UK’s most northerly mainland vet practice and star of The Highland Vet celebrates its 60th anniversary
The UK’s most northerly veterinary practice on the mainland is celebrating its 60th anniversary year.
DS McGregor & Partners has operated in Thurso since 1965, when Donald McGregor took over an existing practice, before buying a second practice in 1983 in Wick following the retirement of the previous owner.
Today, DS McGregor & Partners boasts a 48-strong team of employees and provides pet, farm and equine veterinary services across a vast area spanning over a thousand square miles, right across the northern coast of Scotland to Loch Eriboll and south into Berriedale.
It is now gearing up for growth after completing work on a major £300,000 extension, less than two years after it became one of Scotland’s first employee-owned veterinary practices.
DS McGregor & Partners, which is well-known for its starring role in Channel 5 TV show, The Highland Vet, between 2020 and 2022, has now significantly expanded its Thurso practice after completing work on a large-scale extension to its existing purpose-built surgery.
The new wing of the building was part funded with a £75,000 grant from the Highlands and Islands Enterprise, and after reconfiguring the existing premises, it gives the practice a second state of the art operating theatre, a third consulting room and additional ward space, enabling it to treat even more local pets and wildlife.
Fiona Sutherland, a director and veterinary surgeon at DS McGregor & Partners, explained: “In 2022 we became one of the first veterinary practices in mainland Scotland to be employee-owned, after transferring into an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT). This safeguards our future as an independent practice.
“We already have a low staff turnover because people love living and working in the Highlands. Often people move to Caithness from other parts of the country and will spend their entire careers with us, because they don’t want to leave the beauty of northern Scotland or our practice! It also means our team genuinely get to know individual pet owners and farmers over the long-term, as well as their pets and animals, which is very beneficial.
“We’re currently recruiting for an experienced mixed veterinary surgeon in Wick, and we know there will be plenty of interest from people who want to be part of our EOT and live in a beautiful part of the world.
“We have also formed an EOT board, made up of five of our team across all levels who will sit on the panel for up to three years, and sit alongside our board of directors to keep the practice updated on ideas, issues, opportunities and potential initiatives, that can further improve what we do.”
Finally, Fiona added: “As we celebrate our 60th anniversary, the staff have been involved in all our latest developments, including the investment in our Thurso practice, the new website and the launch of the Highland Health Plan.
“Pet ownership spiked during the pandemic with lots of people becoming pet owners for the first time, as well as welcoming second and third cats and dogs into their homes. All this means demand for our services is higher than ever, but crucially we now have the foundations in place to ensure that we can continue treating local pets, farm animals and horses for the next 60 years and beyond.”