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General Information

Rates of pay

You will either obtain employment within the National Health Service (NHS) or a Private Organisation. The 'Agenda for Change' has recently been implemented, this covers over one million staff within the NHS.

A new pay structure has been introduced and staff are now paid on the basis of the jobs they are doing and the skills and knowledge they apply to these jobs. Nurses are now grouped into bands (pay groups) relevant to their skills and experience. If you have a minimum of two years experience in one area before arriving in the UK it is likely you would be placed within band 5.

For up to date pay rates and other information relating to the 'Agenda for Change' please go to http://www.nhsemployers.org/pay-conditions/agenda-for-change.cfm

When working for a Private Organisation you will be covered by the individual organisations terms and conditions, this includes rates of pay. Generally speaking they tend to pay on par with their NHS counterparts if not slightly higher in some instances.

When you arrive

National insurance

A National Insurance (NI) number is the same as a Tax File Number.

National Insurance is the equivalent of Medicare in Australia or the ACC levy in New Zealand. A component of your tax is paid towards healthcare. In the UK this amount is printed onto your payslip, as opposed to Australia and New Zealand where it is included in your total tax.

It is relatively easy to obtain an NI number, you will need evidence of employment, proof of identity and details of your living arrangements. It can take up to 4 months to obtain, we recommend applying immediately on your arrival. You can start work without an NI number. Please see www.dwp.gov.uk for further information. You are also required to have your NI number in order to register with a local Doctors Surgery.

Opening a bank account

You will need to open a bank account when you arrive. It is sometimes easier and more convenient to open a bank account prior to leaving home. One option for doing this is through HSBC in Australia and New Zealand.

If you choose to wait to open a bank account until you arrive in the UK it is recommended to bring as much identification with you as possible. A written reference from your current bank stating how long you have been with them and that you have a good financial history with them is very helpful. If you cannot obtain this, previous bank statements are essential.

Large banking organisations in the UK include:

• HSBC http://www.hsbc.co.uk
• Lloyds TSB http://www.lloydstsb.com
• Nat West http://www.natwest.com

Where to live and cost of living in the United Kingdom

Accommodation, like any other country, can vary depending on where you live. London is the most expensive city and the best options would be to go into a house share, or Hospital/Nursing Home accommodation. Prices do vary and you will generally have to pay up to 4 weeks rent in advance plus bond. Landlords can legally ask for up to 13 weeks of combined rent and bond in advance. Often the most cost effective solution is to live outside of the main cities and commute to work.

There are a number of free magazines in London that target the overseas traveller, many of which advertise and highlight affordable accommodation. Please also see the relevant websites at the end of this booklet.

Day to day living costs again vary depending on where you live, please see the below table for a rough estimate of how much things cost in the United Kingdom.

Useful contacts

Accommodation

• The Gumtree http://www.gumtree.com
• The Loot http://www.loot.com
• The Evening Standard http://www.thisislondon.co.uk
• TNT Magazine http://www.tntmagazine.co.uk
• Youth Hostel of the UK http://www.yha.org.uk

Transport

National Rail Enquires http://www.railtrack.co.uk and http://nationalrail.co.uk or 0845 748 49 50

London Transport http://www.tfl.gov.uk or telephone 0207 222 5600

Visas

British High Commission http://www.britain.org.nz or http://www.uk.embassy.gov.au
Australian High Commission http://www.australia.org.uk or telephone 0207 379 4334
New Zealand High Commission http://www.nzembassy.com or telephone 0207 930 8422
British Home Office http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk or telephone 0207 035 4848

Professional organisations

• NMC http://www.nmc-uk.org
• Royal College of Nursing http://www.rcn.org.uk
• UK Department of Health http://www.doh.gov.uk

Working in the Republic of Ireland

Clinical One has a number of professional affiliations with agencies in Ireland and will be happy to put you in touch with them. Below is some useful information to help get you started.

Registration

The Irish Register of Nurses has seven divisions, these are:

• Registered General Nurse
• Registered Psychiatric Nurse
• Registered Children's Nurse
• Registered Mental Handicap Nurse
• Registered Midwife
• Registered Public Health Nurse (please apply on different form)
• Registered Nurse Tutor (please apply on different form)

If you have completed your training and gained registration in countries outside of the Republic of Ireland you must apply for admission to the Register maintained by An Bord Altranais (The Nursing Board) prior to practising in Ireland.

You must make a written request to the Board for an application form. The application process is separated into two parts. The first part involves you returning the application form with the required documents. The second part involves you requesting information to be forwarded to the Board by third parties. When submitting the first section to the Board you must ensure you include the application fee (it is currently 175 Euros).

A list of the documents you will require, information booklets for Overseas trained nurses and current application fees can be found at http://www.nursingboard.ie

Visa Options To Work In Ireland

There are a number of different visas overseas nationals are able to obtain in order to take up employment in Ireland. Details of these are as follows:

Working holidays

Similar to the United Kingdom Working holiday arrangement this option is open to people aged between 18-30 years of age from Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Canada. The length of this visa is 12 months. Terms of this visa include:

• You must have sufficient funds to support yourself for the initial part of your holiday and if you are unable to obtain employment. You may be required to show proof of this upon your arrival into Ireland
• You must have private medical insurance that will cover you for both accident and illness. Your visa will only be valid if you have this covering you for the entire length of your stay
• You will only be able to undertake work that is of a casual or temporary nature and you can not work for the same employer for longer than 3 months
• You have not previously held another Working Holiday Visa for Ireland

The cost for this visa is approximately 60 Euros, however this is subject to change. Please contact your closest Irish Embassy or Consulate for up to date information and details of how to apply.

Working visa / work authorisation

If the above category does not apply to you, you will need a work visa or work authorisation. This means that you will need to secure a permanent position and your potential employer must make the application and they will have to prove that efforts have been made to fill the position from within the EU/EEC. Your country of origin will determine which type of visa you need to apply for. Details of this can be found at http://www.entemp.ie

Generally the work visa/authorisation will be valid for two years. In the case of nursing applicants who will be required to undertake an adaptation period the visa will initially be granted for 3 months and extended on completion of this period. The Nursing Board will advise you if you need to complete further study/training. You need to apply through the Irish Embassy/Consulate in the country you permanently reside in.