Head Medical’s Amanda Gregory lives, breathes, sleeps and eats all things Singapore.
In the last two and half years Amanda, a qualified Registered General Nurse with more than a decade of experience in international recruitment, has built up an unrivalled network of contacts in the world’s only island city state which she puts to good use for her increasing number of clients.
“When I started with Head Medical we had two clients. Now as the Singapore recruitment specialist I work with all six Public Health Care Clusters in Singapore, which are like NHS Trusts in the UK,” says Amanda.
“Head Medical has become a one-stop-shop for doctors considering a move to Singapore. It means we know all the openings there are for various specialties at any one time, and if there is nothing suitable for a particular doctor we can get them on to the database and contact them as soon as the right position opens up”.
Singapore has become a highly desirable destination for doctors looking to experience a different, forward thinking healthcare service which is ranked highly in the global efficiency ratings and at the forefront of medical excellence in the region.
In the latest edition of HSBC’s annual Expat Explorer report Singapore ranked first in a survey of expat destinations for the second year running. A poll of almost 27,000 people living in 190 economies around the world named the city as the best place to live, work and raise a family abroad.
It is a thriving cosmopolitan state with four official languages – English, Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil – although the Health Service is largely English speaking, making the transition for UK doctors relatively simple. Indeed, more than 30 per cent of doctors in Singapore are overseas trained.
“Candidates comes to Head Medical for a number of reasons. Many are looking for a lifestyle change, to improve their financial situation, learn new skills they can eventually bring back to the UK, or maybe they just want to be closer to family if they are from India or Malaysia originally,” says Amanda, 35, a mother-of-two who is well travelled herself having worked in Australia, Greece and Poland.
“We don’t actively head-hunt doctors out of the NHS. Those that come to us have already made the decision to move abroad and we try to help facilitate that.
“It’s my job to help them find the ideal position and make sure the transition from the UK goes as smoothly as possible for each candidate and their family. Whether it’s information on medical matters for the doctors or on schooling for their children we can help.
“I eat, live and breathe everything Singapore. The level of advice I can provide is almost the same as somebody who has made the move themselves. I am constantly gathering information from candidates I have already placed and getting details of their experiences. If there is a question I can’t answer I usually know somebody who can.”
A key to Amanda’s success is her ongoing relationships with her candidates and clients within the Singapore Healthcare Service.
“At Head Medical our relationship with doctors and our service to them doesn’t end as soon as they start their new job,” says Amanda. “It’s all about building long-term relationships, which is especially important when working with contacts in the Asian market, and we work very hard at doing just that.”
Read our guide to Living and Working in Singapore
Contact Amanda on +44 (0)131 240 5281 or via amanda@headmedical.com