Paragon Veterinary Group has created a new role to help support the expanding practice.
Jen Hewitt, previously executive assistant at Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, has joined as business operations lead.
Jen will work alongside Jacqui Dodds, practice personnel and client care lead and Suzanne McCamish, business finance lead.
“I’m joining what is already a very successful team in its own right, and I will be supporting them,” she said.
Paragon has small animal, farm, advanced breeding and equine divisions and four centres at Dalston, Newbiggin near Penrith and Wetheral. It recently completed a merger with Tarn Farm Vets at Shap – creating a farm vet team covering an area from Carlisle to Kendal.
In 2019, Paragon invested in the design and building of a new bespoke hospital wing at its Dalston centre.
Jen said: “I will be looking at things from an operational perspective and reviewing things like IT management systems, stock management and marketing and business strategy.
“It’s being proactive about business support. We are about clients and their animals, but a lot goes on in the background to run a successful business. It’s about futureproofing so you can be proactive about change and new opportunities.”
Jen was business support manager for Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust for six years and was also a call handler for Cumbria Health on Call.
She has previously had administrative roles with Saint Gobain Ltd and William Howard School in Brampton.
Bruce Richards, business director at Paragon Veterinary Group, said: “As our practice continues to grow our directors and management team have a growing need for operational and business support. So when the opportunity to employ Jen came along it made complete sense and we look forward to her support, contribution and experience in our business leadership team ”
Jen lives near Wigton with her husband Chris, their family and several pets.
