American thinking of working in London

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I hear that the pay is low in london for nurses. Although there is additional help aided by the government like house vouchers ect. I have always wanted to live in london. If I was to relocate to london I would come through a travel agency for nurses. Also I would do a temporary assignment no longer than 3 months. I was looking into one like O'Grady Peyton International travel agency. Would I be paid the salary of a regular UK citizen? Or would I still be treated as if I was an American nurse? Also this agency like others over gives excellent pay and benifits. The only thing is I don't know if this would the same for international travel or just for North America travel. Has anyone traveled through a agency from America to the UK?

Thanks a million!

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
I hear that the pay is low in london for nurses. Although there is additional help aided by the government like house vouchers ect. I have always wanted to live in london. If I was to relocate to london I would come through a travel agency for nurses. Also I would do a temporary assignment no longer than 3 months. I was looking into one like O'Grady Peyton International travel agency. Would I be paid the salary of a regular UK citizen? Or would I still be treated as if I was an American nurse? Also this agency like others over gives excellent pay and benifits. The only thing is I don't know if this would the same for international travel or just for North America travel. Has anyone traveled through a agency from America to the UK?

Thanks a million!

a few problems at the moment, NHS sufering a huge financial problem at the moment with job redundancies everywhere including nursing. Also very hard now to get a work permit as nursing as been taken off the short list in immigration and now hospitals have to employ UK the EU nurses before employing from else where in the world. The other problem is that you will have to go through the NMC and do a 20 day course before being issued with a PIN which will enable you to work as RN in the UK unfortuntately there isn't enough courses for everyone that is waiting as it has to be with a recognised uni.

This will have a impact on coming to the UK

hope this helps

Anna

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Specializes in Graduating in 2009.

Hi there,

I haven't yet started nursing school (I'm in the US), but had harbored fantasies of being able to work in the UK upon graduating. Looks like maybe my fantasies are over!

But what about advanced practice nurses? I will be in a Nurse Practitioner program (specializing in gerontology)... do you know if advanced practice nurses are still on the immigration short list? (Fingers crossed!)

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Hi there,

I haven't yet started nursing school (I'm in the US), but had harbored fantasies of being able to work in the UK upon graduating. Looks like maybe my fantasies are over!

But what about advanced practice nurses? I will be in a Nurse Practitioner program (specializing in gerontology)... do you know if advanced practice nurses are still on the immigration short list? (Fingers crossed!)

It is hard to say but would image you would come under 1 category of RN

Things may change so don't be put off with what I am saying it is just what is happening at the moment

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Specializes in Surgery, ICU, Emergency Care, NP.
Hi there,

I haven't yet started nursing school (I'm in the US), but had harbored fantasies of being able to work in the UK upon graduating. Looks like maybe my fantasies are over!

But what about advanced practice nurses? I will be in a Nurse Practitioner program (specializing in gerontology)... do you know if advanced practice nurses are still on the immigration short list? (Fingers crossed!)

Advanced practice over here is very different, the NMC does not yet register nurse practitioners seperately and therefore there are many variations of the role. Usually to get a job as an NP you would need to meet the specific requirements of that particular job, for example I ask for at least 5 years post qualification with experience in critical care and surgery. I also expect first degree level with the expectation to study at masters level. This would vary from post to post.

Hope this helps

M

x

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Also note that I'm a single male with no kids. I would only be living with myself with no other obligations. So would it still be hard to have a 1 bedroom flat in a nice area in london? Also with the cost of living being so high and it only being me living off my nurse income could it be manageable to live off?

Thanks guys for the advice!

Clevian

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Specializes in Mental Health.

To rent a 1 bedroom flat in London would cost $350 to $2,000 A WEEK, You MIGHT be able to get somewhere cheaper but that would mean living more in the suburbs.

And London is not a cheap place to live, although London Nurses get more pay than the rest of the country, they pay more for most thing too.

I think you need to try to get some more information from the 'travel agency for nurses' and perhaps google for some info

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Specializes in Surgical wards, Elderly Care.

I work in the Midlands in England and to be perfectly honest Nurses in London do not get paid that much more than the rest of the UK, and the extra they get is swallowed up very rapidly by the higher cost of living. From my point of view I couldnt afford to relocate to London myself even with the higher wages.

With that and the state of the NHS at the present time I dont know how you would fare. No harm in continuing to look into it though

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Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.
To rent a 1 bedroom flat in London would cost $350 to $2,000 A WEEK, You MIGHT be able to get somewhere cheaper but that would mean living more in the suburbs.

And London is not a cheap place to live, although London Nurses get more pay than the rest of the country, they pay more for most thing too.

I think you need to try to get some more information from the 'travel agency for nurses' and perhaps google for some info

I know Guy's and St Thomas's have live in accomodation around 300 pounds a month for their nurses.

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