Meet the Team

a Andrew received his undergraduate veterinary training at University College Dublin in 1986 and then completed his thesis entitled “Behaviour Problems in the Domestic Dog” at Cambridge University. He has a keen interest in internal medicine especially the fields of oncology and clinical haematology and obtained Certificate in Small Animal Medicine in 2000. Andrew leads the Internal Medicine service at the Abington surgery, accepting referrals in cardiology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, oncology and nephrology and also runs the CT and MRI scanning service at the Moulton surgery. Outside of work Andrew enjoys gardening, reading and walking. Age and injury have intervened in his sports but he remains a keen Munster and Ireland rugby supporter.

a Jeremy qualified from Bristol Veterinary School in 1999 and gained his certificate in small animal surgery in 2004. He is one of four partners of the Abington Park Veterinary Surgery. Jeremy leads the soft tissue and orthopaedic surgery team and has particular interests in arthroscopy of the elbow, shoulder and stifle (assessment and treatment of joints via key hole surgery with a camera) and treatment of cranial cruciate ligament injury in the dog. He enjoys complex fracture repair and management of the trauma patient, wound repair and reconstructive surgery. He has a strong interest in the management and treatment of hip dysplasia and hip replacement surgery, and treatment of growth deformity with use of external and circular fixators. His spare time is spent with his family and the outdoors with the odd game of golf.

a Nigel qualified from Cambridge University in 1979 and is one of the founder partners of the Abington Park Surgery. He gained his certificate in small animal dermatology in 1987 and continues to show a keen interest in this as well as all other aspects of veterinary medicine, including soft tissue surgery. In his spare time he plays the cello and is an enthusiastic gardener.

a Zena has been with the practice for ten years and seen many changes within that time. Her previous background was mainly in accounts, payroll and IT and she plays a large part in the general running and maintenance of all three practices. In her spare time she loves spending time with the grandchildren, reading, walking and playing golf.

a Mandie joined the team in October 2010 as HR administrator. She has gained her HR knowledge and experience within the distribution and retail sectors. Mandie’s key responsibility is to support the team with all employment relation issues. In her spare time she enjoys walking her dog, gardening and interior design.

a Gemma has been nursing for 12 years, qualified for 9 years. Her interests are internal medicine and critical care nursing. One of her key roles is to ensure the nursing team are up to date with their professional development, which ensures they are working to the highest standard. In her spare time she enjoys socialising with family and friends, she has a serious passion for cooking and loves walking with her dog.

a Caroline graduated from the University of Liverpool in 2009. She worked for two years in mixed practice in Warwickshire before deciding to specialise in small animals. She joined the practice in September 2011 and is looking forward to developing her skills in medicine and surgery. Outside of work, Caroline enjoys socialising, sport and cooking

a Lisa qualified from the University of Bristol in 1998. She joined the practice in April 2010, having been in general practice around the UK and Australia prior to this. In 2008 she trained as a veterinary acupuncturist, and can offer this service to our clients, or those referred from other local practices. In her spare time she enjoys cake decorating, skiing and scuba diving and spending time with her Bengal cat Kimi.

a Hans qualified from the University of Pretoria in 2004 and has joined Abington Park Vets in August 2010. He has an interest in surgery & diagnostic imaging and will soon be enrolling in the Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice (Small Animal Surgery). In his spare time he enjoys reading and the occasional boating holiday.

a qualified as a vet from University College Dublin in 1986 and has worked in many types of small animal practice, working initially for the RSPCA and the PDSA and then several stints of locum work in private practice. She now works part time for the practice, mainly running the regular MRI and CT scanning sessions at the Moulton surgery, but also helping out with our advertising and website admin. She has two grown up daughters and spends her spare time gardening, cooking and tidying up after her husband Andrew.

a Riccardo Minelli, DVM MRCVS – Riccardo qualified in Turin University in 2002 and has worked there for a short time; since 2004 he’s been working full time as a Veterinary Surgeon, in Italy first and in UK since 2008. He joined the practice in January 2011. His main interests are Internal Medicine and Diagnostic Imaging (ultrasound in particular). He’s currently working towards the RCVS Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice – Small Animal Medicine. In his free time he enjoys walking in the countryside with his Golden Retriever Maya and playing videogames.

a Before working for APVS Samantha completed a National Diploma in Animal Care at college and went on to work in various animal based jobs such as dog groomer and kennel assistant for a boarding and breeding kennel. She also worked for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association for 2 years where she completed a City & Guilds qualification. For the last 7 years Samantha has been a receptionist at APVS with the last 2 years at the Wellingborough road surgery as the Reception Manager.

a After working in the IT industry for over 10 years, Steph decided to change career paths and joined the practice in May 2011 as part of our  busy Reception Team as a dedicated Client Service Co-Ordinator.  Steph enjoys working in a more customer focussed environment  where  she can really make a difference. In her spare time Steph is a DIY enthusiast and likes to keep fit.

a Bron joined the practice as a part time receptionist in 2005 and became full time when Abington Park Vets acquired the Acorn Surgery in St James in 2007. Bron works mornings at the Acorn Surgery and afternoons at the Wellingborough Road Surgery. She has 2 dogs, 4 cats, over a hundred tropical fish and in her spare time enjoys gardening, computing and DIY.

a Emily has been with Abington Park Veterinary Group since 2008 and works as a receptionist, mainly at our Moulton surgery. She formerly worked as an archivist but is now enjoying her new role working with animals. She loves working with the friendly team here at Abington Park Veterinary Group and finds she is still learning new things every day. Outside of work Emily enjoys walking her energetic labrador and catching the latest cinema releases.