Blogs in Doctors
Why are So Many Healthcare Professionals Going Overseas? Push and Pull Factors
For the longest time, the UK has had a healthcare sector to be immensely proud of. And whilst that's still the case regarding the people working within the field, the system itself is undeniably creaking at the seams. This has led many doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals to look further afield for their professional work, with Australia and New Zealand being trendy choices. In this post, we'll be exploring the various push and pull factors leading the country's healthcare professionals to look elsewhere and investigating what's being done to bolster staff retention.Push FactorsWhenever we talk about emigration or immigration, we can view it through the lens of push and pull factors. These are the things actively pulling us towards somewhere (these are generally positive aspects) as well as those things pushing us away from an area (more often, these are negative things).The main push factors at the minute for UK healthcare professionals are: Poor payStressful working conditions (leading to burnout)Inadequate work-life balancePoor PayMoney talks and a job's salary plays a big part in deciding whether it's worth persisting with or not. Being a doctor or a nurse is a highly demanding job which deserves an appropriately generous compensation package. However, many healthcare professionals in the country don't believe that that's what they receive. There have been regular strikes throughout 2023, with disputes over pay being the leading cause. According to the Nuffield Trust, junior doctors in their first year of practice in the UK earn a basic salary of £32,397, with estimated average earnings of £41,300. This discrepancy between basic pay and estimated average earnings is because most junior doctors work additional (and often unsociable) hours and often receive more money if they live in expensive parts of the country like London. Many believe that this isn't an adequate pay-off for the hours and effort being put in. Particularly when, factoring in inflation over the past 15 years or so, doctors have received, in real terms, a pay cut. Stressful Working Conditions/BurnoutHealthcare professionals are already thought to be more likely to experience burnout than other professionals due to the emotionally taxing, highly stressful jobs they perform. This was especially the case during the Coronavirus pandemic. However, there are indications that this wasn't just a pandemic issue.Burnout is categorised by three main symptoms: emotional exhaustion, feelings of job detachment and a lack of accomplishment/a feeling of ineffectiveness.The heavy workloads that healthcare professionals have are often a cause of burnout, as is frequent overtime, inadequate resources, and the emotional labour that healthcare work involves, to name just a few. These pressures are difficult enough to deal with at the best of times. Then, when you factor in just how much the NHS is struggling, you can understand why burnout levels amongst healthcare professionals are so high and why this might lead people to look to countries with more manageable workloads.170,000 NHS staff left the service due to the stress last year, and whilst not all of those will be going overseas to work, there's no doubt that a considerable number will be. As far as push factors go, this is a big one.Inadequate Work-Life BalanceThis is linked to the above but relates explicitly to unsustainable and skewed work-life balances. Information from Statista shows that, in 2022, over 40% of NHS workers worked as many as five hours of unpaid overtime in an average week.Doctors, nurses, paramedics and other healthcare professionals want to be able to redress the scales and cultivate a more balanced lifestyle. Other countries can often provide that with their healthcare setups, and it's easy to see why that's an attractive proposition.Pull FactorsNow that we've addressed the push factors let's look at what's attracting healthcare professionals elsewhere from a pull perspective. And it's not just junior doctors heading to distant climes either; senior doctors and surgeons are moving, too. The main pull factors include:More attractive payBetter working conditionsImproved quality of lifeMore Attractive PayUndoubtedly, one of the biggest reasons doctors, nurses and other healthcare employees are looking overseas is the higher pay they can expect. Comparing the UK and Australia, for example, and in some cases, doctors can expect to earn double what they do here.Speaking to the Guardian, the British Medical Association consultants' committee's deputy chair, Simon Walsh, said he'd heard of consultants being offered figures "approaching four times [the UK salary]". In 2021 and 2022, there were 12,526 requests for certificates of good standing from the GMC.These certificates help prove to medical providers and regulators in other countries that the professional with the document is in good standing with the General Medical Council. It doesn't specify where a doctor may be thinking about going. However, it shows how many people are considering practising overseas, even if they don't go through with it. Better Working ConditionsIf the healthcare system in the UK currently is a pressure cooker, then healthcare systems in countries like Australia are simmering slow cookers, by contrast. The former is highly intense and unsustainable, whilst the latter has work going along at a much more manageable level.The food still gets cooked, or the work still gets done, but there's much less risk of reaching that explosive point of no return. The job is still stressful at times and remains emotionally taxing; however, in many overseas healthcare settings, those more difficult periods come in waves rather than as a full-on, non-stop barrage.By comparison, that heightened, frenetic state is the default, 24/7 in the UK at the minute. Nobody expects healthcare professions to be without difficulties, and the very nature of the work means it will take it out of the practitioners. However, that's easier to cope with if it differs from what you always deal with. Improved Quality of LifeThe countries that British doctors and nurses are typically headed to have another thing in common. They offer improved quality of life and work-life balance. Think about the doctor who goes to Australia to work fewer hours for as good (if not better) pay and who can clock off at a reasonable hour and then pop down to the beach for a stroll or a surf. It's an enticing thought.Or the doctor who wants to go to the Middle East and experience a completely different culture. There's undoubtedly an element of "the grass is always greener" thinking going on here, but when the stresses are as significant as they are in the UK healthcare sector, currently – when the push factors are as substantial as they are – then the pull factors don't even need to be that attractive; the fact that they are only cements the attraction further.What's Being Done for Staff Retention?So, what is the UK doing to retain its healthcare professionals? A couple of months ago, the government agreed on a pay rise in which:First-year doctors in training have received a 10.3% pay rise.Junior doctors, on average, have received an 8.8% increase.Consultants have received a 6% pay rise. The government also announced a recruitment and retention drive, including more flexible working options and career development options.Browse Our Healthcare Roles!So, there you have it: the push and pull factors determining why doctors, nurses, paramedics and other healthcare professionals are looking overseas for work rather than staying here in the UK.Here at Sanctuary Personnel, we can help find the healthcare roles that are right for you, both domestically and internationally, so get in touch!
Read more
NHS makes plans for winter
New measures to deal more effectively with winter pressures include care ‘traffic control’ centres, more Acute Respiratory Infection Hubs and extra hospital beds.These plans represent the next phase of development in the NHS Urgent and Emergency Care Recovery Plan, which was published in January. This included commitments to increase capacity, grow the healthcare workforce, speed up discharge from hospitals, expand new services in the community and improve access to care. Care ‘traffic control’ centres Every day there are more than 12,000 patients who remain in hospital despite being medically fit for discharge, taking up valuable time of nurses and other healthcare staff. Bringing together NHS staff such as occupational therapists with social care, housing and voluntary sector representatives, the centres provide a one-stop hub for staff to locate and coordinate the best and fastest discharge options for patients. Care ‘traffic control’ centres are already operating for 12 hours a day, seven days a week in a quarter of local areas. The plan is for these services to be available in every area of the country by winter. Acute Respiratory Inspection Hubs It’s currently winter in Australia and the country is experiencing an exceptionally high level of seasonal flu. This could indicate that the NHS in England will be dealing with higher than usual levels of respiratory illness when winter arrives here. Acute Respiratory Inspection Hubs were first introduced last winter in response to the potential of COVID-19 and flu peaking together. The hubs offer patients same-day, face-to-face assessment for conditions such as COVID, flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), helping to speed up access to care and advice, while reducing pressure on GPs and hospital staff. More beds £250 million has been invested since the publication of the UEC Recovery Plan to boost capacity and speed up discharge. NHS hospitals are on track to deliver 5,000 additional ‘core’ permanent general and acute beds. More than 99,000 core beds will be in place across the country by December 2023. Record numbers of doctors and nurses Growing the workforce is at the heart of the UEC Recovery Plan and the wider NHS strategy to reduce waiting times and improve access to healthcare. NHS workforce statistics for May 2023 showed record numbers of doctors and nurses working in the NHS. Compared to March 2022, there were over 5,400 more doctors and over 12,900 more people working in NHS nursing jobs. The government says it’s on target to meet its manifesto commitment of recruiting 50,000 more nurses by 2024. “We continue to make progress on strengthening the NHS and primary care workforce,” said Steve Barclay, Health and Social Care Secretary. “Cutting waiting lists is one of the government’s five priorities, so it is extremely promising to see record numbers of NHS doctors, nurses, midwives and nursing associates registered to practice in the UK to ensure patients get the care they need more quickly.”
Read more
Millions to get better access to GPs
The government has published a new plan for primary care which aims to provide more streamlined access to family doctors and community nurses. The Delivery Plan for Recovering Access to Primary Care represents a commitment to tackle the 8am rush for GP and nurse appointments. Patients will be able to contact their general practice more easily and quickly, and find out exactly how their call will be handled on the day they call, based on clinical need and continuing to respect the preference of many patients for face-to-face appointments. If their need is urgent, they will be assessed and given appointments on the same day. The role of GP practice receptionist will also be upgraded. GP receptionists will become expert ‘care navigators’, tasked with gathering information and making sure patients are directed to the most suitable healthcare professional, as well as helping to simplify and streamline the process of accessing healthcare support. Investing in technology As part of the new plan, £240 million of funding will be re-targeted to enable GP practices to embrace the latest technology, replacing old analogue phone systems with hosted digital solutions which offer advanced functionality such as call waiting and instant messaging. There will also be major investment in new technology to help people stay healthy and manage their care without needing to see their GP. This includes investing in apps to remotely monitor patients with long-term conditions, enabling patients to self-refer to specialists for certain conditions, and rolling out existing NHS App functionality to 90% of GP practices by March 2024. Expanding pharmacy roles NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) will expand the role of community pharmacy with an additional £645 million of investment. The Pharmacy First initiative would give pharmacists power to provide prescription-only medicines for seven common health conditions (sinusitis, sore throat, earache, infected insect bite, impetigo, shingles and uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women) without the need for the patient to visit a GP. DHSC will consult with the pharmacy sector on this proposed expanded role, which it’s estimated could significantly relieve pressure on GPs by saving up to 10 million appointments per year, as well as giving patients more choice in where and how they access care. “We are already making real progress with 10% more GP appointments happening every month compared to before the pandemic,” said Steve Barclay, Health and Social Care Secretary. “I want to make sure people receive the right support when they contact their general practice and bring an end to the 8am scramble for appointments. To do this we are improving technology and reducing bureaucracy, increasing staffing and changing the way primary care services are provided, which are all helping to deliver on the government’s promise to cut waiting lists.”
Read more
NHS Workforce Plan promises to train, retain and reform
Record levels of recruitment, staff retention and new ways of working are all part of a new strategy to address existing healthcare vacancies and meet the challenges of a growing and ageing population. The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan is the first ever comprehensive strategy to make staffing sustainable and improve patient care. The plan includes a commitment to deal with workforce shortages by recruiting record numbers of doctors, nurses, dentists and other healthcare staff. It was commissioned and endorsed by the government, which has promised over £2.4 billion over five years to pay for additional education and training places, over and above existing funding commitments. “On the 75th anniversary of our health service, this government is making the largest single expansion in NHS education and training in its history,” said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. “This is a plan for investment and a plan for reform. In the coming years we will train twice the number of doctors and an extra 24,000 nurses a year, helping to cut waiting lists and improve patient care. And we will do more to retain our brilliant NHS staff and reform the way the health system works to ensure it is fit for the future.” Forward thinkingFor decades there has been an absence of strategic planning to ensure the NHS workforce is fit for purpose. This has limited the potential to make the most of the skills of those who work in frontline healthcare jobs. It has also hampered efforts to forecast future staffing needs and align them with financial planning so that recruitment levels are matched to demand. The new plan includes detailed modelling of NHS workforce demand and supply over a 15-year period, showing the resulting shortfall. It sets out the actions that will be taken in the coming years to address this shortfall in addition to, and building on, actions and investment already committed over the next two years. Supporting existing NHS staffAs well as the training and recruitment of new doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals, there will also be a greater focus on supporting and retaining existing NHS staff. That means better opportunities for career development and improved flexible working options, as well as government reforms to the NHS pension scheme. Investment in new technology will also help to improve efficiency and free up staff to focus on using their skills and expertise in the most productive ways. This includes more funding for Artificial Intelligence (AI), with an expert group being set up to identify appropriate advanced technology which could make a real difference. “This is a truly historic day for the NHS in England,” commented NHS Chief Executive Amanda Pritchard. “For 75 years, the extraordinary dedication, skill and compassion of NHS staff has been the backbone of the health service – and the publication of our first-ever NHS Long Term Workforce Plan now gives us a once in a generation opportunity to put staffing on sustainable footing for the years to come.”
Read more
4 reasons why doctors should be on LinkedIn
As of May 2023, there are 36.9 million LinkedIn users in the United Kingdom. And yet it remains underutilised by doctors who could be missing out on potential career opportunities and the chance to make meaningful connections within the industry. Here are 4 reasons why you need LinkedIn: 1. Networking As the saying goes, "It's not what you know but who you know," and that's exactly what LinkedIn is all about. Building a strong network on LinkedIn can lead to exciting opportunities like partnerships, mentorships, and referrals. If you're looking to expand your network, keeping your LinkedIn profile up-to-date is key. Not only can it help you find your next job, but head hunters and recruiters also use it to search for candidates. By joining industry groups and getting recommendations and endorsements, you'll increase your chances of being noticed. Plus, LinkedIn's search feature makes it easy to find and connect with like-minded professionals in your field. Remember that networking is a two-way street, so don't forget to support others as well! 2. Demonstrate your expertiseLinkedIn is a great platform for doctors to highlight your expertise, accomplishments, and professional affiliations. Recruiters and healthcare organisations are actively searching for talent on LinkedIn, so having a complete profile can make all the difference in getting noticed. Remember, your profile is the first professional impression people will have of you, so make it count! Use LinkedIn to bring your CV to life and tell a story about your career and aspirations. Start by optimising your profile with a targeted headline and professional headshot. Your summary section is also essential, as only the first two lines show up in search results. So, make sure to get your selling points across here. Complete your profile by showcasing your skills, experience, academic accomplishments, and awards. You can even upload reports, articles, or link to information online to give more substance to your achievements. Don't forget to reach out to your network and ask for endorsements of your skills. It's also just as important that you endorse others as this shows up on your profile and highlights how you support others. 3. Thought leadershipEstablishing a strong professional brand is crucial for doctors to stand out in a competitive landscape. By sharing your expertise and research findings, and participating in professional discussions, you can establish yourself as a thought leader in your field. While crafting the perfect profile and long list of endorsements is key, it's also important to stay active on LinkedIn. Sharing valuable content, commenting on and sharing others' posts, and growing your network can help keep your profile at the top of search results and increase your visibility. Remember to keep your content relevant to your profession and always strive to provide valuable insights and knowledge to your connections. By consistently publishing high-quality content, you can build trust with your audience and position yourself as an expert in your field. 4. Professional developmentLinkedIn hosts numerous professional groups and communities focused on medical specialties, research areas, and healthcare innovations. By joining these groups, you can stay up-to-date on the latest medical advancements, engage in case discussions, and even collaborate on research projects. Plus, LinkedIn's content-sharing features make it easy to share valuable research articles, publications, and CME opportunities, which can help you continuously develop your skills. And that's not all - LinkedIn can also be a great place for experienced doctors to mentor and guide early-career professionals. By offering insights, career advice, and sharing personal experiences, mentors can shape the future of healthcare and support the growth of aspiring doctors. At the same time, doctors at the beginning of their careers can seek guidance from established professionals, gaining valuable insights and navigating their professional journeys more effectively. As a doctor, you have a fantastic opportunity to tap into the digital landscape and expand your professional network using LinkedIn. By being active and engaging in the medical community on LinkedIn, you can build your reputation and stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends. Building a strong profile takes time, but it's worth it in the long run. By starting with the basics and building on it, you can attract others to connect with you and open up new opportunities for collaboration and growth. Remember to nurture your profile with regular updates, and you'll be well on your way to achieving your full potential in the medical industry. Good luck! Whether you’re a junior doctor with a few years of experience, or a consultant responsible for leading a specialist team – explore our UK doctor jobs today.
Read more
Innovative XR training for perinatal mental health
A ground-breaking extended reality (XR) training programme for perinatal mental health gives trainee nurses and other health professionals an immersive simulated experience. Developed by Health Education England (HEE) in partnership with Fracture Reality, the training programme features a patient avatar called Stacey. Using an XR headset, learners interact with Stacey, who is directed by an instructor and run as a simulation on Fracture Reality’s JoinXR platform. Learners have realistic and natural conversations with her, enabling them to ask her about symptoms and make a diagnosis, as well as taking decisions about putting in place appropriate care and support. The programme is designed to allow student nurses, doctors and other health professionals to practice their skills in a safe environment, preparing them to transfer those skills to a real-life clinical setting when they progress to mental health nursing jobs and other healthcare roles. “Stacey provides students and learners with a wealth of scenarios that they may encounter while they are working in a clinical setting, all in a realistic and natural way,” said Rebecca Burgess-Dawson, HEE’s National Clinical Lead for Mental Health. Thorough evaluation The programme has been evaluated by the Centre for Immersive Technologies at the University of Leeds. Over 100 people took part in the evaluation, including GP and mental health nurse trainees, as well as trainee doctors and clinical psychologists. Results showed that this immersive method of training is very engaging and useful for both learners and educators, with participants showing significant improvements in cognitive and emotional understanding. GPs in training reported a reduction in anxiety relating to perinatal mental health consultations. Mental health nursing students showed increased motivation and were more inclined to pursue a career in specialist perinatal mental health nursing. What is a perinatal mental health service? Perinatal mental health teams offer help with mental health issues for any woman who is planning a pregnancy, already pregnant or who has a baby up to one year old. According to the NHS website, perinatal mental illness affects up to 27% of new and expectant mums. The teams give advice about the risk of developing a mental health problem in pregnancy or the postnatal period and how to reduce this risk, as well as providing information on the pros and cons of using medication during pregnancy and breastfeeding. A range of other services offered by the teams include talking therapies, support and advice on building a positive mother-baby relationship, and referral to other services such as charities, which offer practical support for families. Who is in a perinatal mental health team? Perinatal mental health teams usually comprise a perinatal psychiatrist, a specialist perinatal mental health nurse and a psychologist to provide talking therapies. Some services may have other professionals as part of the team, such as occupational therapists and nursery nurses. Perinatal mental health teams also work closely with midwives, health visitors, adult mental health teams, obstetricians and GPs.
Read more
