Veterinary surgeons

Maria Potamopoulou DVM (Hons) CertAVP(SAS) MRCVS

Veterinary Surgeon

Maria qualified as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) with honours from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece in July 2015. Marias has completed a 16-month surgical internship at the soft tissue, orthopaedics and neurosurgery department of Fitzpatrick Referrals followed by a 12-month orthopaedic internship. Maria enjoys working as an Advanced Practitioner Surgeon at The Grove and values the team and the working environment.

She loves to play volleyball when back home in Greece and spending time reading, beach walks with friends and her tripod 10-year-old dog Zouzou.

Carrie Blyth MRCVS

Carrie graduated in veterinary science in 1999 from Sydney University and worked in mixed practice in rural Australia for a couple of years. She came over to the UK in 2001, working in many locations throughout the UK, including Northern Ireland and even spending eight years in mixed practice in Aberdeenshire where she met her English farming husband, Duncan. Together they have now settled down outside Fakenham with their two young children, two Akita cross dogs, chickens, guinea fowl and guinea pigs. Carrie’s veterinary interests include endocrine and skin disease but she also enjoys the challenge of different surgical cases. Outside work, Carrie enjoys spending time outdoors with her family, either walking/cycling with their dogs or working in the garden amongst the birds.

Michelle Beckert, vet at The Grove Veterinary Hospital and Clinics

Michelle Beckert BA BVetMed MRCVS

Michelle qualified in 2009 from the Royal Veterinary College in London, and after worked on the south coast of the UK before completing an internship at Dick White Referrals in Newmarket. During that time she fell in love with the North Norfolk coast and looked for a job where she could practice good medicine in the area - she was so pleased to have found The Grove! Her clinical interests are imaging, especially ultrasound and CT, and internal medicine. Outside work Michelle spends lots of time outdoors walking and kayaking with her partner and their Labrador, Bonzo.

Hayley Gould, vet at The Grove Veterinary Hospital and Clinics

Hayley Gould BSc BVetMed MRCVS BSAVA CertSAS (Dis)

Hayley graduated from the Royal Veterinary College, London in 2008 having completed degrees in both veterinary medicine and veterinary conservation medicine. Following graduation she spent three years working in mixed practice in Hampshire where she developed a keen interest in small animal surgery, as well as working with food producing, exotic and zoo animals. Following a year of travelling she moved to Norfolk with her husband and began working at The Grove in 2012. In 2015 she completed a postgraduate certificate in advanced small animal surgery with distinction, and is enjoying performing more advanced and challenging surgical procedures in both soft tissue and orthopaedics. Outside work she lives with her young daughter and vet husband, two cats and a scruffy Terrier.

Albert Jarocki MRCVS

Albert qualified as a Veterinary Surgeon in 2012 in Warsaw – Poland. His special interests include feline medicine, surgery and abdominal ultrasound. He is a dedicated cat lover and a happy father to his daughter and son. In his free time Albert and his family enjoy exploring the Norfolk coastline.

Sacha Rukaber BVMS GPCert(SAP) CertVA MRCVS

Sacha graduated from The University of Glasgow in 1994 and since then has gained post graduate certificates in general practice and veterinary anaesthesia, and is a RCVS advanced practitioner in veterinary anaesthesia. She has most recently completed a Masters level module in small animal musculoskeletal pain with Edinburgh University. Sacha also has training in acupuncture. She lives near Dereham with her husband and son. Their home is shared by Basil the Labrador and Soo Doh the cat, who rules the house, as well as a plethora of tropical fish. Sacha is a first degree black belt in the Korean martial art Kuk Sool Won. She also enjoys walking and cycling in the local countryside.

Shameena Sharja B.V.Sc & A.H, M.V.Sc (Surgery and Radiology) MRCVS

Veterinary Surgeon

After graduating from the University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences in Kerala, southern India, in 2012, Shameena gained experience in equine and small animal practices around the world before returning to India to undertake a Master's Degree in Surgery and Radiology at the University of Punjab. Her main interests are surgery and imaging and is soon to complete a post graduate qualification in small animal surgery.

Shameena is slowly exploring Norfolk and its countryside after joining the Grove in autumn 2020.

Josh Welland BSc BVetMed MRCVS

Josh Graduated from The Royal Veterinary College in July 2015 having completed degrees in both Veterinary Medicine and Bioveterinary Science. Initially he worked in a mixed practice in the East Midlands before focusing on small animals as a permanent then locum vet working across the east midlands and London. Josh has joined Grove to develop his interests in Surgery, ophthalmology and dentistry. He lives near Fakenham with his partner, who is also a vet, their Cocker Spaniel Wilbur and cat Marmaduke. In his spare time Josh enjoys outdoor pursuits like skiing, hiking and climbing as well as the more sedate pastimes of allotment gardening and beekeeping.