“Helping Pet owners of Mersea Island and surroundings to maintain the well being of their beloved family pet, through provision of veterinary care and education on responsible ownership.”

Ola Jankowska is the proud owner of Blackwater Vets and as well as being a vet, also has qualifications in business management and a keen interest in human as well as animal wellbeing.

During the height of the Covid pandemic the veterinary profession tried to cope with an increasing workload due to the number of people who acquired pets during lockdown, alongside working in more challenging conditions due to Covid restrictions. With the fallout from both Brexit and Covid, this has also triggered a recruitment crisis in the industry and a national shortage of vets.

Retaining her focus on wellbeing, Ola recognized that the recruitment crisis wasn’t going to go away and after two years is still running her practice without the support of a second vet.  Ola recognized the importance of focusing on team building and ensuring that she had the right people in her team.

Blackwater Vets is much more than a community vet practice and has a strong commitment to improving pet welfare through education as well as focusing on both physical and emotional wellbeing for pets. Ola ensures that her team embrace the practice culture and are committed to personal development as well as client education.

In terms of the day to day running of the practice this commitment means that the team feel empowered to share ideas and discuss ways in which the practice can keep developing. Time is regularly put aside for team meetings, and this involves inviting in outside facilitators.

For example, the practice recently discussed the findings of the PDSA Animal Wellbeing [PAW] Report 2022. Several welfare concerns were highlighted such as rabbits still living in isolation and in inadequate housing, the numbers of pets being acquired from abroad with the resulting importation of disease/parasite concerns as well as overall evidence of pets suffering from stress and anxiety.

The meeting enabled the team to discuss ways in which they could address some of these issues and how the practice can educate to improve welfare for the future, as well as offering support services to clients and their pets such as nurse clinics or educational articles in the local press or our practice website. Working alongside experts in integrative team coaching and development, the practice focuses on creating psychologically healthy, and resilient teams in an environment where the team can flourish. Ola is proud that she can support people that join her team in a unique way.

A career in an industry where it’s all about loving animals is inevitably hard for people at times and Blackwater Vets is very much about creating an inclusive environment built on kindness and respect.

The practice takes a strong stance on pet welfare and sees this as inextricably linked with team wellbeing. The practice is proud to have developed a community of clients who recognise the importance of taking the advice that their veterinary practice offers. The practice is clear that they will not compromise on pet wellbeing.

Ola also takes a unique approach to recruitment and ensures that the members of her team are carefully selected to ensure that they will benefit from being a part of this inclusive culture and her work in this area has been so successful that she recently presented [via video link] to colleagues at a Veterinary Conference [Vet Expo] In Sydney.

“The rewards from doing this are immense” says Ola. “Not only does it have a hugely positive impact on the wellbeing of the whole team, but it has an impact on everything the practice does with a focus on embracing a positive and proactive approach. When a pet comes into the practice, the practice aims to approach their healthcare from two angles, looking after their physical health but also looking after their mental wellbeing. The practice plans their time carefully to ensure that overall wellbeing for patients, clients and for the team is always considered”

Ola concludes, “We are never afraid to look carefully at what we do and change our protocols and procedures if it means that the result is positive. We are proud to see team building as an opportunity for everyone to have a voice and share an idea with the ultimate objective being to always improve and evolve the services and care that we offer.”

For more information on the practice see www.blackwatervets.co.uk or call 01206 384999