RIG Healthcare will provide you with all the assistance you need to work as a Healthcare professional in the UK. As specialists in Healthcare recruitment and with many years experience of bringing in overseas professionals, we know how to make the transition as easy as possible.

Advice on arriving in the UK

If you are considering working in the UK, it is important that you register with your relevant professional body as soon as possible (e.g. the GMC, HPC or RPSGB). The HPC have improved the registration process, however registration can still take up to three months depending on the availability of the information required for your application.

For up-to-date information on your relevant registered body and working in the UK, please visit General Medical Council at www.gmc-uk.org, The Health Professions Council at www.hpc-uk.org and Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain at www.rpsgb.org.uk.

It is advisable before your arrival in the UK to collect evidence of immunity from the following infections, as they will be required before a placement can be secured for you:

Hepatitis B. A pathology report showing a titre level of over 100 iu/l.

Measles / Mumps / Rubella. Blood test results to show positive antibodies to each infection or evidence of 2 MMR vaccinations.

Tuberculosis. A certificate of a positive scar sighted by a GP/Occupational Health nurse or grade 2 heaf test result or Mantoux test result between 6mm and 15mm. If you have worked in a TB prevalent area in the last three years, we will need to see a clear chest x-ray report.

Varicella / Chickenpox. A positive blood test result or a written statement confirming a previous infection.

Tests for exposure prone disease may be needed.

Visa requirements

Are you an Australian, Canadian, Japanese or New Zealand passport holder? If you are aged between 18 and 30 and have not previously had a working holiday visa or a visa issued under the Youth Mobility Scheme you can qualify for entry to the UK under the Youth Mobility Scheme (tier 5). You will need to apply for this prior to travelling to the UK and once issued you are able to work in the UK for two full years.

Alternatively you may qualify for a Highly Skilled Migrant (tier 1) visa, please contact us for further information or refer to the UK Home Office website. This must be applied for prior to travelling to the UK and once granted will enable you to work in the UK for the full length of the visa.

For more information on these visa schemes, the points system and application forms go directly to the UK Border Agency site at www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk

If you are overseas and hold a British passport, or have dual nationality with a country within the European Economic Area you will not require a visa.

For additional information on visas and permits please visit The Foreign Office website www.ukvisas.gov.uk.

Overseas and UK police checks

You will need to bring an Overseas Police Check from your country of origin which should be validated by the originator. This is applicable for workers who have entered the UK within a 6-month period prior to recruitment.

In addition we will need to process a UK Criminal Records Bureau Check before we can secure a position for you. A CRB questionnaire form can be found in the application pack. The CRB process should take no more than four weeks.

All individuals who work with vulnerable adults will soon have to be vetted by the ISA (Independent Safeguarding Authority). Increased safeguards have now been introduced under the Vetting and Barring Scheme. Applicants will be assessed using data gathered by the CRB including relevant criminal convictions, cautions, police intelligence and other appropriate sources.

ISA-registration for the Vetting and Barring Scheme does not start for new workers or those moving jobs until July 2010 and ISA-registration does not become mandatory for these workers until November 2010. All other staff will be phased into the scheme from 2011. Further information on how to apply for registration will be provided in due course.

More information can be found on the ISA website www.isa-gov.org.uk.

Need a UK bank account and National Insurance number?

Let us take some of the stress out of setting up your financial requirements. Please contact the Compliance Team for further details on how to apply for a UK bank account, by e-mailing compliance@rigl.co.uk or call +44 (0)20 8768 8613 and we will be able to advise you on what you will need to provide.

As a supplier to the NHS, we are able to assist with obtaining your National Insurance number; this is the equivalent to the Social Security process in your home country. The fast-track Employer’s Service means that you will be able to apply for a NI number through the post, without the inconvenience of having to wait to attend an interview. Once in process, your application should take approximately three weeks to complete (instead of the standard application time).

Register now for our latest Healthcare jobs or call us on 0345 363 1187 to discuss any available positions, otherwise leave your number and we’ll call you back. Alternatively, you could email us at info@righealthcare.co.uk.

Feel free to browse our current range of vacancies. Remember that our database is constantly updated with the very latest AHP, HSS and Doctors opportunities.