White Oak Vets opens in new larger practice within Peterlee
New £1.1m site will offer more appointments and services to give the best care to local pets
White Oak Vets is opening its £1.1 million new practice tomorrow on the outskirts of Peterlee.
The practice is changing its name from White Lion Vets to White Oak Vets – to reflect the move from its current home at what was once the White Lion pub to its new position in the Oakerside area of Peterlee.
The surgery is being moved just over five miles from South Hetton to a new purpose-built 3,745 square foot building on Passfield Way Retail Park in the southwest of Peterlee.
The new property will enable the practice to increase the number of clients it serves and significantly expand the range of clinical services it offers to pets in the locality.
The modern building is all on one level and houses the latest veterinary facilities and equipment. Four consulting rooms are being installed to offer a greater number of appointments, along with two state-of-the-art operating theatres with the latest veterinary equipment. The site will also house a dental suite, digital x-ray facilities, in-house laboratory and isolation ward for very sick animals.
To keep stress to a minimum for patients, the practice will have a spacious reception area with separate waiting areas for cats and dogs, in addition to separate dog and cat hospital wards. New walk-in kennels are also being built for larger dog breeds alongside a purpose-built dog exercise area.
The new practice is prominently located in Passfield Way Retail Park which is on multiple public transport routes. It has its own separate entrance to provide easy access and ample parking for clients and animal patients. Full disabled access has also been built.
To staff the practice, two new vets are being recruited, who will collectively offer an increased range of veterinary services. Four veterinary nurses and two receptionists are part of the nine-strong team, who will look after the practice’s increased number of clients and their pets.
Lizzie Doherty, Head Veterinary Surgeon at White Oak Vets, said:
“This move is a fantastic time to change our practice name to highlight the progression and growth that this move brings, while still acknowledging the practice history that has been a part of our journey. The new site has a superb range of facilities and will mean that we’ll be able to look after many patients right here and will enable us to grow the number of patients we see."
After opening, the new White Oak Vets will host an Open Day for local pet owners to view the new facilities. Here they will be able to take a tour of the new practice, see behind the scenes and meet the veterinary team.