From NHS Burnout to a New Life in Wellington, NZ
“I actually have a life outside of work again instead of the NHS Burnout feeling.”
This is exactly why we love doing what we do at Milford Specialist Recruitment.
Six months ago, our Radiographer Abbie packed up her life in Telford in the UK and moved halfway around the world to Wellington, New Zealand.
Today, she barely feels like the same person.
And her story is about so much more than changing jobs.
Life before New Zealand
Before making the move, Abbie was working as a Radiographer within the NHS in Telford.
She was regularly working overtime and back-to-back shifts, experiencing the NHS Burnout and eventually it began taking its toll.
She would finish work completely exhausted.
Even when she technically had free time, she often didn't have the energy to enjoy it. Going out, exercising, meeting friends or doing something after work could feel like too much.
She described feeling emotional, constantly tired and, at times, like a “walking zombie.”
She loved radiography – but she wanted a life outside of radiography too.
That's when New Zealand came into the picture.
Six months later…
We helped Abbie secure a position in Wellington with our private-sector partners at Pacific Radiology.
And what a difference six months has made.
Abbie now typically works 8:00am–4:30pm, with her weekends free.
She spoke incredibly highly of the onboarding and support she received when joining the team, and she has been amazed by the difference in her work-life balance.
But one of our favourite parts of her story?
She's only been there six months and is already undertaking cardiac training.
Moving abroad hasn't meant putting her career development on hold.
Quite the opposite.
She's progressing professionally while finally having the time and energy to enjoy her life outside of work.
And then there's Wellington… ❤️
This is the part we love.
Abbie hasn't simply found a job she enjoys.
She's found a home.
She has joined a netball club, goes to painting and quiz nights, has hikes planned with new friends and can spend her downtime simply sitting by Wellington Harbour watching the sea life.
She even cycles to work.
Wellington's compact city lifestyle means so much is within easy reach – work, the waterfront, cafés, restaurants and the outdoors.
For someone who previously came home from work feeling like she had nothing left to give, her life now looks completely different.
She has a career.
She has hobbies.
She has weekends.
She has new friends.
And she has the energy to actually enjoy all of it.
This is why we do what we do
At Milford Specialist Recruitment, placing someone into a vacancy is only one part of what matters to us.
We want to understand the person behind the CV.
What kind of life do they want?
Where would they genuinely be happy?
What environment will help them develop professionally?
What location could eventually feel like home?
Because moving from the UK to New Zealand or Australia is a huge decision. The right opportunity shouldn't simply look good on paper – it should fit the life that person wants to build.
Seeing the difference from the NHS Burnout Abbie to the Abbie six months after her move is exactly why we love working with our private healthcare partners across New Zealand and Australia.
We helped match Abbie with an organisation where she could continue developing as a Radiographer, and with a city where she could build the lifestyle she'd been missing.
And now?
She's absolutely loving it.
From exhausting back-to-back shifts in Telford to cycling to work in Wellington, developing her cardiac skills, playing netball, meeting new friends and spending her weekends exploring New Zealand.
That's not simply a new job.
That's a new chapter. ❤️
If you're a Radiographer, Sonographer or Medical Imaging professional in the UK or Ireland wondering what life could look like in New Zealand or Australia, we'd love to have a chat.
Sometimes the right career move can change a lot more than your working day.
Milford Specialist Recruitment Medical Imaging Specialists | New Zealand & Australia
