Veterinary Nurses

Our Staff

Rachel Watson, RVN, Head Nurse

Rachel did her nurse training at Skeldale and we were very proud when she passed her examinations in 2015 to become one of our qualified veterinary nurses and later our head nurse. She runs our pet weight watchers clinics and loves the challenges that this presents. When not at work, Rachel loves her countryside pursuits including riding and training horses and working her numerous gun dogs, including her homebred red labrador Flick.

Zoe Laycock, RVN

Zoe started training to become a veterinary nurse at Askham Bryan College in 2014 and passed her veterinary nursing exams in 2016. Zoe is our "front of house" nurse and enjoys running nurse clinics including her favrouite, Confidence Classes. When she's not at Skeldale, Zoe enjoys running and is currently training for marathons. She has lots of animals at home: 2 Bull Terriers (Baz and Eddie), Mini Pin (Alice), Shire horse (Annie) and retired racehorse (Stanely), as well as several hens and ducks which she has hand reared from Skeldale.

Patient Care Assistants

Otherwise known as "PCAs," this is the first step on the ladder to becoming a student veterinary nurse. They work in all areas of the practice learning to core principles of veterinary nursing.

Fiona Cook

Joined the practice as a PCA in 2018.

Megan Stephenson, SVN

Megan did work experience at Skeldale for two years before starting her nursing course at Askham Bryan College in September 2017 and becoming an official trainee veterinary nurse at Skeldale. Megan enjoys walking her two dogs with her mum, Sam, who also works at Skeldale. She loves riding her horse Joules and most of her free time is spent with her, riding, training, and competing.

Shona Eckersley, RVN

Shona qualified in 2017 and joined the Skeldale team in 2019 after working in Stockton. Shona loves looking after patients, either in theatre, on wards, or in nurse clinics. She especially loves looking afer sick animals, and watching their personalities come through as they start to feel better and bond with her. Shona has a rescue Cavalier King Charles Spaniel called Oscar, who is quirking, but very loveable. Shona is also a keen gardener and likes walking Oscar all over the countryside.