Our ever intrepid Business Development Director, Jim Godsal, gives us the lowdown on his most recent jolly.......sorry, important Business Development trip, around New South Wales (NSW) and Singapore with latest sidekick Jonathan Blake, Managing Consultant in our Asia-Pacific Team:
As you may have read in an earlier blog we were recently appointed to the Panel of Overseas Recruitment Agencies (PORA) for NSW Health, allowing us to offer positions in the one area of Australia we’ve been unable to deliver to over the past 5 years - it also gave us the perfect opportunity for a quick trip to the other side of the world and a last burst of winter sunshine!
Jonathan (JB) and I set off to attend the PORA briefing in Sydney (with JB managing to squeeze in a quick surprise visit to see his family in Melbourne first). The first morning, walking from Darling Harbour round to the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge under blue skies and sunshine, soon made us forget the 30 hours of travel as we had a relaxing day of acclimatisation and body clock alteration. Then it was another flight first thing in the morning up to Ballina, by Byron Bay, where we picked up our hire car, and with the help of Sheryl (our sat-nav), set off on our epic road trip, taking in as many of the Local Health Districts (LHDs) as we possibly could.
Over the next three days we drove south along the Pacific Highway (disappointing lack of Pacific views), back towards Sydney. We saw a range of hospitals, from Lismore in the north (rural town just an hour from the Gold Coast) to the coastal towns of Coffs Harbour (home of the Big Banana!), Port Macquarie, Newcastle and Gosford. It was an invaluable opportunity to build relationships with the respective hiring managers and get a clear idea of what the hospitals and towns each have to offer our Doctors.
Once back in Sydney we spent a day at the Harbourview Hotel with NSW Health and the rest of the PORA, for a briefing on how the panel was to work, making sure we’re on top of all the intricacies of the process. Then back to the airport (via Botany Bay) and a short flight to Albury, on the Southern border of NSW. That left us with one final day on the road, meeting clients in Albury before heading through the capital Canberra to meet the LHD at Queanbeyan and then back to Sydney.
Exhausting as it was driving 3-400kms per day, we managed to drag ourselves out to sample Sydney’s nightlife, with the help of old friends from Scotland and Melbourne, as well as a randomly befriended off-duty Paramedic and Sydney did not disappoint!
To make the most of the trip we had planned a 5 day stopover in Singapore on the way back, a city neither Jonathan or I had been to before, other than the always impressive Changi Airport. We arrived amid torrential rain and thunder and lightning, but the city was still full of life (even if we weren’t!). Our first day was spent getting to know the city on an open top bus tour, visiting Orchard Road, Little India and China Town, as well as sampling the obligatory Singapore Sling in Long’s Bar and the view from the top of Marina Bay Sands. We then had 3 days of meetings with our existing private client and 5 of the 6 Government Healthcare clusters. Singapore is growing and flourishing and they are investing heavily in the healthcare sector, with new hospitals being built and older ones being renovated. Facilities are all high end and there are numerous opportunities for international Doctors to enjoy state of the art facilities within a modern, bustling, multi-cultural city.
We came away with a number of new clients so keep an eye on our website for more Singapore vacancies over the coming weeks!
Our arrival back in the UK was a harsh return to reality, with our flight from London to Edinburgh cancelled due to the high winds, meaning we got to spend yet another night in a hotel. But thankfully we managed to catch the red eye the following morning to be reunited with all our colleagues at the Head Medical Christmas party that evening, where, despite the jetlag, we both managed to acquit ourselves pretty well!
If you’re interested in opportunities in New South Wales, then you’re best to get in touch with Julie, the newest member of our team on +44 (0)131 240 5267 or via julie@headmedical.com.
Meanwhile, Jonathan is looking after all our Singapore vacancies, so if you want to explore opportunities in South East Asia get in touch with him on +44 (0)131 240 5261 or via jonathan@headmedical.com.