Anyone else left the NHS because of pay?

[ell32]

Feeling really crap tonight.

Was working in the NHS for the last 3 years after a break working in Insurance after living my nursing degree at 18.

Had a place to start at uni but decided to have our second DC first instead. Anyway then maternity allowance pay and cost of living. I just couldn't afford to go back to my HCA job.

So I took a role back in insurance. I've been there almost 3 months and I'm so bored and miss my NHS job so much.

However with the cost of living I just can't afford to do my degree right now😢

So sad that I'm in this position because of pay and they wonder why they don't have enough nurses!

Just wondered if anyone else felt the same?

Have you looked into whether you could get your nursing qualifications through an apprenticeship route? It’s much more common in healthcare now and you are paid your wages (and are still employed by the hospital) while you study.

But I think the nhs relies on the satisfaction you very much get from a job and the high pension contribution it can provide. As a gp surgery said to me if you want to earn more then £10.42 go work in a supermarket.

I know it’s sad, my dream job which only pays around £16,200 for the lesser hours which mostly historically attracted older ladies at the end of their careers only needing pocket money so can’t compete with a £21,500 role in insurance for just 6 hours more per week, as much as I wish it could. I know I’m barking I’ve worked in hospitality for pee-poor money as a young’un so trying my hardest to remember them days and know god’ll have made the best decision here, although it doesn’t feel like it right now. I can still grow into that older lady who has been through it all. 🫰

If it is possible, then I would definitely look at the nursing apprenticeship course/what it involves. I think it is 4yrs and seems a lot more of a viable way to train as a nurse. I'm a Ward Sister and two of our most recent students have been doing their training in that way. I think it's brilliant (and the students certainly seem to think it's preferable to FT uni).

@Hatemylife2023 ....I think they were a bit bitter to make a comment like that !£10.42 is the NMW for someone over 22, supermarkets rarely pay more than that, my local GP has been unable to find a Receptionist for that money, when the job came up I nearly applied as it was local but when I saw the salary I didn't bother, I found a Receptionist position the same distance from home paying £2.50 an hour more, there were plenty of NHS office jobs on offer at the time but they were all paying at least 20% less, my cousin works as a Reception Manager for the NHS and her pension is no better than mine. I think that used to be the case but no longer I'm afraid.