What’s continuing to attract the UK Psychiatrists to migrate to Australia in 2023
In conversation with a Psychiatrist who migrated from the UK to Australia.
For several years, it’s been no secret that British trained doctors have been coming to Australia’s shores in search of sun-drenched beaches and laid-back lifestyle. Whilst junior doctors tend to take on a short-term career experience before returning to the UK, more recently we’ve certainly seen a huge increase in the number of specialist level doctors make the leap to Australia on a more permanent basis. With the increasing shortage of Psychiatry doctors continuing across Australia, we foresee the demand for the UK Trained Psychiatrists continuing for several years to come.
In this article we take a closer look at one Psychiatrist’s recent journey and ask
Dr. M Kashif Khan why he chose Australia as his number 1 destination to migrate and practice as a psychiatrist.
Looking back, what were the main reasons for deciding to leave the UK and the NHS?
With a young family I am currently the sole earner in my family. After working in the UK for 17 years, my wife and I were unable to get ahead financially, despite me working extra hours through the NHS every week. I tried taking up long-term locum work but ended up feeling exhausted. I was worried about being forced to take time off due to any sickness, which would in turn have an impact on my monthly income.
Over the 17 years of working in the NHS, I witnessed its undoing and current failures. Doctors were working harder and for longer hours, and still the profession was undermined. Covid was the final straw. I was there during the last financial crash in 2008; and when the UK government announced the Covid relief packages in 2020, I could clearly see what was about to come next, i.e., cost of living crisis and more economic pains. The only logical choice was to move out of the UK and build a life somewhere else.
What initially attracted you to consider migrating to Australia to practice as a psychiatrist?
I searched for other options across the globe. Australia came on top as I didn’t want to sit for more exams (Canada). A lot of my fellow colleagues had moved to Australia observing the rise in psychiatry jobs. After spending 17 years in the UK, I was not keen to move to a country even colder than the UK.
I compared the clinical systems, Australian psychiatry salaries, lifestyle choices, education, and other business opportunities. Australia came on top.
Find the top psychiatrist jobs in Australia.
In your experience, how would you describe the main differences between the UK and Australian healthcare systems?
The healthcare systems in the UK are more focused on quantity of care provision. Also, the systems are going through changes almost every 4 years. They test the systems, and if things are not working out, then the clinical leads, medical directors and managers etc. tend to change things quickly. Whilst this works on many occasions, it also increases staff anxiety.
I have a mixed opinion about the healthcare systems in Queensland. In some areas, they are decades ahead of the systems in the UK; for example, the Queensland Mental Health Act 2016, the state-wide electronic systems such as iEMR and CIMHA which are accessible to healthcare professionals throughout Queensland. On the other hand, I am not a fan of the Prescription Based Services, which limit the prescription of medications to specific illnesses. For example, it is extremely difficult to prescribe any antipsychotic medication to a patient diagnosed only with Depression.
However, things are improving continuously. A lot of changes are being made. The trajectory looks good overall.
I am also very happy about the high level of junior doctor support I have, something which I didn’t have in the UK during the three years I worked there as a consultant psychiatrist.
How have you found the lifestyle in Queensland?
Simply amazing. It is a dream to be living in the state next to the iconic Great Barrier Reef. My children never want to move back to England; although my wife does at times because she misses her friends there – but even that only happens for a few moments. I find it very easy to refocus her attention to the fact that we were renting a house which was less than half the size of the house we are currently living in, and we were paying more in terms of rent, council taxes and bills.
Fuel is much cheaper than the UK. Car Insurance is cheaper! Beaches, theme parks, zoos, outdoor activities, areas with no light pollution where you can go camping and practice astrophotography!
And the amazing wildlife! Parrots, cockatoos, koala bears, kangaroos, wallabies, whales, dolphins… I will just stop here now.
What are the main benefits you have experienced since making the move to Australia in 2021?
I Have a life Now!
The life I have now after spending 16 months in Australia, I could not have ever achieved in the UK in this duration (unless I won the lottery – and the chances of winning that are 1 in 45 million).
I am living in Brisbane. I have had vacations with my family for the first time in years! I have been to Cairns, Sydney, Melbourne… and more than 30 beaches! My children have spent whole days in the swimming pools in our 4-bedroom rented house. We have saved money to pay the deposit for a house we are planning to buy. My children are all doing great at school and have made lots of friends.
I have passed all the assessments as per RANZCP fellowship requirements. I have met at least 50 psychiatrists who have all moved from the UK and have settled here with their families. Most of them are working part-time in the public sector and spend the remainder of their working hours doing private clinics. Thanks to the handsome salary for
psychiatrists in Australia they are all financially secure and most of them have already paid off their mortgages within a period of 6-10 years.
Doctor life in Australia: salaries, lifestyle and learning.
How does a psychiatrist salary in Australia compare to the UK and are there psychiatry jobs opportunities for private practice?
How much do psychiatrists earn in Australia is the most common question that I come across. It depends on a few factors. However, If you are a consultant psychiatrist who has three years of work experience as a consultant, you will start at year 4 of your salary as per Queensland Health policy. As a consultant psychiatrist in Australia, you will enjoy 50% retention bonus on top of your basic pay, and will receive AUD 21,000 for vehicle allowance and AUD 21,000 for professional development. All of these are already included in your fortnightly pay (yes, you get paid every two weeks which is an added bonus). Every on-call is paid at different rates, which is more akin to the on-calls paid in the private sector in the UK. Basically, you will receive around 270 percent (if I remember correctly) of your hourly pay for the time you spend working on-site during the on-calls. However, for the hours you work remotely, you get paid a little amount. It is still more than the extremely mediocre percentage you get for doing on-calls working in the NHS sector as a consultant psychiatrist.
If you work in the northern parts of Queensland, then you may also get the additional bonus amount working in a rural setting.
And that’s the public sector starting consultant psychiatrist salary in Australia pay at year 4 level. Bear in mind that if you have more than three years of working experience post CCT, then you will be on a higher pay point.
Private sector pay is considerably higher than the public sector (around 1.5 to 2 times). But then you also inherit added responsibilities. On the other hand, you pay corporate level tax, which is similar to tax you pay in the UK under the Limited Company tax rules. You end up saving a lot of money there as well.
What tips would you suggest to those the UK Psychiatrists considering a move to Australia?
- First of all, make sure you have achieved all the requirements for the Substantial Comparability Pathway.
- Once you have made up your mind… Always plan ahead!
- Choose a job in the setting you want to work, i.e. community and/or inpatient. Many employers will try to accommodate your request.
- There are considerable salary differences across the states in Australia. You must consider this before applying for a job.
- If you are moving with your family, check the local areas and consider the distance between major cities and the place where you are applying. Travel times will increase dramatically.
- Cost of living in smaller cities is less compared to major cities.
- Some employers provide help with Permanent Residence visas. If you are still going to be below the age of 45 by the time you commence your job, you must consider this aspect. Note that the employer can only sponsor your PR visa after you have been granted provisional registration by AHPRA (this is not the Provisional Registration in Principal).
- I strongly recommend that any psychiatrist planning this move, must work with an employment agency as they provide the extremely valuable assistance required at every stage of this journey. There were technicalities that I was not aware of and working with agency will help you at every stage. CC Medical was extremely helpful, and I wouldn’t have made it without them. They are very knowledgeable and experts in their field.
Whilst migrating to Australia may not suit everyone, it’s easy to understand why so many Psychiatrists are making the move to Australia.
With a highly respected team of psychiatry and specialist doctor recruitment consultants, our team at CC Medical are here to answer all your questions about Australia doctor jobs (Psychiatry
Jobs) available to you.
Please reach out to us with your queries and we would welcome the opportunity to organise an initial consultation with you. Our service is FREE to all doctors.
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