The prospect of working in a new country is an exciting one. While the process of registration is very bureaucratic, please do not be disheartened as we will be there to support you and believe the rewards of working in the UK are well worth the effort.
Stage 1 – Registration with Scanloc and the Nursing and Midwifery Council
When you register with Scanloc we will send you an information pack, which also includes details of the documentation and information required, and consists of the following:-
a) Scanloc Application Form – this should be completed and returned to Scanloc as soon as possible.
b) CV Template – our CV templates have been designed to help you provide detailed information about your work experience and we will help you to present yourself in the best possible way for the jobs that you apply for.
c) Our information sheet on registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) – In order to work in the UK all nurses are required to be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), which is the UK registration authority for nurses. If you have already obtained your registration with the NMC we will need your PIN number. If you have not previously registered we would suggest that you do this as soon as possible. To request an application pack please refer to the following link:- http://www.nmc-uk.org/Registration/Joining-the-register/Trained-in-the-EU-or-EEA/. It costs £76 to get NMC registration, a cost which you will not have to pay until the NMC has accepted your application. We understand that this can be the most time consuming and difficult part of your registration and we are here to help. We have over the years built up a very good relationship with the NMC and can obtain a response to any query very quickly.
d) Our information sheet about Medical English for Nurses.
Stage 2 – Recruitment Process
You will need to send the following to Scanloc:-
- Completed application form
- CV in English or completion of the Scanloc template
- A clear copy of your nursing degree certificate
- A clear copy of your home country registration
- A clear copy of your passport
- A clear copy of your home country police check
- NMC PIN confirmation (when available)
- Most nursing posts require evidence of vaccination for Hepatitis B.
Stage 3 – Placement Process
It is very important that you let us know what your notice period is and when you would be available to take up a post in the UK.
1. Making your job preferences – Our Nursing Advisor will contact you to discuss the type of post that will be best suited for you. She will also review your CV and give advice on how best to present yourself and your skills. Listed below are the main roles for nurses:-
Staff Nurse. This is the name for most registered nurses who work in the ward areas, they have the RGN/ PRDN or BSc in Nursing qualification but generally have not undertaken further study since qualifying. Their main duties would be to assess patients, plan their care and deliver care with support from healthcare assistants, give medications, monitor patients and act on changes in condition, liaise with the medical staff about the patients treatments. They would be supported by a more senior nurse on duty who would be available to co-ordinate the shift.
Senior staff nurse This is a more experienced nurse who may have undertaken further study in their specialist field. They would regularly be in charge of the shift, providing support and guidance to more junior qualified colleagues and would take on a certain amount of management during their shifts – arranging cover for urgent staff shortages from reported sickness for example. The may also take the lead in an emergency, if juniors required support. They may also assist with developments in practice on the wards.
Junior Sister This is a more experienced nurse who may have undertaken further study in their specialist field. They would almost always be in charge of the shift when they are on duty and would deputise for the ward manager/senior ward sister in their absence. They would be expected to contribute to the management of the ward team undertaking appraisals, leading on practice developments as well as providing a constant role model for junior staff. They may have specific managerial duties delegated to them such as allocation of annual leave for the whole team, or staff development/education for the team.
Ward Manager/Senior SisterThese titles mean the same thing and can be used interchangeably. The person is responsible for all aspects of the work in the ward; patient care standards, staff development, budgetary responsibility and the general provision of a safe effective service to patients.
Specialist Nurse This is a nurse who has undertaken extended education and study in a specialist field and would act as a patient advisor, contributing to the development of practice and education of ward staff, would see patients in out-patients clinics to follow up their treatments and may undertake procedures autonomously or with minimal supervision.
2. Presenting your CV to our Clients – As soon as we have received details of a suitable vacancy we will notify you and forward a copy of the job description. If you decide that you would like to be put forward for this job we will forward your CV to the Client, and would normally expect a response within 2 – 5 working days.
If the Client advises that they would like to go forward to the next stage you will be invited for an interview. If it is difficult for you to come over to the UK for an interview, we can often arrange for a telephone interview, but we would always recommend that you come in person in order to get a better prospective of the post, hospital and staff you will be working with. The London hospitals will not contribute towards travel expenses, the cost for flights and travel to the hospital will be at your own expense.
3. Preparing you for your interview – When you have been invited for an interview our Nursing Advisor will contact you again to go through the interview process with you, so that you will be well prepared for your interviews. This will also give you the opportunity to ask any questions you have about the interview and working as a nurse in the UK. We will send you our Interview Advice Sheet.
4. Offer of post - If offered the post you will be sent an Offer Pack and will need to advise us of a start date. Once you have accepted a post it is seen as very poor if you then back out. Both your own and our reputation would be severely damaged should you do so.
5. Feedback on your placement and our processes – Scanloc want to make your appointment to a permanent post as successful as possible. We will contact you and the client at the start of your new job, and after 3 months, to make sure that both you and the Client are satisfied. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you require any additional support or need further advice about any matters during this period. We are here to help you.