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22-01-2024
SYDNEY: On his last shift in Wales, Jack Tagg was responsible for 35 patients in a urology department.
Two months since moving to Australia, he says his salary has doubled, he has less emotional stress and colleagues apologies if he has to manage 10 patients on his own.
Wales’ junior doctors are on strike for the final day on Wednesday before normal NHS services resume on Thursday.
Jack said he supported moves to improve things back home.
The Welsh government has already given a 5% pay rise to all NHS staff and said it was “at the limits” of what it can afford.
“The worst day I’ve had here has been a third less patients to manage, for pretty much double the salary,” said the 28-year-old, who is now part of a large ex-pat community.
The positives experiences of doctors such as Jack are not lost on those picketing, with placards and interviews often including anecdotes about those who have also departed for wards in Australia.
Jack added; “speaking to colleagues at home, it would be another five or six years before I’d reached the salary I’m achieving here.”
Originally from Leeds, Jack studied medicine at Cardiff University for six years, then spent two years working as a junior doctor in south and west Wales, before deciding to make the move abroad.
“I found the work difficult, because the workloads were huge, the emotional stress was high, and when you combine that with the pretty dismal pay, I just moved to Australia because I thought the lifestyle I could lead here would be better,” he added.
“Since I’ve moved, the pay has been significantly better.”
He said his last year working in Wales resulted in an hourly rate of about £13.65 to £14, because he had a relatively low number of on-call shifts.
“I think the £19 an hour that colleagues back home are asking for is completely reasonable,” Jack said.
“In fact, it’s absolutely vital for the NHS, because that wage currently it’s disrespectful to doctors.
“It’s unsustainable for the NHS and ultimately it’s dangerous for patients.”
He is now working as a first year psychiatry registrar in New South Wales, and added: “The cost of living is comparable.
“I’m not going to say its way cheaper than the UK, because it isn’t but “when you increase wages, you increase morale and staff retention, you reduce that workload and the lifestyle you can lead improves.”
Naturally there are downsides to being on the other side of the world to family and friends though his partner who is also a junior doctor, plans to join him next month.
“The more specific downside for me is the football is an absolute nightmare to watch over here,” he laughed. (BBC)
