Our Staff

VETS

Neil Hodson - Practice Principal

Qualifications: B VetMed MRCVS

I took over Spring Lodge, previously known as Hughes and Wicks in 1992. We continued to develop the surgeries since taking over and have evolved to a three-branch clinic with the main site in Witham gaining hospital status in 1998. My continued goal is to deliver the highest quality of veterinary medicine to our patients and to provide a team of professionals committed to excellence in animal care.

Outside of work most of my time is spent supporting my children in their various pursuits, their favourites at the moment being riding and rugby, which means I spend most of my spare time surrounded by mud!

KAT: Qualifications: B VetMed MRCVS

Area of interest: Veterinary Acupuncture

I have been qualified as a veterinary surgeon since 2000. I am currently undertaking a veterinary acupuncture certification ** Please see our services section for further information ** I also have a particular interest in small mammal medicine and surgery. I have a leopard gecko at home and one of my passions is snowboarding in which I recently managed to undertake my first proper jump!

James Sutton BVM&S MRCVS

Area of Interest - Surgery

I joined Spring Lodge in April 2008 after a year working as a locum, three weeks of which were spent at Spring Lodge. I am currently studying for a small animal surgery certificate, which involves me attending weekly lectures at Dick White Referrals, a specialist veterinary referral centre in Cambridgeshire.

When I have a spare moment I enjoy skiing and walking and training my two English Springer spaniels Jack and Coco.

Nicole Laws - Veterinary Surgeon

Area of interest: Critical care medicine

I came to spring Lodge in November 2007, having previously worked in a small 2 man practice in Hertfordshire. Moving to a busy hospital is certainly very different but it has allowed me to pursue my interest in emergency and critical care medicine, in which I hope to start a further certificate in next winter.

Outside of my busy work schedule I enjoy taking my stresses out on a muddy lacrosse pitch and I take full advantage of my Cineworld loyalty card! I can be found most Saturdays cheering on my partner’s highly successful football team.

Damian Strudwick: Veterinary Surgeon

Areas of Interest: Surgery

I graduated as a Veterinary Surgeon in 2003 and started working in a mixed animal practice for two years, before working and travelling around the world. I have since concentrated solely on small animals and with a particular interest in surgery. I enjoy both soft tissue and orthopaedic surgery and am enrolled on a Small Animal Surgery Certificate and in the middle of a two-year modular course in Surgery. In my spare time I keep fit by going to the gym, swimming and spoiling my eighteen-month-old Golden Retriever, Lana.

Nadine Smith: Veterinary Surgeon

Areas of Interest: Soft tissue surgery

I qualified as a Veterinary Surgeon in 2006 from University college of Dublin. I joined Spring Lodge in November 2008 after having worked in two other small animal practices. I enjoy soft tissue surgery and hope to make the most of the experienced team at Spring Lodge. I have two cats called Riff Raff and Magenta. They are eight months old and love climbing the curtains!

Portia Clayton: Veterinary Surgeon

Areas of Interest: Small animal Medicine

I qualified as a Veterinary Surgeon in 2003 from Cambridge University. I worked in the New Forest at a small animal practice, but after some time was keen to return to the area I grew up. I joined Spring Lodge in September 2008 and have enrolled on a Small Animal Medicine Certificate. I have two rescue animals, a Labrador called Ben he is thirteen years old and still loves his walks in meadows and cat called Ziggy who loves to hunt mice!

Melinda Lewis: Veterinary Surgeon

Areas of interest: Surgery

I qualified as a Veterinary Surgeon in June 1996 and worked in South Africa and the UK before joining Spring Lodge in 2007. I have a special interest in surgery and have completed a number of postgraduate courses to enhance my surgical skills. I spend my spare time with my young son, 2 cats, Bramble and Mysti and my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Molly.

Christina Diaz – Madronero - Veterinary Surgeon

I joined Spring Lodge in July 2009. Christina qualified as a Veterinary surgeon in Madrid in 2001 and came over to England on an exchange scholarship at Bristol veterinary school. I have a keen interest in Dermatology (skin disease) and would like to do further study in this area.

I have a beautiful black Labrador ‘Jess’ who is 6 years old and her favourite place to walk is in the woods.

PRACTICE MANAGER: Louise Freeland

Qualifications: Dip AVN (surg) DM
Areas of Interest:

I started my career at Spring Lodge as Head Veterinary Nurse. A few years after completing my surgical diploma I decided to branch into another field of Veterinary work and here I am! I would describe my role as having responsibility for anything and everything non-clinical and enjoy the variety of working in a veterinary practice, as no day is ever the same! Personally I have two children who keep me very busy and a one eyed cat called Colin.

OFFICE MANAGER : Jo-Anne Parsons

Qualifications: VN Cert Ed
Areas of Interest:

I started off my veterinary career by qualifying as a veterinary nurse in 1995. I have since worked as a head nurse and taught Veterinary Nursing at Writtle College before joining Spring Lodge in 2004.
I have two Irish Setters called Ellie & Eve and a Patterdale Terrier called Daisy. I also have two horses, Rubie & Daisy whom I regularly compete with.
I am a qualified Veterinary Nursing Assessor and Verifier and am passionate about promoting the Veterinary Nursing profession.

OUR NURSES

NICOLA Qualifications: VN Areas of Interest: Everything relating to nursing! I'm Nicola and am the Head Nurse at Spring Lodge. I have been working as a Veterinary Nurse for fourteen years but have been with Spring Lodge since 2000. I have two pets of my own, a 15-year-old domestic cat called Sid and a 9-year-old jack Russell cross called Tilly. I was brought up on a smallholding with a whole range of different animals from owls to horses. These surroundings only added fuel for my passion of animals and from an early age I knew that my future would always involve them. I have a particular interest in veterinary dentistry and in my spare time I enjoy walking with my dog, socialising with friends, reading and exercising.

WENDY Qualifications: Dip AVN (surg) Areas of Interest: Veterinary Nursing standards and training. I started my nursing career in a small animal first opinion practice where I qualified as a veterinary nurse in January 2000. Since then I have gained a vast amount of nursing experience including working within a cancer and critical care emergency referral clinic. I have been a member of the Spring Lodge team for two years now and as of April last year have held the Diploma in advanced surgical nursing. I have recently assumed the position of deputy head nurse and assist Nicola in various aspects of senior nursing. You will often see me at the front of house running nursing clinics and offering advice on the care of your pets. My other duties include setting up and running monthly promotions, nurse training and assisting in the day-to-day running of the Great Notley branch. Other interests include dog training and behaviour and I have recently begun running a puppy training class with Mary.

HEATHER Qualifications: VN Areas of Interest: Intensive Care Nursing My name is Heather. I have been working at Spring Lodge for seven years. I am a fully qualified Veterinary Nurse. My spare time is divided between looking after my horse, Florrie and my three pet sheep. I also help Nicola with the formal training of the trainee nurses.

TRACEY Qualifications: VN Areas of Interest: Physiotherapy Hi my name is Tracey I am a qualified veterinary' nurse and have been working at 'Spring Lodge now for over 5 years. I have a mad Springer spaniel called Bryn and a cat. I like intensive care nursing and I recently hand reared a 3 week old kitten whom I have adopted and named 'Mr Darcy'. I also enjoy riding and going to the gym

SAMANTHA Qualifications: Level 2 Veterinary Nursing Areas of Interest: Rabbits I have been working at Spring Lodge for just almost three years now. I am due to sit my final nursing exams soon. I love working with animals and one day would like to work with horses. I really enjoy working at Spring Lodge. I have a rabbit called Misty, a gerbil called Skippy and a budgie called Joey who I rehomed as he was a stray!

SOPHIE Qualifications: VN Areas of Interest: Preventative health care Hi I'm Sophie, I've been qualified for almost 4 years now. I started at Spring Lodge in August 2003 and I'm really enjoying working here. I have two horses, Wiffy and Blossom and Wiffy turns 28 this year! I have 12 guinea pigs and two cats, Bella and Abbey who I hand reared from 1 week old.

LAURA Qualifications: Veterinary Nurse Areas of Interest: Rabbits! Hi, I'm Laura, I am a qualified Veterinary Nurse having started off at Spring Lodge as a Saturday helper in 2000!! I have a keen interest in rabbits and have three at home, called Jimmy, Lilly and Bubba G. These were strays that were brought into the hospital that I ended up adopting.

VICI Qualifications: VN Areas of Interest: Surgical nursing Hi, my name is Vici. I joined Spring Lodge in October 2006. I have been nursing since 2001 and qualified as a veterinary nurse in August 2005. My favourite animals are those I have a special interest in, rabbits and cats. Personally I have a pet rabbit, Charlie and a hamster called Bree.

Student Veterinary Nurses

MARY

Qualifications: BSc (Hons)
Areas of Interest: Animal Behaviour

I joined the team in December 2005 after completing my degree in animal management. I have a special interest in dog training which I started in 1996 when I got my first dog Pirate. I have since rescued a Jack Russell whom I call Dizzee.

RECEPTIONISTS

JANET (Senior Receptionist) I have worked within Spring Lodge since 1985! The practice has changed dramatically since I started and it has been very satisfying to assist and be part of this change. I enjoy the varied nature of my job and especially enjoy forming a relationship with our clients some of whom I feel I have got to know very well over the last 20 years.

ANGELA I have worked at Spring Lodge since December 2005. Before starting here I was a dog groomer for 12 years, which I enjoyed very much. I enjoy reading, playing cards and of course socialising. I have a cat called pumpkin.

LEANNE Hi, I have been working as a veterinary receptionist for over 5 years and I joined Spring Lodge in November 2005. I am currently studying canine psychology and enjoy walking my Staffordshire bull terrier and occasionally like to go for a swim, but without my dog!!!

TERESA Hello my name is Teresa I have been working for Spring Lodge for over 6 years. I thoroughly enjoy my job as a receptionist. The job is varied with different things to do and we have a very happy relationship with most of our clients, which makes my job very relaxed and worthwhile.

Mandy To follow

JACQUI I have been with Spring Lodge since August 2004. Prior to this I was a retail manager but decided that I preferred working with animals, (they can bite but don't answer back!) In my spare time I enjoy travelling and socialising with friends.

BARBARA Hi, I have worked for Spring Lodge since October 2005. I am enjoying the opportunity to work within such an interesting and varied environment where no two days are ever the same. Over the years I have accumulated a menagerie of animals ranging from bantams to iguanas. I now share my home with two dogs, three cats and a husband, all of them rescued!

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