One nurses experience of moving to the United Kingdom
Over the years Geneva Health have helped hundreds of health professionals make the move to a new country. We endeavour to help people get settled in their new environment not only by providing them with a job opportunity (we all need that security of an income) but also by providing plenty of information about their destination.
In fact you can read all about moving to the UK, in the Living and Working in the UK
section of our website. However, sometimes it is quite nice to
hear from someone who is experiencing the great overseas adventure.
Below Susan an Australian Nurse, talks to us about her experiences
of moving to the UK.
Susan Brown, Geneva Agency Nurse
1. Why did you decide to move to the UK?
When I was twenty I went on a European tour, which included the
UK, and I always wanted to come back. And it's a great place to
travel from and earn some pounds.
2. Where did you come from and what has changed in your
life since moving to London?
From Sydney. Socially London is better, and they're a lot more
opportunities to travel. I'm in a great house and have made some
great friends. Though I miss the Australian weather.
3. Apart from the weather, is there anything that has
made the transition difficult?
The registration process was tricky [with the NMC], as I had to go
on a specialised ONP [Overseas Nursing Programme] course
in Manchester due to my university not including clinical practice
in certain areas.
4. What do you like about living in
London?
The lifestyle: the pubs and the nightlife in general. The clothes
shopping!
It's a big city but people are friendly. People complain about the
living conditions but I live in a much bigger house than I did in
Sydney.
5. What type of work have you done since you moved to
London?
When I was an HCA, district. Since I have been Agency Nursing
mostly A & E. The work is very different than in Australia.
6. How is it different?
Even though I worked in a busy hospital in Sydney, you see
different things in A & E here. People are often more acute
here, and you see more tropical diseases as people travel in from
Africa. You also work with and treat people from a wider range of
cultures. The hospitals are also structured slightly different;
there is more hierarchy and a lot more movement up and
possibilities to develop your career. Higher Nursing roles are not
as developed in Australia as they are here. Having worked in the
NHS, in the A & E I think I will be very employable when I go
home.
7. Do you have any tips for other Healthcare
professionals thinking of moving to the UK?
The flexibility of agency work is great, if I want I
could go to Paris next week. However there is going to be days when
you want work, and you cannot get it.
Allow a year to get registered and get it all sorted before you
leave Australia!