28 | Taranaki: Taranaki Veterinary Centre T T Kim Newth Vets recognised for business excellence A large local employer, TVC has more than 33 vets and 52 support staff on the team. REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Taranaki Veterinary Centre (TVC) ended 2023 on a high note, having picked up three excellence awards for Employer of Choice, Service, and Health and Safety at the 2023 Taranaki Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards. “We entered these awards for the first time at the request of our staff so to have won ‘Employer of Choice’ has been very rewarding,” says Stephen Hopkinson, TVC’s Chief Executive. “We have focussed quite heavily on being a good employer – if you get ‘the people’ side of the equation right, then you get ‘service’ right too.” A key part of that people equation for TVC is providing generous annual leave and sick leave, enabling the team to achieve a good work-life balance. The centre has a dedicated staff well-being committee and an internal “school houses” system, adding to the vibrant workplace culture. “Our staff members are always getting together to make muffins or similar to raise money for a good cause as well. Whatever they raise is matched dollar for dollar by us as a business. We’ve made some sizeable donations and it’s all staff driven.” While Taranaki is not immune from the current economic downturn, Stephen says the region has much to recommend it as a place to live and work. “We’re relatively sparsely populated so it’s a slower pace of life but we also have an excellent city - New Plymouth – not too far away and strong dairy, oil and gas sectors.” A large local employer, TVC has more than 33 vets and 52 support staff on the team, providing full veterinary care services for both companion and farm animals including after-hours emergency care. “Our Manaia and Waverley clinics are dairy only, with the bulk of small animal services catered for in our Stratford and Hāwera clinics and they also offer full farm services. Pātea is mainly dairy focussed, with two days a week for small animal care.” Popular in Taranaki are TVC’s regular puppy preschool classes, run by the centre’s nursing team. Demand for other pet care services is also booming as a result of pet ownership surging through the Covid period. Stephen says their Hāwera clinic is currently being re- “We entered these awards for the first time at the request of our staff so to have won ‘Employer of Choice’ has been very rewarding.” built to accommodate this increased demand. “We’re doing a major renovation to extend our small animal facilities to keep up with the workload. We’re adding two more consulting rooms, another surgery and a dedicated dental area. We hope to be finished by the middle of 2024.” The dairy sector provides TVC’s main client base, with the centre being the primary source of vet care for some 450 farms. Each of those farms has at least three major consults every year, covering a milk quality review, annual antibiotic script (pre-calving) and an annual health plan. Whether it is for lame cows or various issues during calving or mating, TVC is always on hand to assist. A qualified nutritionist is also available to support farmers needing stock nutrition advice. “We have seen the benefits of that on farm for the past three years. We’ve had less and less milk fever calvings and other disease at calving time. Some of that is climate-related but I think a lot is down to preventive work on farm. Spring is no longer our busiest time of year. Outbreaks of calf scour are now almost non-existent. Doing the preventive work is definitely better for our clients in the long run.” Taranaki Vet Centre is one of the founding shareholder members of WelFarm, a nationwide and vet-verified on-farm wellbeing programme to monitor dairy herd health and wellbeing. “Eighty farms have signed up to that programme. As a country, it is no longer enough to say we have the best animal health in the world – global markets need to see the proof too.” ABC Group - Building on excellence since 1944 • Commercial and Indusrial Buildings • Residential Housing • Design and Build Projects • Education and Healthcare Facilities • Seismic Structural Re-strengthening • Project Management • Historical Building Restoration and Strengthening • Sub Division Development • Kitchen and Timber Joinery • Aluminium Joinery 06 278 5199 www.abcgroup.nz Proudly Supporting Taranaki Veterinary Centre 0800 48 2667 www.4ucs.co.nz info@4ucs.co.nz Managed IT & Support • Microsoft365 Cloud Phone Systems & Internet Cloud Computing & Cyber Security Next-Gen Ranger New Zealand Drives a Ranger Proud vehicle supplier to Taranaki Veterinary Centre
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