Course tutor
Hannah Curwood graduated with the New Zealand National Certificate in Veterinary Nursing (Distinction) in 2001. She then worked in busy small animal practice in NZ and the UK as a Veterinary Nurse, progressing to become a Head Nurse, Practice Manager, Project Manager and General Manager/Co-Founder of The London Animal Hospital before starting her own veterinary leadership and management business, Curwood Consulting.
Hannah now works with veterinary leaders as they progress through their careers to provide training, workshops, 1:1 mentorship and support to clinicians who are moved into positions of managerial responsibility and are having to ‘learn the ropes’ on the job.
‘I believe my career path was somewhat typical. While I was brimming full of technical knowledge, it was difficult to obtain formal management or leadership training. Our profession is full of extremely dexterous, nimble and intelligent individuals and, while many of us successfully learn on the job, this ‘sink or swim’ mentality can cause great distress to those who suddenly find themselves in charge of a team and have to navigate a very steep learning curve alone.
Being a veterinary leader is one of the busiest jobs in the world. We are line managers, HR professionals, accountants, clinical auditors, performance coaches, marketing professionals, client liaison officers – the list goes on and on.
I know how stressful and lonely a position like this can be if support is not provided. It is my mission to create a culture of education and support for leaders in our industry that goes beyond KPI reviews and annual conferences. Ideally, I believe clinicians and other team members should be provided with specific training and guidance as they progress to Head Vet, Head Nurse, Head Receptionist or Practice Manager. Mentorship, education and the offer of constant support when things become rough, a sympathetic ear that fills the gap between ‘having a bad day’ and calling Vetlife can help to avoid common leadership pitfalls and reassure leaders that the journey can be arduous but is ultimately extremely rewarding.’
