Meet the team

Veterinary Surgeons

Sarah Wellstead - Clinical Director

Sarah has worked at HVC since 2006 and has a special interest in medicine particularly feline medicine and cardiology. She is also trained in veterinary acupuncture. Sarah has a very furry cat, Billy and a Springer Spaniel called Jade who has aspirations of becoming an agility champion. In her spare time Sarah enjoys hiking and mountain biking.

Rachel Booth - Deputy Clinical Director

Rachel has worked at Haygate since Jan 2006. She has a special interest in small animal medicine, especially ultrasonography and internal medicine. She has her own beloved pet, a little Jack Russell Terrier called Bailey, who she enjoys taking away with her for family caravan trips and beach walks - unfortunately a pet cat is out of the question in the house with this particular JRT!

Jemma Hedges

Jemma is based at our Madeley practice. Her interests lie in general practice, soft tissue surgery and feline medicine. She shares her house with 3 moggies, 2 mongrels, a husband and her son Logan!

Tamsin Learoyd-Hill

Tamsin has worked part time for Haygate since 2008. Her main interest is medicine, particularly endocrinology, geriatric medicine and behaviour. She also helps run our puppy parties. At home she has two very naughty dogs - Violet and Myrtle

Gemma Melville

Gemma has a special interest in surgery both soft tissue and orthopaedics. She is currently studying for the RCVS Advanced Certificate in Small Animal Surgery.

Gemma has a border collie called Mac and 2 lovely cats - Boris and Marty. In her free time she enjoys playing rugby.

Rory Paton

Rory is based at the Wellington practice. He has a special interest in surgery particularly orthopaedics and is at his happiest in the operating theatre. He is currently studying for the RCVS Advanced Certificate in Small Animal Surgery.

In his spare time he enjoys playing the piano and researching the latest gadgets!

Mark Phillips

Mark has been at HVC since 2008. His main interest is surgery including both soft tissue and orthopaedics. Mark has an ongoing battle at home to stop his cat Murphy catching the local wildlife!

Simon Shanklin

Simon has been a part of Haygate for over thirty years (5 separate decades!). He is based at the Madeley practice and has a special interest in general practice, internal medicine. ophthalmology, chickens and veterinary jurisprudence. In his free time he enjoys mountain biking - keep an eye on your dog on the Wrekin! He has 2 dogs (from Dog's Trust), two 15 year-old goldfish and 3 children , one of whom is now training to be a vet too.

Kirsty Thompson

Kirsty is based at the Muxton practice and has been working at Haygate since she graduated from Glasgow in 2009. Her special interests are in anaesthesia, pain relief and medicine. She has two lovely but troublesome cats; Hubble and Comet who rule her house completely! In her spare time she enjoys photography, relaxing with friends and attending a local astronomy group.

Stephen Thompson

Stephen qualified from the Royal Vet College in 1995 and has worked at Haygate since 2010. His main interest is Medicine, particularly gastroenterology, urology and endocrinology and he also performs acupuncture. He is currently studying for the RCVS Advanced Certificate in Small Animal Medicine. Stephen has three rescue dogs at home- two Jack Russell Terriers and a Springer Spaniel. He also has a very naughty horse who takes up most of his spare time.