SPVS has a wealth of resources to support your veterinary practice start up journey
Starting a veterinary practice is an exciting and rewarding venture and having the right resources is essential for success. This page provides a comprehensive guide to the tools, tips, and support you need to build a thriving veterinary practice. Working with our partners, SPVS is able to draw on expertise from across the profession and across many business disciplines.
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Develop a Business Plan
A solid business plan will be the foundation of your practice. It outlines your vision, mission, target market, services, financial projections, and strategies.
Use this business planning guide from Shire Insurance and Finance Brokers to guide you through the process.
Financial Planning and Insurance
Securing funding is crucial for your startup. Consider loans, grants, and investors.
You can also get advice on appropriate insurance coverage, including liability, property, malpractice, and cover for employees Shire Insurance and Finance Brokers.
Legal and regulatory considerations
When setting up a veterinary practice in the UK, legal and regulatory considerations around property ownership or leasing, as well as shareholder agreements, are crucial. Clear arrangements regarding premises and well-drafted shareholder agreements help prevent disputes, ensure smooth business operations, and provide a solid foundation for future growth.
Members can access these FREE guides from our partners at Rubric Law.
Clinic setup and systems
Layout, equipment needs, and technology integration are all considerations. Systems will be needed for accounting purposes, bookkeeping, and payroll.
Our partners Hazlewoods have produced this comprehensive guide to starting a practice, which give some handy checklists as well as some useful considerations about tax, record keeping, and financial planning includes budgeting, cash flow management, and understanding your financial statements.
Hazlewoods also have a simple guide to understanding accounts.
Marketing Your Practice
In today’s digital age, a strong online presence is essential. Develop a professional website and engage with potential clients through social media platforms. Utilize SEO strategies to enhance your visibility online.
Listen to Naomi, Head of Marketing at PetsApp talk about marketing budgets to help you determine the right marketing spend for your new practice.
Recruitment and Professional Development
Recruiting and retaining a great practice team is vital to the long term success of the practice.
Get in touch with our partners at Vetted Recruitment for help with recruitment. They will help you work through all your staffing considerations and have designed a ready-to-use toolkit with templates for everything you need to keep you on track with recruitment (job adverts/descriptions, contracts, recruitment policy, performance reviews and more).
Look after your team by ensuring you are up to date with the latest Human Resources, Health and Safety and Employment Law regulations. Our partners Citation have a wealth of resources in this area – SPVS members can book a FREE call with them, or access a range of useful reference guides.
Our partners at Eight Legal have also produced these handy resources to help: An Induction checklist, Employment Contracts – top 10 do’s and don’ts, and Common HR pitfalls.
Investing in the team’s professional development not only enhances skills but also brings the team together. SPVS Congress is designed for the whole practice team and is a great way to network, grow as a leader and provide quality CPD for your team.
HR Helpline
Citation Guides
E-LEARNING HUB
We have some fantastic resources, specifically for start ups, on our Hub.
SPVS CONGRESS
Join us at Congress 2026 for more inspirational sessions on building your business!
DISCUSSION GROUP
Join our lively discussion forum where members can share ideas with others ask questions.
