trainee nurse in Hadleigh.
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+ Reception Staff
Sam Butcher
Receptionist/Co-ordinator
HadleighSam is our reception co-ordinator at Hadleigh, having started at Highcliff in 2005. After moving away from the area for 3 years, when Sam worked and travelled, she returned to her home town in 2011 and is very well settled back at Highcliff. Her role of co-ordinator involves the unenviable task of helping Richard organise the vet rota – a source of much headache at times !
Sam is very keen on keep fit and enjoys nothing more than being with family and friends and spending time with her beloved spaniel Guiness.
Jacky Eaton
Receptionist/Coordinator
BranthamTen years ago after 25years in the hotel and hospitality industry Jacky decided she needed a fresh challenge but still wanted to maintain contact with people, whilst being involved in customer care . Reception work suited those interests very well and indeed, so much so for Jacky, that she now leads the reception team. Very well assisted along the way by Bev a strong and close friendly reception team has developed with Jacky at the core of co-ordinating the group. The success of Brantham is very much founded on the development of this front of house team, with Jacky quietly and calmly guiding things calling upon her years of experience . Very recently Jacky and her family have rescued an 8 year old collie cross called “Pebbles” who has really taken to life with Jacky and her family.
Kelly Worship
Receptionist
Brantham
Elena Whayman
Receptionist
HadleighAs a school girl Elena spent time on work experience at the Hadleigh surgery so it was no surprise to welcome her into the reception team in 2008 . Prior to this, Elena worked with horses and having had 2 children the decision to continue her life long interest in animals ,but in warmer conditions ,was not difficult. Elena has 2 rescue cats acquired from Highcliff - Billy and Fluffy - and is currently fully occupied away from work with her new Labrador puppy Oscar.
Carol Jagels
Receptionist
BranthamCarol joined Highcliff in 2013 having worked in retail for many years and has really enjoyed the variety that reception work offers, whilst having client care with a friendly, sympathetic and caring approach very much to the fore. A very calm and reassuring approach has often been commented on by grateful clients.
Back at home a lively jack russell “Dylan” is a real companion but still allows Carol to continue to enjoy gardening, craftwork and sewing.
Jackie Morris
Receptionist
HadleighClaire James
Receptionist
BranthamFiona Potter
Receptionist
HadleighFiona has been at Highcliff for 4 years after working in the insurance industry for 25years. Local to Hadleigh, Fiona has really enjoyed this career change and is fully involved in reception and office administration adding a real wealth of experience to the practice in customer service. Married with 2 children Fiona enjoys all aspects of a busy and active family life whilst still finding time for their pets a dog and a cat.
Clare Fountain
Receptionist
BranthamA more recent addition to the reception team at Brantham, Clare joined us in December 2014 after having had various jobs over the years, including being self employed . Always drawn to working with animals and their owners Clare has had 3 Dobermans for several years and in her spare time has custom made leather dog collars, which have been well received in Canada and the USA.
She is enjoying settling into all aspects of reception work and is particularly keen to sneak a cuddle with all the new puppies that arrive at the clinic. Away from work, Clare enjoys rock music and attending festivals. Last year she was flown to Paris in the Iron Maiden plane piloted by lead singer Bruce Dickinson.
Lynda Benton
Receptionist
HadleighLeanne Wyatt
Receptionist
BranthamKelly Worship
Receptionist
Brantham -
+ Qualified and Trainee Veterinary Nurses
Ruth Bernard ANA RVN
Registered Veterinary Nurse / Nurse Coordinator
HadleighRuth is our nurse co-ordinator at Hadleigh having started at Highcliff in 2002 working on reception . Over the years Ruth has worked to gain full nurse qualification ,RVN , achieving this whilst working within the practice. Ruth is particularly interested in anaesthesia, analgesia and surgical nursing and has helped introduce and develop the success of the K-Laser. Local to Hadleigh, Ruth has always been passionate about animals and currently has 4 Bengal cats and a lively Patterdale Terrier.
Alison Smith RVN
Registered Veterinary Nurse / Nurse Coordinator
Brantham
Another nurse driven by a keen desire to work in a veterinary practice from a very young age , Alison spent a total of 8 years working in all aspects of a local mixed practice before qualifying in 2011 . This grounding included working on reception, attending on large animal visits and being involved on the administration side. From there Alison spent time nursing in a busy orthopaedic referral practice but was drawn back to her real interest of nursing in a first opinion environment and so came the move to Highcliff in 2013. In patient care is a particular interest as is involvement in clinical coaching of student nurses.
Alison has now had her first baby, Lottie, and had to shelve her horse riding pursuits for the time being but is still occupied by looking after her 2 dogs , cat and husband, occasionally finding time for needlecraft and cooking.
Jo Matthews RVN
Registered Veterinary Nurse
HadleighJo qualified as a nurse in 1986 whilst working in her first practice in Diss, Norfolk. Jo joined the nurse team at Hadleigh in 2002 having gained extensive experience from working in 5 different practices including a spell at the prestigious AHT in Newmarket. Jo has developed a keen interest in the Cat Friendly Clinic status of our surgery, in particular geriatric patients.
Away from the clinic Jo’s time is fully occupied with her husband and 2 sons and her interests are in sailing, gardening, yoga, socialising , not forgetting her 2 cats.
Anna Walsh RVN
Registered Veterinary Nurse / Nurse Coordinator
BranthamVicky Betts RVN
Registered Veterinary Nurse
HadleighLeanne Pharo
Registered Veterinary Nurse
BranthamLeanne qualified in October 2013, having previously worked in a busy hospital practice in Southampton and prior to that in a small animal practice in Basingstoke. Leanne has really settled to the area and enjoys working at Brantham, being able to develop her real nursing interests of in patient care and starting to learn more about physiotherapy and rehabilitation nursing care. She has recently become a Clinical Coach to one of our trainee nurses. In her short time at Highcliff, Leanne has managed to acquire another cat to be a companion to the one she already has – a lovely Ragdoll – “Cal” and “Marco” named after famous racing motorcyclists. Motorbikes are a keen interest for Leanne and she is currently in the process of getting her full license.
Bethan Highland RVN
Registered Veterinary Nurse
HadleighStarting as a Saturday assistant whilst at school, Bethan was drawn to veterinary work from an early age and when given the opportunity to join the reception team upon leaving school in 2009 she jumped at the chance. From that time Bethan has been able to progress to follow her real goal , that of becoming a nurse . Moving over to the nurse team in 2013/2014, Bethan is now in her third year of three pursuing her RVN qualification . Kept in check by her mother both at home and at work, Bethan still helps her Mum look after the 3 horses they share but still remains the only person in the family who actually rides them
Sarah Kelly RVN
Registered Veterinary Nurse
BranthamHannah Stainer RVN
Registered Veterinary Nurse
HadleighMolly Richardson
Trainee Veterinary Nurse
Hadleigh
Yazmin Harper RVN
Registered Veterinary NurseBrantham
Jo Calvesbert
Trainee Veterinary Nurse
Phoebe Sanderson
Kennel Maid
Brantham
Kate Bell RVN
Registered Veterinary Nurse
BranthamKate qualified at Middlesex Univeristy in 2015 and after a short spell at a practice in Scotland, she moved back to her home area of North Essex. She joined Highcliff on the very week in which we started our 24 hour nursing service, quite a start in a new job! Kate is now one of the key group of nurses on the rota and has helped successfully maintain this new service. As well as enjoying her part of this nursing work she has a particualr interest in surgical and orthopaedic nursing.
Outside work, Kate is an accomplished saxophonist and plays the flute, for which she is studying her Diploma. She also likes swimming and walking as well as being leader in training with a local Guide Group.
Caroline Hayward
Trainee Veterinary Nurse
BranthamAnother graduate swayed by the pull of the veterinary world and animals , studying linguistics and Spanish may not seem the ideal preparation but Caroline has now found her true vocation. She has slowly got to know the practice having spent the last 2 years on work experience at Brantham whilst completing her Veterinary Care Assistant course . As with Elysia she has now progressed to the second year of RVN course and has no regrets at all. Having grown up surrounded by a few animals-up to 400 guinea pigs! rabbits, cats and dogs and even giant African land snails. At one point it is a wonder linguistics even featured.
Jess Heron RVN
Registered Veterinary Nurse
BranthamEmily Frost RVN
Registered Veterinary NurseBrantham
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+ Cleaning Staff
Janet Perry
Cleaner
HadleighJo Hall
Cleaner
BranthamJanet Webb
Cleaner
HadleighGill Lewis
Cleaner
Brantham