MissBetty

That's true and I have a LOT of sick leave to use up as well ...................... ha ha ha!!!!

MissBetty

Thanks mate, appreciate your kind words. The officers from the nearby station don't earn as much as me and they have to do 'road transfers' for local people to the main hospital for dialysis/check ups/diabetes clinic etc which is 2 hours away. I don't have to as it would mean leaving my post unmanned and I get penalties for working alone, they seem to really resent that but don't stop to consider just what it is like being stuck all alone for days at a time. Last Christmas they all had a big dinner cooked by their Officer in Charge (an ex student of mine funnily enough) and no one invited me so I sat on my station alone the whole day. I thought that was pretty mean!

They fight amongst each other a lot too so I try my best not to take their snide comments personally but after 2 very long years I'm just at the end of my tether with it all and I am running out of patience quite frankly!

Like you I won't be saying too many goodbyes, I have a small dinner organised for me, Gay Boss and 3 of my closest friends in a few weeks and then I'll be off

Keep that smile on your face mate and I'll be looking out for your updates when you are off on your adventures!

MissBetty

I'm trying I promise - just 16 shifts to go, hand in my notice May
2nd

WhoFan63

Well use it before you go because they won't pay you out when you leave. Cough cough I think I feel a bug coming on

MissBetty

Yes I know - they won't pay out, how rude! I'm actually taking my last week off sick, I've only had two days sick in three years so I don't feel too guilty lol!!! Speaking of coughs read your other post, hope you are feeling better now?

WhoFan63

Stopped coughing finally at some ungodly hour of the morning while I was tucked up nice and warm in the doona LOL Still feel chilled and have the shakes no matter how much I'm wearing, but at least I'm not coughing I didn't want to have to pay extra to have the landlords clean lung parts off the walls.

mikelincs

You seem to have the same thing my wife has, she's sat here with chills and the shakes and coughing, not nice..

WhoFan63

Aww bless.... I sympathise with her and know what she's going through. Definitely not nice at all. I can be sitting in front of the radiator, with sweat pouring down my face and still feel like I'm sitting in an igloo.

I just looked out the window and it's raining again...so luckily it's Sunday and I'm not going anywhere so I'm staying in and keeping warm.

windsong

Good idea! You need the rest, recovering from jet lag, the cold, etc.

Do you have a TV in the B&B that you can watch?

WhoFan63

Most definitely...has a lovely telly and a fridge that I can put some supplies in. I went out this morning to visit a friend who lives in Mossley and the sky looked like it was about to open up...but luckily I made it there and back without getting wet Yay me !

Curling up in front of the telly tonight with the final episode of Broadchurch, so if you hear a hoarse scream it will be me when they finally reveal the killer.

quoll

Dont know if you are interested but the East of England ambulance service just announced its new plan to improve services here in Cambridgeshire and surrounding counties - they will be recruiting like mad in the not too distant future I should think.

Has to be better than the back of Bourke LOL

Beccarose

Not long now! When is your flight out? I can understand the grouchies, it makes sense. A huge upheaval, very wanted but an upheaval all the same. I hope you take off all of your due sick time! They certainly don't seem appreciative or nice enough to not take it all.

MissBetty

May 27th - just under 5 weeks now but its really dragging!!! Yes re work I think its a dangerous combination of the people who don't like me getting a few final digs in and me - outspoken but usually quite diplomatic - not giving a rats a*** anymore! Hence a lot of tension when some one says something rude or anti-English and instead of just shrugging my shoulders as I normally would I'm saying "Well actually I think you are a *******, and your country is **** and all Aussies are ***** so why don't you go and **** yourself?!" I should know better really but it does feel good to say it lol lol!!!

I'm taking my last week off sick, we don't get paid a week in hand so essentially I'd be working for nothing which will really annoy me so best for all concerned I think!!! They can go.................................... ha ha ha!!!!!

MissBetty

Yes I'm interested! EEAS is a service I'm applying to in the next few weeks, they've been advertising on NHS jobs for a few months now, next closing date is May 15th. They are the worst performing service in the country re response times and have had a lot of negative press so they have a massive recruitment campaign going on atm. They are even offering a 'golden handshake' of 2000GBP if you stay with them for 2 years and up to 8000GBP in relocation costs as well.

I have two friends who are ex QAS as well who work for them, one of them is now a senior manager, and I am meeting up with both of them once I get back. They say that they are quite a good service to work for although they don't run the paramedic practitioner course anymore which is a shame.

On one of my long boring afternoons recently I printed off a list of their ambulance stations and google mapped them (yes, sad I know but I did have time on my hands!). I now have a list of EEAS stations with between a 60 and 90 minute commute from Hastings so they are definitely a possibility!

My options are:-

1. Go back to the NHS for at least 6 months, restart my pension, get back into the swing of things and consolidate my skills again. Then go freelance and do casual shifts for the service I've been working for alongside my offshore/film work.

2. Go back to NHS and make a career of it, apply for management positions and reapply for things such as the air ambulance.

3. Go freelance straight away and see if I can get some frontline work as a casual member of staff with London or Essex as well.

Number one is my current choice, I have my 4 week course to complete in June/July which will give me extra skills and get me back into the UK way of doing things. I'll have enough money now for a car and to live on for 6 months so I can take my time but I'd like to be back at work by August/Sept if I can, no point in using up all my savings as I could use the money to pay another chunk off my mortgage!

Anyway any thoughts appreciated as usual, its good to get other peoples opinions

Perth

They all sound like excellent plans. Don't think you could go wrong with any of them. But if you feel #1 is the best for you, then it probably is.