# UK Ambulance Service crisis. Foreigner - Questions.



## DPMedic (May 1, 2016)

I have just received my paramedic bachelors degree [Poland], last year to be honest.

I knew for a long time, that UK AS is on the downfall, and has been in, for years. It is getting worse, and worse, as the time goes by. There are more, and more agencies recruiting paramedics to UK, abroad. Some "offers", are just insane, e.g. no english language required. It is madness. I did contact two agencies, one representative was very reluctant to give me any info, while the other one, was open, and gave me straightforward answers for my questions.

At the moment I know that:
- you need to register in HCPC [why would anyone even want such thing to exist?]
- UK AS consist of a paramedic driver and a ... I do not know who, to help me [definitely not a paramedic, since the UK Emergency system is somehow different to mine]
- If you want to be a paramedic, you also need to be a driver, which means, you will need to have a full valid driving license

Every couple months, foreigners [from the UK] visit my country, and perform interviews. The entire process, is made of phases.

The thing that disgusted me the most is how they call it "attractive earnings". Since when 9 £ ~ [11 €, 11 $] for an hour is attractive? I have been to UK already, I spent there nearly a year, and 9 £ is a joke, the only thing you can do after anyone is offering you 9 £ is laugh at him, get up, shut the door, and leave. I could understand a 9 £ for someone who is uneducated, unskilled, and can barely do anything...

Just because someone lives in 3rd word country, does not mean he will be happy when someone throws some rubbish at him*. What do they expect? I though that UK would be an upgrade for me, but it seems it may be, a downgrade. In order to go there, everything would change for me, my entire life would take a 360° swing, to the worse. Everything may look great on paper, if you multiply the UK earnings, by the currency exchange, and compare them to the PL ones. Unfortunately you do not get to keep all the money, you get to spend them. Pay the rent, pay the bills, buy food, top up the oyster card. After all that, you get to keep a small amount for yourself. It is enough to live in poverty, at the edge of survivality. I found out you can get a rise after 7 years, to 11 £ ~ for an hour. Tell me it is another joke. This is definitely not a career with future. I very much enjoy doing what I have been doing as an internt, and wish do it for a living, but only when I get paid enough.

If I ever came to the UK, that would be for a short time period only. 

USA is pretty much impossible to get in. Australia, New Zeleaand have to high requirements. Canada might be in my reach, after couple years. The UK is the only option to be honest, but 9 £, GOD, why!? Either UK, or stay in PL. I do not know yet, I have broken leg at the moment, which gives me time to think.

If there is any UK Ambulance Service worker here, please tell me what do you think about it. Anyone is free to post.

*Apparently UK AS workers have some system called BAND, and 21 £ K is for starters.


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## Martyn (May 2, 2016)

Its written £ sign first...eg £9 or £100, not after like 9 £ or 100 £


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## ExpatMedic0 (May 3, 2016)

I have no idea to be honest. However, after looking at their official recruiting website, that figure seems low? Looks like starting wage is 30k (GBP) for LAS international applicants.

http://jobs.londonambulance.nhs.uk/job_list/s3/Emergency_services?_ts=1


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## nightmoves123 (May 3, 2016)

_*"Benefits of the role: *_

_*Starting salary of £19,923, which increases to £21,909 when you receive your HCPC registration*_
_*A standard working week of 37.5 hours*_
_*27 days holiday per year, plus eight public holidays*_
_*Pay enhancements for out of hours and overtime working*_
_*Additional £2,000 in your first pay and £1,500 paid over the next three months to help you with relocation costs"*_
If you don't want what another country is offering then don't take it and stay in Poland and enjoy being poor- YOU chose your profession, noone forced you to become a paramedic in Poland...so I'm sure you knew what the salary within your own country would be...so it isn't really a great idea to come on and complain about another country's offer. I know plenty of Americans who wish they had the opportunity to work overseas for a while.

£21,909 is roughly $39,000 a year- and the wage doesn't include the mandatory pay rises and bonuses and overtime.


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## DPMedic (May 3, 2016)

nightmoves123 said:


> £21,909 is roughly $39,000 a year- and the wage doesn't include the mandatory pay rises and bonuses and overtime.



Not 39,000 but 32,124~ with the current exchange rate.


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## ExpatMedic0 (May 3, 2016)

In the link that I posted it states around 30,000-39,000 British pounds a year for LAS. This is for international recruits on a 37 hour per week schedule. However this for those who come in at "band 5."I am not sure if this means 5 years experience or however they make that decision because I have no idea what a "band" is in the context they are using it. I guess it probably does not apply to new graduates outside the UK. However, it must apply to some international applicants since its under the international section for recruits.


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## Martyn (May 3, 2016)

FYI (I am British living in USA) to get the £ sign press and holding down the 'Alt' key then press 0163 on the number pad


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## SpecialK (May 3, 2016)

UK NHS Ambulance Trusts are part of the National Health Service (NHS) which pays according to a system called the Agenda for Change (AfC).  The AfC is arranged into various "Bands" depending upon what your job is, noting it excludes Doctors and Dentists.  A Paramedic is Band 5 and the salary they offer includes a London-weighting (aka high cost area supplement or "HCAS") and an unsocial hours supplement.

The London Ambulance Service have been down here recruiting for people.  A few people have gone but they'll be back in a couple of years

And basically, if you don't like what they are offering, don't take it.


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## Scott33 (May 3, 2016)

DPMedic said:


> I have just received my paramedic bachelors degree [Poland], last year to be honest.
> 
> I knew for a long time, that UK AS is on the downfall, and has been in, for years. It is getting worse, and worse, as the time goes by. There are more, and more agencies recruiting paramedics to UK, abroad. Some "offers", are just insane, e.g. no english language required. It is madness. I did contact two agencies, one representative was very reluctant to give me any info, while the other one, was open, and gave me straightforward answers for my questions.
> 
> ...



You are supposed to wait until you actually move to the UK before you start harping on about your sense of entitlement.


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