FAQs

On this page you will find all those Frequently Asked Questions that may arise when decidiing to take the big step of moving your nursing career to the U.K.
 
The recruitment experience is slightly different depending on where you decide to relocate to. Therefore, we have divided these questions into two section; generic questions about applying to work in the U.K. and more specific questions about working in London as part of the CapitalNurse programme. 

U.K. FAQs

What is the IELTS/OET band score? 

The minimum scores required by the NMC are:
  • Academic IELTS at a score of 6.5 in Writing and 7 in Reading, Speaking and Listening.
  • OET at a score of C+ in Writing and B in Reading, Speaking and Listening.
If you have an Academic IELTS score of 6.5 or an OET score of C+ in each subcategory, you may qualify to combine your scores with a second sitting. Please note that for this to be an option you need to sit the tests within six months of each other. For more detailed information please click here. 
 

Can people from any country apply?  We are unable to accept applications from any of the countries on the NHS Employers’ list.

How does the application work? All you need to do is send us your CV, your passport and you IELTS or OET certificate to edyta@neuprofessionals.co.uk

Can I choose the Trust I want? We can’t guarantee you a specific one, but we can guarantee you that in all our Trusts you will have the opportunity to develop as a professional and grow easily.

Do I need to have my CBT to apply? When you apply, you don’t need to have your CBT, we would prefer if you have booked your CBT, but you don’t have to pass your CBT to apply for vacancies.

What’s the difference between IELTS UKVI and Academic IELTS?  IELTS UKVI is only for Visa purposes. To be able to register with the NMC and travel to the U.K. you need to pass the Academic IELTS at a score of 6.5 in Writing and 7 in Reading, Speaking and Listening or OET at a score of C+ in Writing and B in Reading, Speaking and Listening. It is not required that you pass any other English Language exams. 

Can I travel to the U.K. with my family from the very beginning? We strongly recommend that you travel alone in the first instance and bring your family over as dependants once you are settled in the U.K. The accommodation provided by the NHS Trusts for at least 1 month is for single occupancy. Unless you have family over or friends in the U.K. already who are happy to offer support, we recommend that you travel alone to start with. Furthermore, please be aware that during your first few weeks in the U.K. you’ll be getting ready for your OSCE exams, and this requires all of your attention (so having your family with you may be a bit of a distraction!).

Of course there are exemptions to the rules, so please discuss your personal situation with your allocated Recruitment Consultant and we will be happy to help you as much as we can.

Liverpool, city of Wirral University Teaching Hospital (WUTH).

What are the requirements to apply? We do require an IELTS or OET certificate, your CV and your passport to book you in for an interview. However, we have recently started a new campaign exclusively for Registered Nurses with experience in Mental Health who are yet to pass their IELTS/OET exam. If you are a Registered Nurse with experience in Mental Health simply send us your CV and passport and we will be happy to offer you full support on your English exam and interview preparation.

If I’m a child psychiatric nurse, do I need to complete a course in mental health? What you need to complete is the CBT test which is the Competency Based Test, part of the test of competence for the UK NMC (link to NMC CBT ), and if you want to be a Mental Health Nurse, we would prefer that you complete the Mental Health CBT test.

Is it possible to relocate from one Trust to another before finishing the 3 year contract? No, it’s not possible. Once you sign up for your contract, we advise you to read your contract and your offer letter very carefully, you normally are within a contract with a Trust which has relocated you for the first three years; but that doesn’t mean you can’t move from ward to ward in the same Trust. That’s another great thing about London, there are often opportunities for career advancement or for moving from one ward to a different ward within the same hospital Trust.

In the Candidate Section you can find more answers to how to become a registered nurse in the United Kingdom.

Cambridge, city of Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (RPH)

LONDON FAQs

What’s the salary like in London? In addition to basic pay, there is also extra pay for staff who work in high cost areas such as around London. Working as a nurse in London in our CapitalNurse programme you will be eligible for a high cost area supplement, and that depends on whether you are working in inner London, outer London or the fringe zones , but that can add a significant extra amount of money to your pay each month and each year. Your salary will also depend on your years of work experience. 
 

Does the Trust help you with commuting? Yes, the Trusts often provide loans for season tickets. Commuting is not a problem because you get to travel outside of rush hour for nursing shifts!

Where to live to avoid the high cost of living in Central London? It’s important to remember that many people who work in Central London don’t live in Central London. You’ll find very affordable areas on the outskirts of London and there is really amazing transport links, so you can often commute into work within 20-30 minutes from an area on the outskirts of London. Some of our London Trusts actually stretch as far as Milton Kenes which is on the border of Northamptonshire, which is quite far from the center of London. 

What is CapitalNurse? CapitalNurse is a programme of work being delivered through collective action across London, and it belongs to all nurses in the capital. CapitalNurse’s vision is to ‘get nursing right for London’.
The Big Ben
What are the requirements for community nurses in London? For Community nursing, is really a great opportunity to work within patient’s homes, supporting patients who have long term conditions, to try to avoid unnecessary hospital admissions, and providing quality care to your patients. There’s no need for your own transport because public transport in London is so great. If you are a homecare nurse, then this is the ideal slot for you because we will accept nurses who have been working and caring for patients in their own homes and also any nurse whose had experience working autonomously with patients in their own homes.
 

What are the requirements for Mental Health nurses in London? In terms of mental health vacancies, we prefer if you have some experience on the mental health ward, and the general level of clinical experience required is around 1 year. We have recently started a new campaign exclusively for Registered Nurses with experience in Mental Health who are yet to pass their IELTS/OET exam. If you are a Registered Nurse with experience in Mental Health simply send us your CV and passport to edyta@neuprofessionals.co.uk and we will be happy to offer you full support both on your English exam and interview preparation – Alternatively, to apply as a Registered Nurse with experience in Mental Health without IELTS/OET you can also fill in the form provided on the following link.

Is it safe in London? London is a very safe city, but as in any other big city, there are a few precautions to take. Some tips we can give you to feel safe in London: 

– Use common sense
– Be cautious
– Stay alert
– Be aware of diversionary tactics
– Stay away from empty alleyways

Just take the usual precautions you would take in any other big city.

Panoramic aerial view of London at night with urban architecture and Tower Bridge

COVID-19 FAQs

What precautions should I take when I arrive in the U.K?  If you are from a red list country, you will be accommodated in a quarantine hotel in London for 10 days before being transferred by taxi. Your quarantine hotel is booked by NEU professionals and paid for by the trust and you will not be charged for it this.

If you are from an amber list country, NEU Professionals and the NHS trust will book a taxi for you, someone will be in the airport in ‘Arrivals’ to meet you and the transport will take you to your accommodation and there will be a representative from the trust to meet you and welcome you. Once at the accommodation you will quarantine for 10 days and you will need to take 2 Covid 19 PCR tests on day 2 and day 8.

Those traveling directly from countries on the green list will not need to quarantine but you still are required to complete the passenger locator form and have a negtive PCR test no more than 48 hours prior to travel. You will also need to take a Covid test on day 2 after arrival which will be provided for you. However if you travel through or have been in an amber or red listed country in the last 10 days then quarantine rules apply as previously mentioned.

For more information please visit this link. 

Laboratory test nurse for COVID-19