overseas nurses leaving the UK for better opportunities anywhere abroad

[angel Ann]

I knew that a lot of my fellow overseas nurses (now British citizens) are leaving the uk in two years time and I'm one of those who came here way back 2001.I thought of staying here as well for good but then i have been thinking if i should do the same.I love this country, and i can only say more positive than negative sides but I think things arent getting any better in terms of finances.I feel frustrated about the house prices, and i couldnt afford to buy a nice comfortable one for myself.From year 2001, a simple terraced house was only £37,000,but today, it costs between £80 thou to £120 thou.(which to me is quite ridiculous)The first mentioned is cheaper coz it needs a lot of renovation.It is a bit awkward to say but living on your own, with a car and shouldering all the cost of your house bills will make you walk emptypocket before your next payday.In more than 6 years here, my annual salary has only gone up to £10,000 by annual increment which is truly not enough unless i find a husband to share my bills with (joke!).or doubling my shift 16h a day or longer but giving more credits to the taxman at the end of the day.It not just the house prices but the council tax,etc..I have few friends who survive somehow but end up draining themselves by doing loads of extras at work.(offsick the following day ).I am working very hard,and I am giving some of my extra time to the NHS for free,working as a nurse in charge of a shift.I am making sure I can deliver the best possible care i can give to the patients..I received a lot of personal thanks form the patients and relatives for doing a grand job as they call it and i should be proud of it.but whatelse can the NHS offer me?.There must be something going on in our salaries and wages department for 3 consecutive months now,complaints from staff are coming.I tell you what, recently I got my payslip and i found out I was underpaid..lovely!

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

It is the same for a lot of UK nurses, a lot depends on where abouts in the UK you live and sometimes have known a couple of friends get together and buy house and share it, coming to an agreement on what to do if one wants to sell and move. It is hard and I know I struggled to buy a house on my own back in 1991 and when I finally sold it in 2003 I made very little profit and actually sold the house for the same pice I paid for it. It was in a small village and as far as I know house prices are still on the low side but having car did make it easier and lived approx from 3 major Towns/Cities.

[nurseangel47]

Bless your heart! I am "connected" to your lovely country via my boyfriend/live-in "common law" (in our state of North Carolina) who has been over here for twenty three years or so...he's from the East End of London....don't hold it against him, though! hehehe...

Anyway, I have visited his family with him over there twice now and, wait for it, I've wanted to MOVE THERE FROM HERE IN THE U.S. every time I go! I don't know...I guess it's 'cause I feel so disconnected from his family when we leave and it's so far away and difficult to call very often due to our work schedules and theirs...

Am getting to the meat of the topic/reply here...am very long-winded, sorry.

When I went the first time to visit and we stayed in the middle of London itself, I made it a genuine opportunity to visit the Florence Nightengale museum there. It was really awe inspiring, if you haven't yet visited.

Now, I was SHOCKED and disheartened, really didn't even believe it when his family told me that the nurses there in England don't even make enough money to survive...well hardly, anyway. Like you've stated in your post...if you don't have a roomate, or husband, or boyfriend living there to share expenses, you cannot make it unless you work another p/t job on the side. I honestly did not believe them! Compared to our salaries over here in the states. Unbelieveable!

I'm sorry the NHS doesn't recognize the talent and very hard physical as well as mental efforts that the nurses put forth to keep the mainstream of sick/injured people in the UK mass of not only natives of England that feed off of the NHS society's packages of goodies... All the swelling of the isle's masses of people not even born there just is too much of a strain in sheer numbers to be taken care of and it shows in the above post that you've typed.

Maybe you could apply to get on that two year's wait list to come over. We need good nurses like yourself.

You have my utmost respect for the hard job that you perform.

[nurseangel47]

Sorry 'bout that, Silverdragon 102...'bout the need/cause for you to have to edit that part of my post. I shall be more cautious and succinct/aware of delicate factors such as what I had originally typed.

Again, I apologize.

[XB9S, BSN, MSN, EdD, RN, APN]

I do think it depends on where you work for house prices. I live in a little rural area of Wales and have a 3 bedroomed detatched house with a garage which is valued at £115 thousand.

If I went into the valley areas I could find a terraced 2 bedroomed house for 40 - 50 thousand.

House prices in London and in fact the big cities around the UK are very expensive but you don't have to live there. I commute 35 miles to work every day and live in a lovely house that I can afford on my wages.