It's not just me that wants to start an independent vet practice! My good friend Ingrid also has taken the plunge this year already. She is a very experienced veterinary dermatologist and along with Bernie, the dermatology nurse she has worked with for the last 6 years, she has opened a brand new independent veterinary dermatology referral clinic in Northwich, Cheshire.
Skin issues make up around 40% of the cases we see in general practice and can be very frustrating for owners, pets and vets to deal with. I worked with Ingrid for a number of years and she has trained me well. One of the best things I learned from her is to send her the difficult cases early! 
If you are struggling with your pets skin then you can ask for referral to see a veterinary dermatologist. It can end up costing less than trial and error by general practitioners like me.
Take a look at Ingrid & Bernie's Website for the sorts of things they can deal with:

In my 30 years of working as a vet I had only done 2 weeks as a locum before leaving my job at Leonard Brothers in March this year. In fact for the last 20 years I have pretty much only worked at Leonard Brothers and always thought locum work sounded quite stressful and unfulfilling.
However, once I'd made the decision to start PHOENIX VET PRACTICE it was clear I was going to have to locum for a period while we found a site and got it pimped up.
So it has been a really pleasant surprise to find that I have really enjoyed it. All the practices I have had the pleasure of working at have made me feel so welcome and it's great to be reminded of how universal the passion for helping pets is across the coalface of our industry.
The other benefit of locum work is exploring the towns the practices are based in. I have spent the last month working in Newport, Shropshire and found some great lunch spots (big shout out to Bobby's cafe!). Unfortunately, my time in Newport is done (not my choice) so I am looking around for another place to lay my hat for a while....