Aussie Nurse Moving to London

Silverdragon102, BSN · Jun 6, 2006

I was hoping someone out there might be able to give me some advise about nursing in the UK. My Husband and I are packing up and moving to London in Jan 2007. He is an Accountant and I work in IVF. Could anyone fill me in on pay rates for level E temp nurses and recruitment agencies? Also where is a nice place for Aussies to live in London?

Hi and welcome

These websites may help on determine payscales although grades aren't generally used now but bands

http://www.nhsemployers.org/pay-conditions/pay-conditions-217.cfm

http://www.nursingtimes.net

not sure about jobs in London but beware of hospitals suffering financial difficulties and may not be using agency nursing much.

Have you got sorted with NMC and your PIN as without it you won't be able to work?

London is very expensive to live and you do get a bit extra if employed by a hospital but not sure if same applies if with an agency.

macca81 · Jun 7, 2006

Thanks for the links, at least it might give me a bit more of an idea.

I'm pretty much sorted out with the NMC, although the new system that has been put into place for overseas nurses is an absolute pain. I have completed all the lead up paper work, sat my english exam and received the decision letter back. All that is left, is to complete the 20 day compulsary Overseas Nurses Program once I arrive (if I can find a placement). I think the amount of Australian/NZ nurses coming to the UK to work will dramatically reduce with these new plans. I understand they need to get us up to speed with health care legislation in the UK etc, but the whole process is so expensive!!!!

Silverdragon102, BSN · Jun 7, 2006

Thanks for the links, at least it might give me a bit more of an idea.
I'm pretty much sorted out with the NMC, although the new system that has been put into place for overseas nurses is an absolute pain. I have completed all the lead up paper work, sat my english exam and received the decision letter back. All that is left, is to complete the 20 day compulsary Overseas Nurses Program once I arrive (if I can find a placement). I think the amount of Australian/NZ nurses coming to the UK to work will dramatically reduce with these new plans. I understand they need to get us up to speed with health care legislation in the UK etc, but the whole process is so expensive!!!!

I think it is amazing that coming from a english speaking country that you have to sit an english exam and that getting onto the 20 day ONP is a bit of a shamble I bet the NMC hadn't counted on such delays and obsticles on getting foreign nurses into the UK. This is certainley putting others off

good luck

macca81 · Jun 7, 2006

Thanks, I've done the hard part. Hopefully the rest wont be too difficult!

kiwideb · Nov 3, 2006

hi macca, i'm from nz and arrived in june, it was sheer luck that when i applied to the nmc i got in a day early and avoided doing the ONP. i know a couple of other girls who have done it, and it's a real pain in the ass but has to be done to work as an RN unfortunately!

Unsure how successful you'l be in getting a onp placement in ivf.... geneva health do permanent placements tho and as there's too many nurses for jobs at the moment their is fierce competition almost to get into some jobs.... i do see ivf jobs advertised tho... also check out gumtree.com under nursing jobs... pay for E (from what i know so don't quote me! ranges from £23-28/yr, depending on experience etc. bit of a drop from couple years ago which isn't that great as living costs have def risen. lucky your bby an accountant as he'l get paid well!

good luck :)

RGN1 · Nov 3, 2006

Just for info they put in the English language thing because there was nothing to stop EU nurses coming over & working when they didn't speak a stroke of English. they weren't allowed by Euro law to just test those nurses so decided the only way around it was to make it a blanket test for everyone!! However, last I heard the EU was still complaining about it!!

As far as IVF goes my hospital has the 4th best unit in the country but there are no positions available in just IVF at the moment. You will probably have to look at smaller units like mine - which is housed within a Private Hospital. You may find you have to take up a general nursing post in that hospital & then move back into to just IVF if the chance arises. Having said that, even though I'm a general mnurse on the ward I can pretty much guarantee that I will nurse at least 1 IVF patient per shift & sometimes we open a whole floor up just for IVF, if the numbers are particulalrly high on a day. So I hope you find something in the end to suit you.

I also believe there are problems with finding placements at the moment but I wish you the very best of luck! Hope you've packed plenty of warm stuff - it's starting to get very cold here now!!