Pay rates in the UK/Ireland

[oscar]

btw oscar, england are no good at the cricket. They were very disappointing this ashes serie hey.

Ha! Cricket is not really my thing but yep, England were rubbish!!

[vicstott]

Hi there - I too really feel for you as I graduated in 2006 and for months could not even get an interview and it was impossible to get feedback due to the volume of applications trusts were receiving; some of the jobs I applied for had around 450 applications, what a riduculous situation, how did it ever get this bad?!? I too was doing bits of voluntary but had to work full time to pay my mortgage and bills and it was pretty depressing however I have found work now as a full time physio working for a private hospital in a mainly outpatient setting with some orthopaedic inpatient work. I feel very lucky and I would suggest to any new grads to search around the private organisations and see if they can offer anything. I believe some are taking on juniors now in order to try and help alleviate the problem. Also a tip when applying for an NHS post, I believe that potential employers only see your personal statement, not all the other stuff that goes with it so if you have been on any courses or have done any voluntary work, make sure its in your personal statement because if you've just entered it in the 'courses' section, it wont be noted. I really wish you and everyone else the best of luck!

I also wondered if anyone could help me on my situation? As I am working in only outpatients and orthopaedics in a very small private hospital, working with only 2 other physio's; if I return to the NHS in a year or two, will I have to start again as a junior as there are no grading levels here - I am not classed as a junior, although obviously on comparable wage but this means I cannot progress through the traditional 'ranks'. Can anyone give me advice on this as it will affect how long I should remain here in order to progress my career? I would like to experience different specialities but realistically could I gain experience here and then go back into the NHS and be accepted as simply a musculosketal physio without having had the experience of rotations? I feel that due to the current climate, this will affect quite a few physio's who are forced to go down non-traditional routes. Thanks!

[oscar]

Thanks for that posting, it seems you've been one of the lucky ones! Certainly encouraging to hear someone has managed to get a job one way or another!

Regarding your question, I'm not an expert but could you not just try and stay in the private sector and get experience that way? I mean everyone says go private as soon as you can (or basically avoid the NHS if at all possible!) and I'm sure you could get lots of experience in the different fields in different hospitals? You also have the possibility of working abroad to gain experience if you are in the position to be able to do that of course!

If you have some security in the private sector I would defninatley try and stay there if I were you!