Meet Harry: a critical care nurse from Birmingham who swapped the NHS for Sydney ICU shifts, a Blue Mountains contract and a very serious frozen yoghurt habit.
Harry has been a registered nurse for five years. He’s been in Australia for four months and says it’s flown by. We caught up with him over Yo-Chi and asked the questions UK nurses actually Google before they move: pay, ratios, rewards and whether it’s worth the flight.
Let’s start with the important question. What’s your Yo-Chi order?
I’m never loyal. I mix it up every time. Today I’ve gone for a vanilla base with chocolate ice cream, a bit of fruit (because, you know, health is wealth), cookie dough, fairy bread and some nuts. I’d rate it a strong 8. The peanut butter was the best bit.
Who are you, where are you from, and what do you do?
I’m Harry, a registered nurse. I’ve been qualified for about five years now. I’m originally from Tamworth, near Birmingham. Back home I worked with the critical care outreach team in Coventry. Here, I’m an ICU nurse, and I pick up some ward work too, so a mix of surgical and medical.
Four months in. Where have you been so far?
I landed in Sydney and did a couple of weeks of ad hoc shifts. Then I headed out to the Blue Mountains on a travel contract. It’s about two to three hours from Sydney by train, so it’s a mix of metro and rural. Now I’m back in the city on a contract at North Shore, and in a couple of weeks I’m flying to Melbourne for the next one. That’s the perk of this kind of work. You finish a contract, pick up your stuff and go. Sydney is still my favourite, though. You get the city, the beach 30 minutes away and the Blue Mountains on your doorstep.
Be honest: how does the pay compare to the UK?
The pay is very good. I was in a specialist, high-pressure role back home with a lot of responsibility. If you time it right and pick the right facility, you can potentially double what you were earning in the NHS. The other day I opened my payslip and just laughed. My flights over from England had been reimbursed, and I’d also done two midweek ICU shifts (16 hours) near where I live. Those two days came to $2,500. It was unreal.
You’ve collected a few rewards along the way. What have you picked up?
I’ve got around 500 points and a pair of scrubs so far. HCA also refunded my AHPRA registration, which was about $150. That’s a decent chunk of money. I’ve had a $500 bonus for reaching 100 hours as well. Next up, I’m going to use my points on an Advanced Life Support course. I’ve done ALS back home, but it makes sense to get the Australian one. HCA runs its education in-house and there are loads of courses. Other agencies I’ve worked with don’t have a rewards scheme, so there’s not much reason to pick up extra shifts with them. With HCA you earn points for every hour you work. It’s a no-brainer. I haven’t referred anyone yet, which I need to fix.
What’s the biggest difference between working for the NHS and in Australia?
The nurse-to-patient ratios. At home they try to stick to the recommended ratios, but it doesn’t always happen. Here they’re strict about it. In ICU it’s one-to-one or one-to-two, depending on the level of care. On the wards I’ve had no more than one to five or one to six. Back home I’ve seen up to one to twelve, so nearly double.
What were you worried about before you came?
Fitting in. On travel contracts you’re only in a place for a short time, and it can be hard to integrate into a team. My current contract is a spinal, burns and general ICU, which is completely new for me. At home burns went to a different hospital. The team has been incredible. They’ve made me feel part of it, and I even got invited out with them for a night out on the Harbour Bridge. I was really lucky.
What’s your favourite thing about living in Australia?
Everyone’s chilled. Even in the hustle and bustle of the city, life feels so much more low-key. It’s weirdly calm, but we still have fun.
And what do you miss from home?
Friends and family, obviously. After that, pub culture and the people. Nothing beats a pub with your mates.
What’s next on your Aussie bucket list?
The Whitsundays. The photos never look real, so I can’t wait to see them in person.
Quick fire round
- Yo-Chi: fruit toppings or pure chocolate? Pure chocolate.
- Flat white or British tea? Flat white.
- Sydney beach or Sydney city? City, because there are so many other amazing beaches.
- Favourite Aussie slang word? Anything ending in “o”, like arvo and servo.
- Vegemite, love it or hate it? I love it, and I’d already tried it back in England.
- Finally, is moving to Australia worth the long flight? Yes, obviously.
Thinking about making the move yourself?
Harry’s story shows you can keep your career moving, earn well and still have time for the beach. You don’t need to figure it out alone. Our international team will take care of the paperwork, walk you through registration and match you with contracts that fit.
Ready to start your own Aussie story?
Whether you’re in the UK, Ireland, the US, Canada or New Zealand, send us an email at international@healthcareaustralia.com.au or apply today. Tell us where you’re from and what you do, and we’ll take it from there.
