Dr Jocelyn Birch Baker: 'The Intent is Good' - Team Culture & Values | High Street Vet Surgery - ep 1003

Julie South [00:00:04]:

What does a vet clinic look like? Where the intent is good is the first rule. 

Hi, I'm Julie south and you're listening to Veterinary Voices, the veterinary podcast that showcases vet clinics of choice. Over this High Street Vet Surgery series, you've learned about Dr. Joslyn's innovative technology and therapy 30 minute consult approach. Today we're going behind the scenes to explore the team culture, values and opportunity that could make High Street Vet Surgery your next career move. And guess what? They're looking for their next companion animal veterinarian. This is the High Street Vet series brought to you by Vet Clinic Jobs, the job board, Direct hiring, reimagined, no agency. Remember, both Dr.

Julie South [00:01:03]:
Jocelyn and I are both going to be at the Vet Expo in Melbourne on the 3rd and 4th of September if you want to chat in person. So please come up and say hi because I know I'd love to meet you and I can pretty much guarantee that Dr. Jocelyn would as well. Now let's continue on with Dr. Jocelyn. Where we pick up from last week, I want to wrap up with. I used it as guiding principles, team professionalism. I'm not sure if that's one or two.

Julie South [00:01:42]:
Integrity, empathy, relationships.

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:01:47]:
The five, five values. They're the five values. And then I've got a set of rules.

Julie South [00:01:51]:
Okay, can we talk about those plays?

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:01:55]:
So the values we built up from our team, we all got together and decided these were going to be our values. And then when things happen, or we talk about them all the time, but when things, particularly when things happen at the clinic that we're unsure of, where to go, what decision to make, we'll come back. And is this, is this what our team, is this beneficial to our team? Is it professional? Are we showing empathy? Are we showing integrity? And what is this doing with our relationship with each other, with our client, with the clinic, basically, so we use those at that level so people can get their head around decisions, I guess, that need to be made. The rules, because I'm a mother, we have rules. Otherwise children go all over the place and make up their own. And the intent is good. That is my first rule, because I do believe people want to do the right thing, particularly in our profession. People want to look after animals.

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:02:50]:
They really, really do. And, you know, they want to look after animals. But we're very clinical scientific, so we look after animals in that area. We don't dress them up and do all that sort of stuff. But. And some people do. That's how they show their love for their animals. Their intent is good.

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:03:07]:
But we, we live in this scientific kind of world, so our intent is good. We want to heal animals the best way we can and work together and rely on each other as a team, trust each other, share each other's gifts. So that I'm not good at something, someone else can do that for me. That's just brilliant. No disrespect. And that's. That's challenging because if people get a bit tired, they can get a bit snippy, you can get offended and that can develop into a bit more and a bit more and that's. That happens everywhere and it's, it's hard to deal with.

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:03:42]:
So we try and come back from that quickly. No swearing. I just, Just don't like that. It just develops into a bit of nastiness, no blame policy. That's a really, really important one for us. If something goes wrong, let's look at why it went wrong and try and resolve that and make sure it doesn't happen again. And in that, you know, if it's. It's something happened and the client's involved, we really need to connect with the client and help them understand what went wrong, why it went wrong and how we're going to try and make sure it doesn't happen ever again and try and resolve that.

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:04:20]:
Because that's a tough one. Our last one was just basically book patients in, don't try and solve their problems over the phone. Book them in so that we can, we can actually look after them really well.

Julie South [00:04:31]:
How do you start your days? Do you have a team huddle or what's the patient handover process like? How does that work?

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:04:42]:
Yeah, we always. The nurses come in in the morning and start hospital rounds, start taking them out for. Out the back, we've got a lovely area for them to have a wee and walk around if they're able, and look at how they go and do their TPRs, check them over and then the vets come in, have a chat, start their medications if they need, have a meeting. And through that meeting we've got a list of things that we go through. Do we have specialist reports? Do we have any euthanasias or pupp that are coming through for the day? Has everybody replied that they're coming for the appointments? We have a little gratitude at the end of that. And that's always exciting because you often hear what's going on in someone's life. Amazing things. Yeah.

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:05:29]:
Like someone's son learned Chinese and is going off to teach English in China. And just beautiful stories come from that. So that's really nice. And then off we go and see our clients, finish our hospitals, phone, phone our clients and on with the day. But it gets you a structure for the day so you know which nurse is going to be with you, who's doing the surgery. But we sort of have that planned a bit before. Some days will be Virginia surgery day. I have a Tuesdays vaccination day.

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:06:01]:
We do all as many vaccinations as we can. We put in a Tuesday so we know what's going on and the nurses have time to do other things on that Tuesday. They're not trying to do surgeries as well. So we, we try and have things very well organised. But yeah, the morning meeting's just, just great. Yeah, just settle in with each other, see how we're feeling.

Julie South [00:06:20]:
We have something very similar which I picked up from a vet conference years and years ago. And on our team, we go around the team and say how we are on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 is we are full of beans and 1 is we're not, we're empty. There's no obligation to justify or explain where you are on that scale, but what it does is it gives the rest of us the cognizance in the space to, if needed, handle that person with a bit more care and a bit more gentle gloves that day.

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:07:06]:
It's beautiful, isn't it?

Julie South [00:07:08]:
Yeah. And then we also go around and say one thing that we are grateful for, for that day. And the reason I started doing that is because it actually, it's part of developing resilience when you can stop and look at what is actually good in your life, even if it's just that, you know, I got the washing dry on the line yesterday. I'm pleased for that or whatever it is, you know, it's. It's good, it's.

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:07:44]:
It's so important, isn't it, Julie? Because let's go back to when we discuss how stressful and hard our veterinary profession is. It's because sometimes we get on a little track and keep going down that. And we've got to plan of that, come back out of that and start looking at the wonderful parts of our profession, our industry, the things that we're grateful like that we're so grateful that people bring their animals to us for us to heal. We're grateful that yet the washing is dried on the line today. We're grateful that our equipment works and, you know, we're grateful that this blood picture shows that this animal is healed. We're grateful that this owner has sent us flowers. You know, so many beautiful things happen every single day and we've really got to think about those things and not let the disappointments chew us up, like. No, let them go.

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:08:37]:
Just. Yeah, one thing a day and then there's two things and it just. It just will grow, won't it? It's just wonderful. Thank you. Thanks for sharing that.

Julie South [00:08:47]:
I have pretty much asked every question that I can think of. I would now like you to share because you're looking for a companion animal vet. I'd like you to share the sort of person that you think would fit best in your team. What sort of person do. It sounds to me that they need to be open and positive and love the profession. But life according to Jocelyn. Who are you looking for? What sort of person would best fit?

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:09:23]:
Yeah, I guess you always look for a person that's similar to you, but then you think, now they have to have some other ways about them to complement what we've got. So that's a tricky one, isn't it? But they still need to really fit with our values and our ethos, which is doing the best we can for our patients and their owners and be part of the community. So someone who is dedicated, wants to do their very best and actually get better. Better at doing their very best and kind, open sense of humour, because, you know, you gotta laugh at something, something's really funny, and not get too hung up on things. But, you know, that happens as you go through life. You realise you don't get too hung up on things. Yeah. Someone who would like to get better at things, who would like to learn more in depth things.

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:10:23]:
Virginia and I are on a bit of a track. We'd like to use the ultrasound. So someone who would like to do more of that, particularly cardiac echocardiography, we'd like to delve into that field a bit because we don't have someone up here in this northern area who can do that. And that's what we're finding with Virginia doing eyes and with another clinic doing orthopaedics. If we could do more of the cardiac workups, that sort of thing. I think what I'd really like is maybe the regional areas start developing their own higher level in each clinic so that we can look after animals to a higher level without having to send them away to Brisbane. But when they do need to go, they need to go. Someone with an interest in anything really, in dental, in cardiac ultrasound, if they're interested in more in surgery, you could do more in Surgery, but happy to work with us day to day doing routine stuff and then developing an interest in some other area, which I think would.

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:11:30]:
I mean, it's exciting for a person to follow their career dreams, follow what their career wants, and I think we give them an opportunity to do that. You don't. You're not just going to be selling worm tablets at our place. There's. There's lots of new things that come in. So, yeah, take a breath, tell us.

Julie South [00:11:48]:
Communicate.

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:11:49]:
That's. That's really important. Communicate. If you're. If you're feeling overwhelmed, if you don't want to do something like some people really struggle with euthanasias, you tell us. You say, look, I'm done. That's it for the day, that's it for the week, then that's fine. You need to tell us.

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:12:04]:
So communication back and forth is really, really important. And show us your gifts and we'll help you with them. Work with us and High street will just blossom and bloom more. It'll be great.

Julie South [00:12:15]:
I like how you refer to people having gifts and talking about that and just changing tack ever so slightly. You're speaking at Vet Expo in Melbourne in September, is that correct?

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:12:31]:
Yes.

Julie South [00:12:32]:
Okay.

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:12:33]:
You're going to be there.

Julie South [00:12:33]:
I am. I'm speaking as well, yes. So tell me, what are you speaking on and where can people find you? Because this episode will go out before then and it would be absolutely fantastic if. If you got to speak to a potential employee there. So what are you talking on? Where will you be?

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:12:57]:
I will be talking at a. A three of us speaking about women in ownership. Women owning practises.

Julie South [00:13:05]:
So you're in the business. The business path is the business track.

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:13:10]:
Yeah, yeah. Experiences within ownership of a practise and becoming an owner in the practise. And also they've asked me to be a judge for the pitch. Did you that. I went. I went and watched last time and it was just amazing.

Julie South [00:13:30]:
Wow.

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:13:30]:
These. Well, mostly young people, but people have these ideas and they're pulling them together and they've got finance, they've got whatever, but they're pulling together. They just need another little leg up. And they put the pitch to us and I'm going to be a judge this year. I'm so excited. There's some sort of prizes for them at the end of the thing. But, you know, last time there was a lady who. She has a.

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:13:58]:
She's an oncologist, cancer veterinarian, and she has these kits. So if you've got a cancer patient, you can Call her up and say, can I have a kit? I've got this cancer patient. These are the things the specialists have recommended. Or she, I think, can recommend different things and she'll send you the kit. It's just brilliant because we might have one of those soon. So chemotherapy is another thing that we do. Some of these amazing ideas just pop up and they're going to take our industry forward. You know, they just.

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:14:28]:
Just looking for. Not. They're not looking. Some looking for money, some looking for support, some looking for some more tech help. It's. Yeah. So that's where I'll be as well. As well as.

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:14:38]:
Yeah. With the. Starting your own practise or building your own practise. Building your practise.

Julie South [00:14:43]:
Brilliant management stuff. Yeah, yeah, I'm.

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:14:45]:
Where are you going to be, Julie?

Julie South [00:14:46]:
I'm speaking in the tech section and the tech stream on the vet clinic jobs platform and recruitment marketing from, like an employer brand marketing perspective. And I've also been asked to chair the whole first day of that stream, so making sure. I'm actually a bit stressed about it. It's keeping everybody on track, you know, making sure that that day runs to time without me getting all bossy, which is what I want to do when it comes to timekeeping.

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:15:27]:
Yeah, you might have to. That's all right. That's all right. Yeah, yeah. People will listen. They'll be grand. They'll want to get it on time too. Their intent is good too, Julie.

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:15:37]:
Yes.

Julie South [00:15:37]:
Thank you for reminding me that. Yeah, yeah. So you and I are going to catch up. I don't know when that's going to be. It's not going to be during the first day, but, yeah, we will catch up.

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:15:46]:
No, no, no. Yeah, yeah, we'll have a great time. It'll be great. So good to catch up with you. Thank you so much for everything.

Julie South [00:15:53]:
Before I stop record, is there anything else that you specifically want to say about your clinic, about the job, that I haven't asked?

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:16:04]:
I don't know, Julie, because you've put it out there so beautifully and explains so much about our clinic and where we are and who we are and what we do. We have had people come to us and spend a bit of time with us before we make a decision. Sometimes that's gone well and sometimes it.

Julie South [00:16:26]:
Hasn'T, which means it's gone well. If it hasn't gone well, big yours. If it hasn't gone well, that means it's been good because it hasn't gone well. So you know in advance.

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:16:39]:
Right, yeah, yeah. We know not to get that person. Yeah. I don't know if I'd pay for it in the future or whether I'd expect them to pay part of it. So the last time the vet nurse that came up, I paid his accommodation and he paid his way up and he stayed two weeks and he is brilliant and he's come back and stayed on. So I'm happy to have them up for a week and we'll work out how to finance that.

Julie South [00:17:07]:
Yeah, that's great because usually a day, come stay with us, come check us out for a day. So a week, it's real life, real time.

Jocelyn Birch Baker [00:17:20]:
Yeah, yeah. Well, everyone can be nice for a day, can't they?

Julie South [00:17:23]:
Yeah, yeah. Or put on their best behaviour. Yeah. This is the third episode in our High Street Vet Surgery series. Listen out for the next episodes where I catch up with a few of the team at High Street Vets so you can hear what they think. If Dr. Joslin's combination of innovation, clinical excellence and values driven culture speaks to you, head on over to vetclinicjobs.com High Street Vet Surgery street as in St Street. To learn more about joining Dr.

Julie South [00:18:05]:
Jocelyn's team in Rockhampton in Queensland, Australia. I'll put links to that in the show notes. Another big thank you to Vet clinic jobs. The job board direct hiring reimagined no agency. When leaders truly listen to their teams and create the space for everyone to grow like Dr. Jocelyn does at High Street Vets, amazing workplaces happen. This is Julie south signing off until next time, inviting you to go out there and be your most fantabulous self because you work with a team like Dr. Jocelyn's at high Street Vets.