A thriving district general hospital, at the heart of its community on the rural outskirts of London, offers the chance to develop a rewarding NHS career whether you are a newly qualified nurse or moving up the ladder on your way to becoming a top consultant.
The 512-bed Princess Royal university hospital (PRUH), in Bromley, which is part of the internationally-renowned King’s College hospital NHS foundation trust, has the full range of services expected of any busy local hospital, including medicine, surgery, paediatrics, critical care, out-patients and a 24/7 Emergency Department (ED).
The ED sees about 5,500 patients a month – double the number it would have dealt with in previous years. And a further 900 patients, aged under 18, are dealt with by its separate paediatric ED. The department is also being extended further with plans to create a bigger resuscitation area – doubling its number of patient beds to eight.
The increased demand – and the complexity of the patients attending – is reflected in the ED workforce. In 2007 the department employed just four consultants, but today it has more than 100 nursing and 50 medical posts.
The hospital has an established hyper-acute stroke unit – one of only eight in the capital. The unit, based in the hospital’s ED, means stroke patients are assessed by its on-call stroke team and are given a head scan and diagnosis within 30 minutes of arrival.
The PRUH is also behind an innovative frailty service targeting older patients who find it hard to care for themselves because of mobility or cognitive decline, who historically may have faced long stays in hospital.
Similar to the stroke service, clinicians working out of the ED are able to quickly identify these frail patients and provide tailored support, often avoiding the need for hospital admission. Indeed, the service, built on the success of a pilot project three years ago, boasts that more than 50% of patients who would otherwise have taken up a hospital bed are now allowed home with a support package in place. At the centre of the innovative service is a telephone hotline to a consultant gerontologist that GPs can call for specialist advice, or to book a rapid same-day hospital assessment.
The PRUH also excels in the care it provides for its youngest patients. About 5,000 babies are born there every year, and the investments it has made in its special care baby unit and its paediatric ward have been described as “a jewel in the crown” by Health Education England – the agency responsible for NHS workforce development and training.
The hospital has more than 2,800 staff and is one of the biggest employers in the borough. Its commitment to its workforce is borne out by the importance it places on employee work-life balance – flexible working is encouraged. Professional development is another given. Consultants are supportive – as one junior doctor said: “I feel more empowered in my job … because of the support of my consultants, who are fantastic.”
There is a mentoring scheme for nurses, which helps boost their progress and adds to the culture of team working. And, according to nursing managers, the chance for nurses to become involved in project work outside their normal speciality is another advantage for those looking for professional development: “There are great opportunities for nurses here,” said one manager.
While the PRUH can provide unrivalled professional rewards, there are other advantages outside the workplace if you choose to make this outer London borough your home.
Bromley is the largest of the London boroughs by area – and one of its greenest, as half of it is within London’s green belt. It borders the North Downs and 30% of the borough is farmland. There are excellent rail links, with 26 stations across the borough providing quick links to central London – it’s only 20 minutes from Bromley South to Victoria. Bromley has some of the most affordable housing in the capital – the average flat will set you back around £320,000 while a terrace house will cost in the region of £412,000, according to the property website Zoopla. The borough’s state schools are among the best-performing in the capital. Last year Ofsted inspectors ranked 29% of its schools as “outstanding” and 67% were “good”.
The combination of a rewarding NHS career working for an employer who recognises the value of achieving the right work-life balance, so creating the time to enjoy living in one of London’s greenest boroughs, is helping to make the PRUH an employer of first choice. One nurse, who crossed the world from the Philippines to join the PRUH has no regrets. Starting as a staff nurse and progressing to become a junior sister she reflected: “Moving across the world and leaving my family behind was a big step. But I really appreciate the chances I have been given. I love my job and want to stay here.”
