Practice News

Featured image for “2025 Christmas charity”16587:full16587:full

2025 Christmas charity

16 December 2025
Thank you to everyone who took part in our Christmas competition and helped make it such a success. Thanks to your incredible support, we raised over £250 for West Northumberland Food Bank. As well as a cash donation, we have also donated £300 worth of pet food. This will help support local individuals and families who may be facing difficult
Graham
Featured image for “Cris is retiring!”16576:full16576:full

Cris is retiring!

27 November 2025
After almost 20 years with Orchard House Vets, our much-loved team member Cris Paterson is retiring. Cris first joined us in February 2006, at a time when our Stocksfield surgery had only just opened its doors. Back then, the Stocksfield team had a small team of just one vet, a veterinary nurse, and a handful of colleagues based at Hexham.
Graham
Orchard House Veterinary Centre

Veterinary Marketing Awards 2025

4 March 2025
Back in December 2023, Graham, our finance and marketing manager, had a brilliant idea to raise money and food donations for the local foodbank while promoting local businesses. The initiative was a roaring success, raising over £1,500 in cash and food donations for the West Northumberland Foodbank. Fast forward to 2025 and he has won a Veterinary Marketing Awards In
Graham
Featured image for “Online booking”15368:full15368:full

Online booking

3 July 2024
Did you know that you are able to book your appointments online? Book an appointment anywhere, any day, any time. When you register for online booking, you create an online account and this online account enables you to see upcoming appointments, and any reminders due. You can also change your details, or your pets details at any time. We have
Graham
Featured image for “Independent vets – An honest and appreciative post”15303:full15303:full

Independent vets – An honest and appreciative post

17 May 2024
What does it mean to be an independent vets? To you, our clients and patients, but also to the team who work here? We delve deep into the world of being an independent vet practice.  From the highs and lows, to the good and bad. It is a hard-working and fast paced environment but the team that makes up your
Graham
Featured image for “Stocksfield news – Jill Crawford”14437:full14437:full

Stocksfield news – Jill Crawford

9 May 2024
Jill has decided to retire from Orchard House Vets after 21 years of outstanding service to the practice. We are all going to greatly miss her and words are not easy to come by when you have worked with such an incredible vet, and friend, over so many years. However, Tim has written a statement and so too has Jill.
Graham
Featured image for “Practice Standards Scheme – PSS vets”15192:full15192:full

Practice Standards Scheme – PSS vets

12 January 2024
RCVS Practice Standards Scheme The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS – our governing body) Practice Standards Scheme is a voluntary initiative to accredit veterinary practices in the UK.  Through setting standards and carrying out regular assessments, the PSS aims to promote and maintain the highest standards of veterinary care.  The RCVS says it ‘offers peace of mind to clients
Graham
Featured image for “Vet health plans”13683:full13683:full

Vet health plans

5 January 2024
Not all vet health plans are the same, so it is important to understand the value you get for your money. We have over 1,700 members in our vet health plan which is called the ‘Well Pet Club’. We regularly ask our clients why they are members of our vet health plan because we want to focus our time on
Graham
Orchard House Veterinary Centre

New RCVS under care regulations for vets

1 December 2023
We are writing to our clients because of new RCVS under care regulations for vets mean changes to the prescribing rules by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), the regulatory body for Veterinary surgeons in the UK. The RCVS has recently altered the ‘under care’ regulations for vets prescribing parasite treatment (i.e. treatment for worms, fleas and ticks) for patients.
Graham
Featured image for “Cat friendly vets”15144:full15144:full

Cat friendly vets

29 November 2023
Our Stocksfield surgery is a silver accredited ‘cat friendly vets’. We are very excited to let you know that our Stocksfield vet practice has recently been awarded ‘Cat Friendly vet’ Silver accreditation from ‘The International Society of Feline Medicine’ (ISFM).  This means that our team consider your cat’s well being and comfort during their visit as one of our main
Graham