NHS vs Private Hospital Pros and Cons

Hi everyone. Final year healthcare student here. Would like some advice on which hospital I should go for after graduating. I had trained at the NHS hospital for 3 years and thinking of going to work there. However, I recently applied at a Private Hospital and also got accepted. I am unsure of which hospital I should work in. I understand from a lot of people that they recommend me to go for the NHS as I would get experience with CEPOD, Trauma calls, Obstetrics. However, I had felt good vibes from the private hospital I visited plus the feeling of getting the support as a newly qualified nurse and having that smooth transition seems beneficial for me. I am not fussy about the salary as I’m more focused on getting experience/support at the beginning of my career. I am also worried that if I work at the Private and then move to NHS, I might struggle as I have less exposure to emergencies in a Private hospital. Would like to hear anyone’s experiences and opinions on this topic please. Thank you in advance :smile:

Reply 1

WoahWoah123

I think this entirely depends on your personal preferences and what private hospital it is, maybe doing some research into the private organisation and the general vibes of the nhs hospital you've applied for would be beneficial? Like looking at the employee reviews on glassdoor, asking around with people that work in the trust/health board, reading the inspections by regulatory bodies (like the CQC rating if you're in England).

Experience is useful, but the day-to-day experience of working there is important too. It really depends on what you care more about at the end of the day.