Captain Risky

Decided on Christmas day we are moving back to Bath after 7 years in Sydney. Totally over it!!!! Ozzie - phobic on my return I think!!!

Way too many people attending now!!!!!!!!!

I am a nurse. I have worked in the Public and private sector and NHS and speak from experience. Harsh but unfortunately true. Profits mixed with effective healthcare are an interesting combination.

Dave 53 we too are in Picton!!!!!!! We live in Picton and love it here, been here 3 years now. I work in Wollongong and love the drive prior to this we lived in Cronulla. I did not settle there at all.

Penrith to me has some very rough areas. However compared to UK these are not what you see as rough! Research the areas well, as Penrith has some very bad suburbs. Schools will be in line with the social demographics of Penrith. Nice area = OK school, Poor area = shocking school. Hospital are on par with Hospitals in NSW - care is not as good as the NHS. Private Hospitals comprise of an excellent room and food, yet very poor nursing care. Would I live in Penrith? No. Hope this helps. Where will you be commuting to? I live in Picton 40 minutes south of Penrith. We visited Penrith once and never went back after the stabbings and assaults in the Westfield there!!!!!!

Cancelled!!!!!!! :yes:

I understand the longing to go back to England. We are constantly battling with the shall we go back scenario . We both transferred from the British Army to the ADF. Both have left now because although it is a beautiful country which I cannot slate in any way. Working in the ADF was like moving from Sainsburys to the local corner shop. We both unhappy and left. I am now happy at work after about a 2 year battle of finding a new career. Michael is at UNI....tax dodging student! The problem for us is that our pension payments from the Brits over here is worth double. We live rural in a beautiful house and our families are spread across the UK, so no actual home town. I would love to go home but the cost of moving back and obtaining a new career for both of us mental health nurse/therapist and (Business student graduating soon). Would be too difficult. We have not been home at all in 5.5 years. I now see England as the place I would love to return to but it would be financial suicide for us to return. We are returning back on holiday next year ...........and I constantly dream of it!!! I agree Scotland is beautifull...and encapsulates the outdoor existance.

Well.....as an ODP of 15 years in the British Army I transferred to the Australian Army. ODP's are not recognised here and you are given anaesthetic tech status which does not marry to your skill set in the UK in any way shape or form. I completed my nurse registration via distance ed and returned to work in anaesthetics. I was amazed at how poor theatres are run and how clinically poor standards were. I promptly left and started a new career in mental health which I adore. Words of advice: 1. you will need to be recognised as an anaesthetic tech or endorsed enrolled nurse in Australia to work as an ODP. 2. You will not be allowed to scrub unless qualified as an RN. 3. Theatres are certainly not like preoperative practice in the UK. 4 Research your hospital thoroughly. Some have exceptionally poor standards of perioperative practice and will shock you. Most notably the private sector. The big plus is that your husband is a surgeon. This will get you into notable loops. Anaesthetic techs and EEN have no positions of seniority in the hospitals you only get promoted to senior anaesthetic nurse if you are an RN.I worked in recovery for a while however only RNs can administer s8 medication and hold the s8 keys anaesthetic techs do not work in recovery only endorsed enrolled nurses. ODPs is a term many have no idea what they are and cannot connect the term you are called an enrolled nurse (HCA equivalent). This should and will annoy you! Good luck. Leona

As a mental health nurse in Australia originally from the UK. Her treatment would be better co-ordinated and cheaper in the UK. If she has a mood disorder such as BAD or schizoaffective disorder she will need private healthcare for good treatment and the gap fees can be quite large. If she suffers periodic depression or anxiety the care can be well maintained by the public sector and there are many help groups that can give you advice.

A quick reply: I have worked in hospitals here after working in the UK NHS/Military for 15 years. After leaving Defence last year I started nursing in Private sector hospitals. I was so shocked at how behind the UK the Australian health sector is. Basic best practice in UK is not adhered to in Australia and medical management is poor to say the very least, cleanliness and good nursing care is not governed well at all in Australia. I do love it here but certainly not regarding health. I left the Private sector and went to where my heart lay. I have now started a masters in mental health and clinical counselling and moved to mental health in Illawarra and I am enjoying it. We are aiming to move to the UK in 2017 after 8 years in Oz. One of the main reasons for us is the poor state of healthcare treatment even when we have top notch private. I am more shocked that your husband presumes the UK would be behind Private healthcare in Oz. Profits and healthcare can not coexist and create good healthcare for patients. The NHS was a fantastic organisation with excellent outcomes and clinical parameters underpinned by evidence based practice. Good luck.