The Student Room Group

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Reply 1
Original post by Mun91
Hey guys,

Good evening. I was just wondering if anyone could shed light on how life would be working in wales as a junior doctor? I have been studying in England throughout and I was just wondering if there are any significant differences between the NHS in Wales as compared to England?

I apologise if there is any repetition but I cant seem to find a thread on this!

Thanks in advance!


Hiya,

I'm an anaesthetics CT1 in Wales at the moment (trained and did my foundation years in England then moved across to Wales for 18/12 of CMT before swapping to anaesthetics). Can't honestly say I've noticed any significant differences in the job I did in England vs Wales - life as a junior doctor is very similar in both places really.
Reply 2
Original post by Hygeia
Hiya,

I'm an anaesthetics CT1 in Wales at the moment (trained and did my foundation years in England then moved across to Wales for 18/12 of CMT before swapping to anaesthetics). Can't honestly say I've noticed any significant differences in the job I did in England vs Wales - life as a junior doctor is very similar in both places really.


Hey! Thanks for the reassurance! With the fpas now open for application submission, I am just considering putting Wales as my first choice. I've heard that Wales is a pretty place and on top of that, the government takes good care of their junior doctors! Care to verify that piece of info? :smile:. Also, any comments on the social life there?

Thank you for responding and I hope that you've been getting on well with your training so far!
Reply 3
Original post by Mun91
Hey! Thanks for the reassurance! With the fpas now open for application submission, I am just considering putting Wales as my first choice. I've heard that Wales is a pretty place and on top of that, the government takes good care of their junior doctors! Care to verify that piece of info? :smile:. Also, any comments on the social life there?

Thank you for responding and I hope that you've been getting on well with your training so far!


The Welsh assembly at the moment are saying they won't impose a new contract on us so are looking after us better than the English government in that sense! Everywhere I've worked in Wales the staff have been great and I've felt very well looked after by seniors etc but that's not necessarily going to be the same everywhere in Wales dependent on size of hospital, craziness of department etc.

Can't really comment on the social side of things as I'm an antisocial hermit at the best of times! Where I am at the moment, the mess doesn't seem to be quite as active with socials as other places but my first CMT year, there were regular mess events that were well attended.


Posted from TSR Mobile
Met up recently with family living in Wales - if you have plans to be a gp there are shortages in Wales. House prices tend to be reasonable. Get in before the flood.
Reply 5
Original post by Hygeia
The Welsh assembly at the moment are saying they won't impose a new contract on us so are looking after us better than the English government in that sense! Everywhere I've worked in Wales the staff have been great and I've felt very well looked after by seniors etc but that's not necessarily going to be the same everywhere in Wales dependent on size of hospital, craziness of department etc.

Can't really comment on the social side of things as I'm an antisocial hermit at the best of times! Where I am at the moment, the mess doesn't seem to be quite as active with socials as other places but my first CMT year, there were regular mess events that were well attended.


Posted from TSR Mobile


Yeah, that is part of the main attraction really. Fair point. The experience in one hospital does not necessarily mean it is the same for the rest. But yeah, good to know that you currently having a good experience.

Right! I guess we all need some alone time at some point. :P. I was never a social butterfly to begin with anyway. So if people are generally friendly, guess it will be a good head start!

Anyway, thanks for your input! I guess I have a rough idea of how is it like to work in Wales now. And I hope you will enjoy the rest of your training! :smile:
Reply 6
Original post by parentlurker
Met up recently with family living in Wales - if you have plans to be a gp there are shortages in Wales. House prices tend to be reasonable. Get in before the flood.


At the moment, I don't think being a GP is my ultimate goal. But who knows? Never say never! And yeah, you can never get too wrong with property investment anyway! Thanks for the heads-up!
I have worked a couple of years in Cardiff and surrounding DGHs and really enjoyed myself, reallyvibrant and young city, friendly hospital staff, lovely place to work and live
Reply 8
Original post by Smile88egc
I have worked a couple of years in Cardiff and surrounding DGHs and really enjoyed myself, reallyvibrant and young city, friendly hospital staff, lovely place to work and live


Hello there! Ah, it is really good to know that you have had a great experience working in Wales. So, Wales is really not too bad after all. Need to reshuffle my list of UoA!
Reply 9
Original post by Mun91
Hello there! Ah, it is really good to know that you have had a great experience working in Wales. So, Wales is really not too bad after all. Need to reshuffle my list of UoA!


I'm also thinking about Wales as my first choice! I need some peace after those 6 hectic years and I think proximity to Snowdonia can provide quite that:smile: I'm just worried I won't get paeds, there's just like only 21 placements with paeds rota.... anyways good luck!
Reply 10
Original post by szysza
I'm also thinking about Wales as my first choice! I need some peace after those 6 hectic years and I think proximity to Snowdonia can provide quite that:smile: I'm just worried I won't get paeds, there's just like only 21 placements with paeds rota.... anyways good luck!


Exactly. I am just looking forward to be in a new environment too! It is exciting and scary at the same time. It being scary in the sense that I will be in a new place with no friends. And that, I will have to get used to the new system/policy/guidelines etc. Aw, I hope you get what you want! Good luck! :smile:
Original post by Mun91
Hey guys,

Good evening. I was just wondering if anyone could shed light on how life would be working in wales as a junior doctor? I have been studying in England throughout and I was just wondering if there are any significant differences between the NHS in Wales as compared to England?

I apologise if there is any repetition but I cant seem to find a thread on this!

Thanks in advance!


Original post by szysza
I'm also thinking about Wales as my first choice! I need some peace after those 6 hectic years and I think proximity to Snowdonia can provide quite that:smile: I'm just worried I won't get paeds, there's just like only 21 placements with paeds rota.... anyways good luck!


If you want to work near Snowdonia then do be aware you might need to learn a bit of Welsh as some people in the North do have Welsh as their first language. (My Aunt is a nurse in Bangor)
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 12
Original post by jelly1000
If you want to work near Snowdonia then do be aware you might need to learn a bit of Welsh as some people in the North do have Welsh as their first language. (My Aunt is a nurse in Bangor)


Hey. Thanks for the heads up! I was thinking of South East area such as Cardiff. But then again, we will be allocated based on our scores. So I guess it really depends on how well we do in SJT!
Original post by Mun91
Hey. Thanks for the heads up! I was thinking of South East area such as Cardiff. But then again, we will be allocated based on our scores. So I guess it really depends on how well we do in SJT!


Sorry I meant to only quote szysza who was considering Snowdonia, didn't mean to quote you too! But Cardiff is totally different to North Wales, much less Welsh spoken.
Reply 14
Original post by jelly1000
Sorry I meant to only quote szysza who was considering Snowdonia, didn't mean to quote you too! But Cardiff is totally different to North Wales, much less Welsh spoken.


No problem! Thanks for the information regardless. :smile:
Reply 15
Thanks jelly1000, well, I better start learning Welsh now!:wink: Some other suggestions? Is there anybody that actually did peads as a FP placement or speciality training and could share their experience (sorry for offtop!)?
My partner is an FY1 in Pembrokeshire, and I've put down Wales first choice myself.

6 years in London (an incredible city, don't get me wrong) and I'm ready to have some countryside.

Free accommodation, lower living costs in general and no immediate threat of imposed contracts makes it all the more appealing :gthumb:
Reply 17
Original post by Dr. Hannibal Lecter
My partner is an FY1 in Pembrokeshire, and I've put down Wales first choice myself.

6 years in London (an incredible city, don't get me wrong) and I'm ready to have some countryside.

Free accommodation, lower living costs in general and no immediate threat of imposed contracts makes it all the more appealing :gthumb:


Really? For any placement, or just the weird North Wales ones?
Reply 18
Original post by Dr. Hannibal Lecter
My partner is an FY1 in Pembrokeshire, and I've put down Wales first choice myself.

6 years in London (an incredible city, don't get me wrong) and I'm ready to have some countryside.

Free accommodation, lower living costs in general and no immediate threat of imposed contracts makes it all the more appealing :gthumb:


Sounds good! All that's left are SJT and finals!
Reply 19
Hey! I hope everyone got what the desired deaneries! I managed to get Wales! So, I was just wondering if anyone would be kind enough to provide any details with the hospitals in Wales. Which are the one that has a good foundation year training? I am definitely looking at Cardiff hospital, but I was just wondering if anyone could provide insight with regards other hospitals especially the DGHs.

Thank you!