Postive Pawprint Strategy

Here at Mill House Vets, we are committed to working in a way which has a positive impact on the planet and our community. This is why we have signed up to Independent Vet Cares positive pawprint strategy to help us achieve our goals. This means we are not only continuing to improve the care we offer animals every single day, but also improving the care we offer to each other; as colleagues and friends and to sustain our planet.

The positive pawprint strategy is built around 3 pillars – caring for patients, caring for people and caring for the planet.

Here are just some of the things we are already doing to reach our goals

❤️  Caring for People

• Monthly “Tea and Chocolate Biscuit Society” meetings where mental health resources can be discussed with the team. Also provides a valuable time for the team to “check-in” with each other.
• Redesigned our staff room to give more comfortable seating, games, arts and crafts and reading materials to help the team unwind
• Encouraging staff to show their gratitude to each other with angel box gifts and encouraging the gift giving to be paid forward!
• Mill House Vets actively supports Emma’s Hedgehog hotel by providing veterinary care to Hedgehogs in need. This local charity was founded and is run by our very own RVN Emma Pickering
• We have previously nominated Emma’s Hedgehog Hotel and the Norfolk Hospice to receive local community grants of £1000 to help improve our local community.

🌍 Caring for the Planet

• Our sewing bee stars Beth and Ash made reusable theatre caps for the entire team meaning we no longer rely on wasteful disposable ones.
• Introduced “Toilet Hippos” to all the toilets to reduce the amount of water used per flush.
• Our main reception toilet has been “twinned” which means we have joined a global initiative to provide sanitation to areas in need. For more information about this please visit www.toilettwinning.org
• Sterilising and reusing some of our tubing in theatre.
• Our lab deliveries come in recyclable packing so these are recycled.
• Reduced the number of times we receive stock deliveries to reduce the carbon footprint from delivery vans.
• Encouraging the team to use the washing line as much as possible instead of tumble dryers
• Our sterilisation bags can now be recycled
• We no longer use plastic bags in washing bin and now just wipe with disinfectant instead
• We re-use empty drip bags as foot covers for patients who have leg bandages.
• Our Lynncroft building has motion activated lighting which automatically turns off when there is no motion detected.

🐱🐶 Caring for Patients

• We have species specific waiting areas to help ease the stress of vet visits
• Many of our staff have undertaken fear free training to give them the skills and knowledge to help reduce stress for patients on their visits
• We have species specific kennels and wards which are separate to help reduce noise/stress
• RVN Liz is our appointed infection prevention lead
• We have clear guidelines on anti-microbial use
• Our staff undertake regular training in nutrition to keep up to date with the latest science.

Do you have any suggestions for how we can improve our sustainability? We would love to hear your ideas. Please send them to us on info@millhousevets.co.uk