Bridge Referrals Veterinary Centre has come a long way since five vets came up with the concept of pooling their expertise to create a comprehensive veterinary referrals service while working in various freelance posts across the region. Now, just four years after opening its doors, the specialist practice is expanding again – investing in a new 24-hour emergency veterinary care facility – Emergency Vet Team (EVT) with the purchase of a £600,000 MRI scanner and new hydrotherapy centre as it prepares to grow its workforce to 130.
In a relatively short period of time, Bridge Referrals, based in Boldon Business Park, South Tyneside, has earned an incredible reputation for the highest levels of pet care and treatment. It is now carrying those high standards into a new venture: the creation of Emergency Veterinary Team (EVT), where pets of all shapes and sizes can access 24-hour emergency care.
In September 2026, Bridge took delivery of its new Siemens MRI scanner – the latest investment to further elevate the facility’s offering meaning pet owners can access advanced imaging and treatment faster, speeding up their treatment and improving outcomes. One of Bridge Referrals’ five founding directors, soft tissue surgeon Alison Kennair, explained that the practice’s rapid growth has been driven by a shared commitment to providing the highest standards of care for both patients and their owners.
“The investment in the MRI scanner is considerable, but also really exciting,” Alison said. “At the moment we have a mobile scanner that visits once a week and while it is great, we want to offer MRI every day of the week. If a pet is having seizures or other neurological signs, rapid diagnosis can be vital – the new scanner allows us to do that.”
Together with fellow directors Emma Mace, Jack Sillito, Darren Long, and Sarah Harrison, Alison helped establish Bridge Referrals with a clear vision: to create a high-quality referral centre that brings specialist expertise and advanced diagnostic and treatment facilities together under one roof, enabling more pets to access exceptional veterinary care.
Having all spent years crossing professional paths with each other while working in a multitude of North East vet practices, the directors knew each other well. An idle conversation during the COVID-19 pandemic became a genuine business idea and soon a shared ambition.
Alison added:
“This idea for an independently owned, clinical-led practice just grew and grew and the more we talked about it, the more we realised we could create something that would take us all out of the corporate world we were operating in and allow us to build a business that would have the most benefit for patients.”
Referral centres are advanced medical veterinary clinics where general practice vets send pets for specialised treatment, complex surgeries, or high-tech diagnostics. Bridge Referrals is one of only a few in the North East.
“Our growth has been rapid and I suppose a facility of this size is rare, but one of the reasons we chose Boldon Business Park was the space it offered for us to grow,” added Alison. “We were fortunate when the building directly next door to ours became available, which meant we could create EVT and even link the two buildings, for ease of patient and staff movement.
“However, we never set out to be the biggest. We are all driven by providing the best care and service we can. The fact we’ve grown so much is purely down to how successful we’ve been creating relationships with vets and helping patients over the past few years.”
Bridge specialises in planned and emergency surgery and veterinary referral care, with services spanning cardiology, diagnostic imaging, internal medicine, neurosurgery, oncology, ophthalmology, orthopaedic surgery, physiotherapy and soft tissue surgery. It also provides advice for referring vets, allowing them to discuss cases and seek support with matters including radiographs, CT scans and blood work.
The combination of specialist knowledge and accessibility has helped establish Bridge Referrals as an important resource for practices and pet owners alike.
Bridge Referrals’ latest expansion is set for completion in early November 2026.
The development will further enhance the hospital’s capabilities and improve access to specialist care through a range of new facilities and services, including:
- A dedicated Neurology Referral Service, creating a direct and streamlined pathway for the diagnosis and treatment of complex neurological conditions.
- A purpose-built Intensive Care Unit, providing enhanced support for critically ill patients, including a separate cat-only ICU designed to maintain the hospital’s ISFM Gold Cat Friendly Clinic standards.
- A dedicated Rehabilitation Suite, equipped with a hydrotherapy water treadmill to support recovery following surgery, trauma, and neurological conditions, further expanding the range of treatment and rehabilitation services available to patients.
EVT team lead, Sophie Rawlinson, has been recruited to oversee out of hours care at the new facility Sophie said:
“One of the main things that drew me to this role was the team’s desire to provide the highest possible standard of care while continuing to attract specialist veterinary talent…and the fact we all just love animals.
“Out of hours work is what I’m made for. It really puts you at the forefront of patient care and provides the opportunity to make an immediate difference. There is nothing that compares to the feeling of helping an animal and seeing their owners light up when you tell them their pet is going to be okay.”
The business began the year with just over 70 employees and now employs almost 100 people, with recruitment continuing at a rate of approximately two new hires each week. The company expects the workforce to grow to around 130 employees by early next year, creating opportunities across a wide range of roles, from administration and client care positions to veterinary, nursing, and veterinary support roles.
Darren Long, director who is from the North East added:
“We’re passionate about creating jobs in South Tyneside – this is our home, we love it here and we’re focused on hiring locally.
“Boldon puts us within easy reach of communities on both sides of the Tyne Tunnel, and within easy reach of County Durham, Gateshead and Sunderland. We’re in a great spot and there’s no reason why we can’t continue to grow and thrive in South Tyneside.”
The Boldon facility reflects Bridge Referrals’ commitment to sustainability. Earlier this year, solar panels were installed on site, complementing the facility’s use of 100% renewable electricity. The practice has also invested in heat pump technology to reduce energy consumption and further lower its carbon footprint, helping to minimise its environmental impact while continuing to deliver exceptional patient care.
For Bridge Referrals, the future is looking decidedly busy – and with four-legged patients at the heart of it, there are plenty of reasons to keep those tails wagging.
Councillor David Royal, lead member for Economic Growth, Regeneration and Investment for South Tyneside Council, which has supported Bridge Referrals throughout their journeysaid the business was a fantastic example of how firms can flourish in the borough.
“Bridge Referrals is an absolute triumph and has achieved so much in such a short period of time,” he said. “I’m delighted to see the team making such a successful home in Boldon.
“South Tyneside has a fantastic mix of businesses and the Council is focused on creating not just soft landings for companies coming to the borough, but also providing the support and guidance required to our current business community to help them thrive.
“I’d like to congratulate Bridge Referrals and EVT and thank them for choosing to base their brilliant businesses here in South Tyneside.”
For more information about the veterinary centre see: Bridge Referrals – Animal Veterinary Referrals in the North East
