Job market information
Finding out about veterinary nursing and ancillary services
The veterinary nursing industry is part of the environmental and land‐based industries, represented by Lantra Sector Skills Council, which also includes the following industries: agricultural crops; agricultural livestock; animal care; animal technology; aquaculture; environmental conservation; equine; farriery; fencing; fisheries management; floristry; game and wildlife management; land‐based engineering; horticulture, landscape and sports turf; production horticulture; and trees and timber. The sector as a whole currently employs 1,126,000 people (approximately 4% of the UK workforce) in around 230,000 businesses. In addition, there are an estimated 500,000 volunteers working in the sector on a regular basis. Approximately 42% of the workforce is self‐employed.
Veterinary nurses work alongside Veterinary Surgeons in the care and treatment of animal patients, within veterinary surgeries or hospitals. They work with domestic and exotic animals, horses and farm animals. Veterinary nurses provide skilled supportive care for sick animals as well as undertaking minor surgery, monitoring during anaesthesia, medical treatments and diagnostic tests under veterinary supervision. Alternative treatments and therapies are becoming increasingly popular, so veterinary nurses need to extend their traditional skill base to cover these areas and nutritional management. Veterinary nurses also play an important role in the education of owners on good standards of animal care.
Key facts:
- There are approximately 7,783 registered veterinary nurses, there are also:
- Training to be a veterinary nurse usually takes at least two years
- Most students are female, white British, and between the ages of 25‐35 years.
- There are around 4,036 practices.
- The industry is dominated by female workers who account for 69% of all employees, rising to 98% for Veterinary Nurses.
- 64% of veterinary nurses are employed full‐time.
- 98.5% hold or are working towards a small animal qualification.
Jobs in the industry include: head nursing assistant, student veterinary nurse, senior veterinary nurse, nurse assessor, student nursing assistant.
Entry and progression
Veterinary nurses who qualified after 2007 are required to be registered on the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons’ (RCVS) Register of veterinary nurses. This is optional for those already qualified as a Veterinary Nurse. Nurses can train and register as either a small animal or equine veterinary nurse.
To enrol as a student veterinary nurse, entrants are required to be employed as a student veterinary nurse at an RCVS‐registered training practice (either small animal or equine) and have 5 GCSEs at grade C of above in English Language, Mathematics and one science subject. Alternatively, entrants will have passed the Animal Nursing Assistant qualification and Key Skills Level 2 in Application of Number and Communication, or a comparable or higher standard qualification may be accepted. A BSc Honours in Veterinary Nursing degree is also a route into the industry. Those over 21 years without formal qualifications can apply, but should be able to show high levels of ability and experience.
There are a range of industry endorsed courses (at undergraduate level), apprenticeships, training schemes and vocational qualifications.
For job specific entry requirements, take a look at our job profiles.
Workforce statistics
| Number of UK employees: |
39,577 employees in the industry with 7,783 registered veterinary nurses |
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| Number of UK employers: |
4,545 businesses, including 4,036 practices |
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| Gender: |
Industry – 31% male, 69% female |
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| Veterinary Nurses – 2% male, 98% female |
| Ethnicity: |
1% of veterinary nurses are from an ethnic minority group |
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| Age: |
56% of veterinary nurses are aged 20‐29 years |
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| 31% of veterinary nurses are 30‐39 years |
| 3% of the workforce has some form of work limited disability. |
[N.B. Data from RCVS, 2008 and 2009, SPVS, 2006, UK Veterinary Profession, 2006, Labour Force Survey 2006 and IDBR, 2008.]
Employment trends and future prospects
Veterinary nurses expect that the demand for nurses will increase over the next 10 years.
Although recruitment is not a particular issue for the industry, retention rates are low. The trend for higher level skills is also reflected in veterinary nursing with Higher National Diploma and BSc in Veterinary Nursing becoming increasingly popular.
Skill requirements and shortages
Current and future skills shortages in the industry are:
- Customer relations
- Essential skills (literacy, numeracy and communication)
- Planning and organisation
- Computing/IT
- Self‐improvement
- Supervisory skills
- Technical/job specific skills (anaesthetics, animal handling/management, operating machinery, tool/equipment operation)
Occupational trends
The industry does not have any particular recruitment difficulties as veterinary nursing is a popular choice for school leavers and career changers.
National and regional data
[N.B. The following estimates are for veterinary nurses, veterinary surgeons and ancillary services. Data derived from IDBR, 2008 and Labour Force Survey, 2008.]
East Midlands – There are an estimated 2,932 employees in the regional workforce, in around 275 businesses.
East of England – There are an estimated 4,326 employees in the regional workforce, in around 500 businesses.
London – There are an estimated 939 employees in the regional workforce, in around 360 businesses.
North East – There are an estimated 1,412 employees in the regional workforce, in around 145 businesses.
North West – There are an estimated 2,967 employees in the regional workforce in around 420 businesses.
South East – There are an estimated 7,555 employees in the regional workforce, in around 775 businesses.
South West – There are an estimated 4,093 employees in the regional workforce, in around 580 businesses.
West Midlands – There are an estimated 3,930 employees in the regional workforce, in around 355 businesses.
Yorkshire and the Humber – There are an estimated 3,419 employees in the regional workforce, in around 320 businesses.
Northern Ireland – There are an estimated 2,346 employees in the regional workforce, in around 145 businesses.
Scotland – There are an estimated 2,933 employees in the regional workforce, in around 415 businesses.
Wales – There are an estimated 2,726 employees in the regional workforce, in around 255 businesses.
Salary levels
Pay scales in this industry are variable, so the following only provides an indication of the average annual salary paid to some full‐time positions:
- Qualified veterinary nurse £16,635
- Degree veterinary nurse £15,838
- 1st Year Student £10,516
- 2nd Year Student £11,574
- ANA/VCA £10,609
- Other staff (including receptionists, office staff, practice managers) £13,934
Further information on salaries can be found on the British Veterinary Nursing Association website 
.
Career paths
Further sources
Produced Sept 2010, using Lantra AACS LMI report (Jun 2010)
