Dr Frost is an Advanced Practitioner in Small Animal Surgery and was one of the founding members of Swift Referrals, sold to IVC in 2020. He has also worked with some of the UK's top referral centres including Fitzpatrick Referrals and Wear Referrals. He has a particular interest in angular limb deformity, stifle surgery and small patient fracture repair. Established by surgeon Dr Alasdair Frost, Pennine Veterinary Referrals is an eco-friendly animal hospital that also provides teaching. The facility currently treats orthopaedic conditions and selected soft tissue and neurological cases in small animals (dogs and cats), referred by primary care practices. Pennine will eventually expand to offer a complete range of surgical and medical services to pet owners in Harrogate (a UK hotspot for dog ownership, with 7.4 dogs per 20 people i), Leeds, York and Yorkshire.
Although there are many primary care practices within a two-hour drive of Pennine Veterinary Referrals, there are only a few referral centres available, and not all of them provide comprehensive imaging services. Given the growing demand for specialist care – driven by increased pet ownership and record take-up of pet health insuranceii – access to high-quality diagnostic imaging is critical.
When selecting the new imaging equipment, Dr Frost consulted an orthopaedic surgeon and radiologist who regularly use scanners for human patients, concluding that MRI and CT scanners from Siemens Healthineers would be the top choice. The Siemens SOMATOM go. CT scanner, for instance, is easy to use and offers enhanced image quality. Dr Frost explains that, “The CT is useful for elbow scans, lameness workouts and acute abdomen cases, among other procedures. Clients love to see the 3D reconstructions created by the scanner. The MRI is mainly for neurological conditions.”
Of course, sophisticated imaging equipment comes at a cost. Dr Frost explains, “Pennine is self-funded, but the expense of large-ticket equipment would have been a significant burden, while also delaying more investment in the practice.” Leading veterinary imaging supplier, PLH Medical, introduced Pennine to Siemens Financial Services (SFS), the specialist financing arm of Siemens, for the acquisition of the CT scanner.
SFS suggested a Hire Purchase financing solution, where Pennine spreads the cost of purchase over time, making affordable monthly instalments over five years, then taking ownership of the asset at the end of the term. Dr Frost says, “I liaised with PLH and Sally-Anne Whybrow at SFS to agree on a financing solution that made the most sense for us and our cash flow.”
Since the centre opened, it has seen 3-4 new patients a day and 3-4 rechecks. Dr Frost’s vision is to draw from almost two decades of experience to build a supportive and pleasant environment, focusing on teaching and giving back to the pressurised veterinary community, as well as providing specialist referral services. The centre’s prices are fixed, ensuring
transparency even if complications require further surgery. The ‘eco-clinic’ is heated entirely through ground source heating, the electricity is 100% renewable, and it has installed solar panels. Alastair is also the founder of Veterinary Orthopaedics, which has been supplying the veterinary market with high quality instruments and implants since 2014.
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