Living and working

in Birmingham
A guide for international nurses
www.uhb.nhs.uk
About Birmingham
Birmingham is the second largest in the UK yet,
despite its size, “Brum” as it is known, has a very
down-to-Earth, friendly, local feel.

More than three million people have made

Birmingham their home, and it’s easy to see why.
Birmingham has more canals than Venice and
has more green spaces than any other city in
Europe – 571 parks to be exact – so there’s lots of
outdoor space to enjoy with friends and family.

Living in and around Birmingham means you‘ll never

be bored. Home to the O2 Academy, Jools Holland's
Jam House, Symphony Hall, Hippodrome Theatre
and a huge range of clubs and bars, the city hosts a
huge range of entertainment.

One of Birmingham’s best assets is its range of

international cuisine. The world-renowned Balti
Triangle is a must, and the city boasts some of the
best independent eateries in the country. If fine
dining is your thing, its five Michelin-starred
restaurants should tempt your appetite.

Birmingham is a shopper’s paradise, with a range of
designer stores, high-street favourites and chic
malls. It’s also home to a thriving retro scene with
pop-up shops and vintage boutiques. The
multimillion-pound investment at Grand Central has
revolutionised the shopping experience, and
alongside the renowned Bullring and The Mailbox,
provides stunning retail outlets and leisure space
right at the heart of the city.
Birmingham has a vast array of transport links, including
rail, bus, tram and Metro.
We’ve negotiated discounted travel cards for bus, train
and Metro routes across the city. Most of our staff choose
to use public transport to get to work however, cycling is
hugely popular, thanks to the network of cycle routes.
Staff can take advantage of cycle storage, shower facilities
and cycling discount schemes.

There’s also plenty to keep the kids entertained –
they’ll love Cadbury World, the National Sea Life
Centre, The Science Museum at Millenium Point,
West Midlands Safari Park and Birmingham Nature
Centre. Birmingham also has the largest free public
art gallery and the largest public library in the UK.
Birmingham’s new eye-catching Central Library,
which runs scores of free kids’ activities.
For staff who need to drive, we have on-site parking, via
our corporate parking pass scheme, and a free,
convenient park and ride service.
Travelling further afield? Birmingham is linked by the M5,
M6, M40 and M42. Birmingham is at the hub of the
national rail network, with fast, frequent services to
London, Liverpool, Manchester and Cardiff.

Within half an hour of Birmingham, there’s vast open Birmingham International Airport has regular flights to
countryside, historic houses and waterways to enjoy. more than 100 worldwide destinations.
 International nurses induction

Our Trust
We are University Hospitals Birmingham NHS
Foundation Trust – proud to be working together
to build healthier lives across our four hospitals,
clinics and community services. We are one of the
largest teaching hospitals in the UK and support
more than 2.2 million patients every year.
We are committed to collaborative working,
honesty, accountability, innovation and respect.
These values guide us to ensure our staff are
heard, cared for, supported and developed so that
they can provide the best clinical care, research,
innovation and education for our patients.
Our sites include Birmingham Heartlands Hospital,
the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham,
Solihull Hospital and Community Services,
Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield and
Birmingham Chest Clinic. We also run several
smaller satellite units, allowing people to
be treated as close to home as possible.
We are world-renowned for our trauma care and
have developed pioneering surgical techniques in the
management of ballistic and blast injuries, including
bespoke surgical solutions for previously unseen
injuries. As a result of its clinical expertise in treating
trauma patients and military casualties, the QEHB
has been designated both a Level 1 Trauma Centre
and host of the UK’s only £20m National Institute
for Health Research (NIHR) Surgical Reconstruction
and Microbiology Research Centre (SRMRC).
We have received an outstanding rating from
the CQC for our leadership, which identified
compassionate, effective, and inclusive leadership
at all levels. Supporting our staff to feel included
and supporting their development and safe
innovation is a key priority of us, allowing them to
give the best care to those we care for the most.
Visit our website to find out more.

We are a regional centre for cancer, trauma,

renal dialysis, burns and plastics, HIV and AIDS,
as well as respiratory conditions like cystic
fibrosis. We also have expertise in premature
baby care, bone marrow transplants and
thoracic surgery and have the largest solid
organ transplantation programme in Europe.
We provide a series of highly specialist
cardiac, liver and neurosurgery services
to patients from across the UK.

About our
hospitals
Our Trust employs around 22,000 staff across four
hospitals, two community clinical treatment facilities
and our sexual health services, across Birmingham
and Solihull and the wider region.
University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB), has a long
history of training and teaching and has its own School
of Nursing linked to Birmingham City University.
With a excellent reputation for complex care, it is one
of 16 dedicated Major Trauma Centres and provides a
high level of emergency care within our hospitals daily.
We have theatres dedicated to providing emergency
care, 24/7, also specialty theatres that provide on-call
cover. Our Trauma and Orthopaedic service is the
largest in Birmingham, catering to all the Trauma
emergencies that occur across the West Midlands.
We have the largest solid organ transplant
programme in Europe performing over 250+
transplants per year and having dedicated retrieval
teams that travel nationwide. It works in conjunction
with different hospitals including Birmingham
Children's Hospital.
Our Trust is proud to host the UK's Royal Centre for
Defence Medicine (RCDM) providing care for the
Armed Forces injured overseas and dedicated training
for defence personnel, which is also a focus for
research and innovation.
The Trust has recently opened a new centre at
Heartlands Hospital which will provide a 23hr service,
Monday – Saturday. This new £97million investment
in patient care offers world-class facilities a purpose-
built centre that will provide care for nearly half a
million patients each year, and is predicted to see
1,500 appointments per day.
At our Heartlands site we also have a new Hybrid
Theatre which provides ever more complex
interventions. They cover a wide variety of procedures
from emergency brain surgery to spinal surgeries.
Our neurosurgery team was featured, performing life-
saving surgery many times in the BAFTA-winning BBC
programme ”Surgeons At the Edge of Life”,
collaborating with other surgical specialties.
We have recently developed our EPOC department in
both our QE and Solihull sites to provide care for
post-operative patients who would normally be cared
for in Critical Care.
At Good Hope Hospital we have a new midwife-led
birth centre providing excellent facilities for women
going into labour.
Midwife-led birth suite
 Good Hope Hospital

Our
Specialties
We have the largest theatre department in
Europe and are a Major Trauma Centre and a
world-renowned Transplantation Centre. Across
our sites we have 73 theatres that can offer
you a wide range of specialties with significant
opportunities for growth and development.

At the Queen Elizabeth Hospital we have

42 theatres, 4 recovery rooms and an EPOC
department. Across these theatres we can offer
you a range of different specialities where you will
have the opportunity to expand your knowledge
and experience world renowned surgery.
Our Heartlands Hospital site provides a service
for both Elective and Emergency Surgery
including Obstetrics, Vascular and Emergencies.

The Theatre Department in Solihull Hospital

comprises of 8 main Theatres and Obstetric theatres.
There is a mixture of emergency and elective
surgery at Good Hope hospital, and it covers a
variety of specialities.

These currently include:

Gynaecology
HIPEC Surgery
Dermatology and Plastics Our QE Theatre specialities include:
Colorectal Thoracic
Emergency Cardiac
General Laparoscopic Liver Medicine and Surgery
Transplantations
At the Good Hope Hospital site we provide Neuro
a service for elective surgery, it has 6 Trauma and Orthopaedics
main theatres and a specialist ophthalmic Upper and lower GI
theatre. Current specialities include: Urology
Theatre 1 Colorectal Renal
Theatre 2 Colorectal Burns and Plastics
Theatre 3 Breast and Plastics and Maxillofacial Hands
Theatre 4 Urology & Robot Maxillofacial and ENT
D1 ENT Ophthalmic
D2 ENT Daycase surgery
D3 Ophthalmic Interventional Radiology
Emergency Care
Starting work at
University Hospitals Birmingham
Pay and payslips
Your regular pay day will be on the 26th day of
every month. You will receive a paper/or electronic
payslip.
On this payslip you will be able to see your monthly
salary. The total at the bottom right hand of your
payslip is your take home pay after all of your
deductions for the month, this can include a
number of things, no one’s pay slip is the same and
your deductions can vary depending on your
individual circumstances e.g. Tax, NI, hospital
accommodation, travel passes, pension.

Annual Leave
Your annual leave entitlement is calculated based
on your NHS service. The full time
equivalent annual leave entitlement (excluding
bank holidays) is:
On Appointment - 27 days plus general
public holidays (pro rata for full time)
After 5 years service - 29 days plus general
public holidays (pro rata for full time)
After 10 years service - 33 days plus general
public holidays (pro rata for full time)
Your annual leave entitlement is aligned with the
financial year, starting on 1st April through to the
31st March.
Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham
Uniform
Your uniform will be arranged by your manager and is
usually provided to you on your first day of work.
ID/Identification Badges
In order to access our buildings and wards across main
hospital sites, you will need an ID badge which provides
door access.
All Trust members must wear their identity badge. This
badge gives you access to appropriate area once
activated.
You can use your ID in the canteens on-site for
discounted meals and you can also get
discounts in high street stores and restaurants by
showing your NHS staff badge.

Communications and Trust information

Once your hospital IT account has been set up, you will
have access to various in-house systems, plus
our Trust intranet site, this is when you can
access information such as staff benefits, groups and
events happening at the hospital and support It is
important you also read any Trust information about
providing lcinical care such as policies and guidance
documents.
Your professional development
On the commencement of your employment
you will attend a Corporate Trust Induction. The
first two days you will complete the Trusts online
Mandatory training and all other necessary
e-learning using our Moodle platform. Throughout
the rest of the week you will have face to face
sessions within the hospital where they deliver the
Trust expectations, whilst preparing you to work in
your designated area. You will have the opportunity
during this week to visit theatres and meet the
Clinical Education Team, set up your security
badge and sort out your travel requirements.
If you are working in Theatres you will have a
local induction which will give you an overview
and tour of the Theatre department. You will be
provided with a personalised training plan and
an induction book which will contain all relevant
information for your role. Wherever you work, you will
be introduced to your manager and team leaders
who will designate you a supervisor within your
specialty. They will support you in completing your
competencies and achieving your learning outcomes
and objectives.
Our Clinical Education Team (CET) is led by a Lead
Clinical Educator and consists of seven clinical
educators at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and four
at our Heartlands, Good Hope and Solihull hospitals,
with both theatre nursing & ODP backgrounds. They
strive to provide the most up to date evidence-based
practice upholding the standard of care required by
the Trust whilst incorporating the Trusts values.
The CET will provide you with the support and
relevant training to assist in your new role. As a team
they understand that relocating can be stressful so
are here to offer any relocating advice and support
that you may need. When you start they will hold
various sessions with you providing you with the
relevant documents and competencies that you will
need, they will work with your area to facilitate time
in order to achieve them. You will have regular meet
ups with the team, at these meet ups you will get the
opportunity to express any issues that you may have
or if you require any further support.

You can ask your supervisor if the specialty has their

own educational pack for self-directed learning.
During the first six weeks you will be supernumerary,
during this time you will not be counted into the
workforce numbers, thus allowing you time to
adjust to your new work environment, read our
Trusts policies and procedures, and settle into your
allocated Theatre or Recovery Cluster. During your
supernumerary period you will attend the training
sessions that is in your personalised training plan
and complete the theatres e-learning. Towards
the end of this 4-6 week period you will have a
review meeting with a Clinical Educator to outline
aims and learning goals for the following year.

Visit the Defined by our People section

of our website to find out more.
Working in the UK
National Insurance Number Occupational Health
(NI number)
On your arrival to the UK you may have
As an employee you have to pay NI contributions an appointment with the Occupational
in order to build up entitlements to certain Health Department within the hospital
state benefits, including state pension. The to discuss your results or anything you
contributions you pay are based on your salary have declared on your form further.
and are deducted from your salary each month.
The aim of the Occupational Health Department is:
Your NI number is unique to you; it ensures – To promote a healthy workforce
that your NI contributions and the tax you – To support staff that have a health condition
pay are properly recorded against your name. which affects their ability to carry out their
Your NI number also acts as your reference tasks or is made worse by their work
number in any dealings with the Department – To advise on any adjustments that
for Work and Pensions and HM Revenue and may be required to accommodate
Customs (HMRC). It is very important that the employees health needs
you keep your NI safe ensuring it is not given
to anyone who does not need it. This will
UK DBS (Police) Check
help to minimise the risk of identity fraud.
For more information please visit: https://www.
When you arrive in the UK, UHB NHS Foundation
gov.uk/apply-national-insurance-number
Trust will help you apply for a DBS check. DBS
(formally known as Criminal Record Bureau or CRB)
If you are arriving from outside the EU you
is similar to a Police check that you already have
may have a NI number on the back of your
from your native country, for more information you
biometric residence permit (BRP) meaning that
can view the website:
you do not need to apply for an NI number
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/basic
when you arrive. However, not all BRP’s have
-checks
this it depends on factors like the date it was
issued and your visa status. If you do not have
You will need to provide a copy of a recent
an NI number on the back, please see below.
overseas police check (within the 12 months) and
complete a form once you have arrived in the UK.
To apply for an NI number you may need
You will be asked to fill in an application form
to attend an interview at Job Centre Plus, if
online and provide some original documentation
you do they will write to you. You will need
and detailed information with regards to your
to take the following items with you:
previous addresses.
– Passport
– Proof of address in the UK (Utility bill, tenancy
Someone from the UHB recruitment team will
agreement, letter from accommodation etc.)
contact you regarding this application and will
– Proof of employment (your
provide you with support, explaining how to fill this
contract of employment)
out. This application
If you need to you can reach the
will then be sent off by the recruitment team and
Job Centre on 0845 600 0643.
within three to four weeks you will receive a
National Insurance Number application
certificate which is valid for one year.
line is: 0800 141 2075.
 Renting advice
Getting set up Following your time in the temporary
accommodation provided by the trust, you
will have an idea of your monthly budget

in the UK and space needs. When looking for a rental

property, plan accordingly. You should
consider your budget, the area you want to
live in, transport links and social activities.
Mobile Phone Providers
Upon arrival, if you haven’t already you will need to
Typically, most rentals will require the tenant
purchase a UK SIM card so that you can use your
to pay for the utility bills i.e. gas, electric, water,
mobile phone, you can purchase these directly
council tax in addition to their rent. Some
from the phone shops as well
landlords will advertise properties with utilities
as convenience stores such as Tesco and
being included. Always confirm what is and isn’t
Poundland. These can be inserted to any unlocked
included in your total rent and review the Energy
mobile phone and topped up easily if you wish to
Performance Certificate of property to estimate
continue using the phone whilst
how much it will cost to run. The rating runs in
in the UK; you can do this at most post offices,
alphabetical order from A (most efficient) to
petrol stations or local convenience stores.
G (least efficient). You can choose to pay your
electricity, gas, water and council tax bills on a
If you wish, you can also look into going onto a
monthly or quarterly basis. This will depend on
phone contract, however we would recommend
you making the necessary arrangements.
doing your research and going into a store to speak
to a member of staff
Rentals will require a deposit which is kept until the
from that network provider before applying for this
end
to understand the contract terms, and often to
of the tenancy. Your landlord/rental/letting agent
negotiate a better deal. Unlimited data phone
will inform you on any charges that have arisen
contacts can be a little a £25 per month. Below are
at the end of your tenancy e.g. damage to the
some of the most popular UK
property or cleaning fees. If you are on an assured
mobile phone providers for you to consider:
shorthold tenancy your deposit must be registered
– EE
in a tenancy deposit protection scheme. This is
– O2
mandated by the UK government and ensures
– Vodaphone
tenants get their deposit back if they meet
– Three (3)
the terms of the tenancy agreement, don’t
– Virgin Mobile
damage the property and pay your rent and
– GiffGaff
bills. Visit https://www.gov.uk/deposit-
– Sky Mobile
protectionschemes-
and-landlords for more details.
Internet and broadband
When you move into a property you are
Always shop around for this. Most providers in
responsible for the agreed charges for the rental
the UK will offer a 12-month contract. Always
period, if previous tenants have outstanding
check your coverage and connectivity
fees, you should refer these to your landlord
as some companies do not have good
or letting agent to result. This is not your
coverage in certain areas of the UK. To check
responsibility as you did not incur those charges.
your coverage visit: www.ofcom.org.
uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advicefor-
consumers/advice/ofcom-checker
Council tax
Visit The Money Advice Service for further
The cost of your council tax will depend on your
information on what household bills are
location and the number of occupants in the
available and how to save money on your bills:
property. If you live alone, you will get a 25%
https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/arti
discount.
cles/how-to-save-money-on-household-bills
Finding a rental property
If you want to find your own accommodation
when you move to the UK or for when you
move out of Trust accommodation (if you
are housed in Springwood Road), there are a
number of ways to look for rental properties
we have listed some popular websites below:
– www.purplebricks.co.uk
– www.rightmove.co.uk
– www.zoopla.co.uk
– www.onthemarket.com
– www.primelocation.com
– www.spareroom.co.uk
Bringing your family to the UK
Your family members (‘dependants’) can come
with you when you come to the UK on this visa.
Your family members must have a visa if they’re
from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) or
Switzerland. A ‘dependant’ is any of the following:
– Your husband, wife or partner
– Your child under 18
– Your child over 18 if they’re currently
in the UK as a dependent
Read the guidance on dependent
applications before you apply by visiting:
https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa
Dependants applying
from outside the UK
Your family members must apply online.
They’ll need to have their fingerprints and
photograph taken at a visa application
centre to obtain a biometric residence
permit as part of their application.
They’ll be required to collect their biometric
residence permit within 30 days of when they
said they’d arrive in the UK. They may be
able to get their visa faster or other services
depending on what country they’re in - check
with the visa application centre. If your child is
over 18 they cannot apply if they are outside
the UK. They can apply from inside the UK if
they are already here as your dependent.
For links for further information on this
process please visit the gov.uk website:
https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa
The Trust’s HR Department can provide you with
a maintenance letter which you may need.
Proof of personal savings
You must show that your dependents can
be supported while they’re in the UK. Each
dependent must have £630 available to them
whether they apply with you or separately.
This is in addition to the £945 you must have
to support yourself. You must have proof you
have the money, and that it’s been in your bank
account or your dependent's bank account for
at least 90 days before you or they apply.
Example: You must have £2,205 if you want to
bring your partner and one child with you to the
UK (£945 to support yourself plus £630 for your
partner and £630 for your child). You will not
need evidence of your savings if you have a:
– Fully approved (‘A-rated’) sponsor
– Certificate of sponsorship stating that
your sponsor will give each of your
dependents at least £630 to cover their
costs for a month if they need it
Fees.
Check the fees for your type of visa at: https://
www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration
Opening a bank account
If you do not have a UK bank account then
the hospital will not be able to pay you
your salary so it is very important that you
open an account as soon as possible.
To open a bank account you may need
to provide the following documents:
– Passport
– Visa / Birometric Residence Card
– Proof of address (eg. Tenancy agreement)
– Letter from employer (from recruitment/
HR) confirming that you are employed
at the hospital, dates of employment
and confirmation of salary.
IBanks and building societies can be found in the
local high streets and are generally open Monday-
Friday 9am-5pm and weekend hours are usually
Saturday 9am-12pm and Sundays closed however
opening times can vary depending on branch
so we would recommend checking online. All
banks are closed on public holidays (also known
as bank holidays). Many banks now have online
banking services and apps on smart phones
where you can control your bank account online.
Whether you decide to use your local bank
on the high street or choose to use an online
service, please make sure that you always keep
all of your personal account information safe
at all times, this includes your debit and credit
cards and never give out your PIN number.
You will find ATMs (cash machines) at most banks,
high streets and shopping centres. You can use
international credit cards, debit cards and bank
cards at ATM’s providing they have a four digit
PIN encoded. Most cash machines are free to use
however some may charge a small fee up to £2.
Debit and Credit Cards
Once you have set up a bank account you will be
sent a debit card to your address, this card will
allow you to get cash out from ATM machines and
you can also use this card in all stores by entering
your 4 digit PIN at the checkout. Your debit and
credit cards will be “chip and pin” meaning that
you will have to enter a 4 digit PIN code when
purchasing items in store, never share this code
with anyone, you will be asked to set this PIN up
when you are first issued your cards, this is usually
done by inserting the card into an ATM machine
and choosing the 4 digit number yourself.
Sending money abroad
You can send money abroad through direct
bank transfer of using Western Union, with
200+ locations across the globe. You can
send the money through the app, website
where you pay using your debit card or bank
transfer or make an in person transfer at
a local western union service provider. You
can find all the different locations at: http://
locations.westernunion.com/gb/birmingham
I
t is easy to send money between your UK
account and an overseas account. TransferWise
is a British online currency transfer service
where you can transfer money abroad easily and
quickly, offering very low cost fees in comparison
to most banks. For more information, and to
set up an account visit: transferwise.com.
There are various other secure ways to make
international payments but typically you will
need to have the following information to do so:
– The recipients full name and address
– The recipients IBAN (International bank
account number) or account number
– The name and address of the recipients bank
– The amount of money you wish to transfer
There are two types of costs when
transferring money abroad, the banking fees
and the exchange fees. The fees will differ
according the service or bank you use.
There are different types of international
payments offered by banks so before you
make an international payment you should
speak to a member of staff at your bank.
Some useful websites and
examples of banks:
Bank safe online
www.banksafeonline.org.uk/
Santander
www.santander.co.uk/uk
Lloydsbank
www.lloydsbank.com/personal.asp
Metro Bank Online
www.metrobankonline.co.uk/
HSBC
https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
 Registering with a GP (family doctor)
Once you have arrived to the UK you will need
to register with a GP (General Practitioner).
You should do it as soon as possible as you
cannot be seen by a doctor without registering.
To register with a GP you will have to submit
a registration form to them. You can get this
form from the practice or you can download it
online. Once you have completed and returned
the form, NHS England will transfer your medical
records to your new practice and write to you
to confirm that you have been registered as
a patient with the practice of your choice.
To find out more about registering with a GP in
the UK visit: https://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/
AboutNHSservices/doctors/Pages/NHSGPs.aspx
Birmingham, UK
If you are not registered with a GP and you
become ill you can go to a local doctor surgery
and receive any immediate necessary treatment
for a period of up to 14 days. During this
time you are entitled to the same treatment
as a registered GP patient eg: home visits
if required. This also applies to treatment
within hospitals. You do not have to pay for
emergency treatment if you have an accident.
Centenary Square, Birmingham City Centre
Choosing a Dentist
When choosing a Dentist you should make
sure that they provide National Health
Service (NHS) treatment. Normally you are
expected to pay towards the cost of NHS
dental treatment. It is important that you
agree these charges before treatment begins.
Health Information
In an Emergency outside of your workplace
you should call 999 a British Telecom operator
will answer your call and will ask you which
service you require, Fire, Police or Ambulance.
For non-urgent calls to the police call 101
For 24-hour Medical Advice call 111
There are walk-in centres available in the UK,
where you can attend without making an
appointment if there is an urgent condition. To
find your nearest walk- in clinic visit: www.nhs.uk
Sexual Health Clinics are free and provide
confidential advice on sexual matters. Usually
you can just walk in however sometimes you
need an appointment. Here you can receive free
condoms, contraceptive pills, the morning-after
pill (normally 24) and pregnancy tests. Some
clinics will also test for sexually transmitted
diseases. For more information visit: www.nhs.u
Emergency Information
In an emergency call 999.
An emergency is when someone is in danger,
seriously injured, their is a fire or a crime is in
progress such as someone being threatened.
Only call 999 when you need immediate help. You
will be able to reach Police, Fire and Rescue
and Ambulance all through 999. The
operator will ask you which service you require.
Non-emergency - call 101
101 is the number to call to report crime and
other police issues that do not require an
emergency response. You do not need to dial
any other number, just 101. You can also call
101 to speak to your local police officer.
You will also be asked to give as much detail as
possible about the incident so the police can decide
how to help and calls are prioritised. The offiver
may ask for an appropriate time for an officer to call
you back or visit you to obtain more information.