NHS worker slams 'culture of overworking' and quits for new life abroad on beach
A former NHS occupational therapist has slammed the 'culture of overworking' after quitting her job and moving to the other side of the world.
Burnt out Ciara Molloy, 28, says she was 'exhausted' and felt like she was in a 'permanent state of jet lag' when working six-day weeks during the coronavirus lockdowns - balancing her 9-5 day job with taking on the role of intensive care unit (ICU) nursing assistant at weekends.
Ciara, from Dublin and who lived in London, had to be signed off with stress last year after the effects of the pandemic caught up with her.
She knew she needed a break and five months on after living in Sydney, Australia, she has gained a new perspective on life, realising the importance of a healthy work/life balance.
Ciara took on extra shifts to help out in the pandemic (Ciara Molloy)
She now says her life Down Under is completely different (Ciara Molloy)Ciara enjoyed her job along with the company of her colleagues and patients but was left feeling utterly drained after working for three different NHS trusts during her four years in London.
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When the coronavirus crisis took hold, she felt a responsibility to take on extra shifts as a young, single person with no family commitments.
She worked on the frontline in A&E at the start of the first lockdown, but in the winter of 2020 there weren't enough nurses to meet demand as the number of ICU patients was doubling.
Ciara spent two months working Saturday and Sunday nights from 7pm to 8am as a bedside nursing assistant on top of her day job in the week as an occupational therapist.
She used her annual leave to take Mondays off before she could drop to just working extra on Saturday nights following the success of the coronavirus vaccine.
"It was utterly exhausting and I felt permanently jet-lagged," Ciara tells the Mirror.
"Day after day as NHS staff we risked our lives and put our jobs before our own mental health and well-being and it was devastating to see how so many people in the UK didn't follow the rules.
"I don't think the hardships I'd experienced really hit me until months after I'd finished in ICU."
She felt utterly exhausted working for the NHS in London (Ciara Molloy)
She decided she needed a break and uprooted (Ciara Molloy)Six months after finishing at the unit, she was signed off from work for eight weeks with stress.
She was supported by friends and family and had weekly counselling sessions. But it was during this time away from the hospital that she came to the realisation that she couldn't live like that any longer.
"I'm not ashamed to say I found myself in a very low place," Ciara admits.
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"It was during this time off that I decided I'd had enough and I needed to go and do something for me.
"I'd dreamed of travelling to Australia for years and they had just announced their borders were reopening. I applied for my working holiday visa while I was off work and handed my notice in as soon as I was well enough to return.
"I'd sacrificed a lot during the pandemic and gave everything I had to my job and to the NHS but I knew I needed a break.
"The idea of quitting my career, ditching my friends and leaving the apartment I loved to uproot my life and move to the other side of the world was extremely daunting but I have no regrets."
Her new routine Down Under is a stark contrast to her life in the UK - as it's much more relaxed.
Ciara now enjoys a new appreciation for the little things in life such as morning swims in the sea, cocktails in the sun with friends and getting to spend her free time exploring new places.
The 28-year-old has learnt to slow down and appreciate the small things in life (Ciara Molloy)
Her morning now consists of a swim in the sea (Ciara Molloy)She works for a travel operator, Welcome to Travel, with her commute to work now including walks along the beach while her journey home involves stopping by the coast for a swim with friends.
"I have been here almost half a year now and am loving my life in Australia. It's everything I dreamt of and more," Ciara says.
"I definitely worry less about the future and no longer over-plan my life. I still love a routine but the spontaneity of travelling has helped me to stop stressing over the small things."
The NHS is currently facing the worst staffing crisis in history, with data showing that anxiety, stress, depression and other psychiatric illnesses are consistently the most reported reason for NHS staff sickness absence, accounting for more than 476,900 full-time equivalent days lost in just one month last year.
Ciara argues that establishing a healthy work/life balance is unsustainable in its current operation.
She notes that while the staff try to compensate for the system's shortages and continue to offer the best possible service, this often comes at the expense of their wellbeing.
"The culture of overworking in the NHS is nothing new but working in a team where overworking is the norm makes it almost impossible for new members of staff to establish a healthy work-life balance," she explains.
"We all want to do our best for our service users but the resources are so stretched and we can't look after patients when we aren't prioritising our own wellbeing."
And as industrial action by nurses, ambulance and other health staff continues, Ciara adds: "No one on the lower bandings in the NHS is fairly paid.
She says it's "impossible" for new members of staff to establish a healthy work-life balance (Ciara Molloy)
She says it's no wonder that staff are quitting the NHS (Ciara Molloy)"The level of responsibility we carry does not reflect our pay. When you look at other countries with higher healthcare salaries it's no wonder there is a high level of emigration from the NHS.
"While some countries offered salary increases and bonuses during and after Covid, all we got in England was a clap on a Thursday night whilst knowing that our government leaders were breaking their own lockdown rules and claiming unfair expenses."
Although she's no longer working in health, her job still allows her to help others, this time advising travellers to plan their dream trips across Australia and New Zealand.
She hopes to eventually return to healthcare but doesn't envision a full-time NHS role.
"I still want to work in a line of work where I can help people but I want to have better flexibility and work-life balance," she states.
"I can't believe how different my life is now to what it was a year ago.
"You meet so many people travelling and they always want to know what made you decide to move to Australia. I love getting to share my story as it's a constant reminder of what I've done, what I've overcome and how grateful I am that I was brave enough to say enough is enough and to put myself first.
"I definitely think I'm more resilient now and a lot more in tune with my mental health and what I need to do to stay healthy.
She's not ashamed that she quit and is now enjoying her new life (Ciara Molloy)
She is grateful that she was 'brave to say enough is enough' (Ciara Molloy)"But it's hard to have a down day when you live on the beach in the sun and are surrounded by like-minded people who want to get the most out of life and experience this beautiful world."
Ciara's comments come as officials from the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) asked staff working in urgent and emergency care (including in A&E, NHS 111 call handling centres and ambulance services) for their experiences as part of wider research into NHS care.
They concluded there is a strong link between patient safety and staff wellbeing, adding: "The investigation heard that while staff are trying their very best to ensure safe care, harm is happening, and this is affecting patient outcomes and staff wellbeing."
An NHS spokesperson said: "There is no doubt that NHS staff have faced significant challenges this winter with record demand for urgent and emergency care, high levels of bed occupancy, difficulties discharging patients, and the combined impact of Covid and flu making this the busiest winter ever.
"The safety of both patients and staff is vital, and the NHS takes staff health and wellbeing incredibly seriously with a range of support including dedicated helplines, wellbeing apps and coaching, as well as the option of flexible working – and we will shortly publish an update to our Patient Safety Strategy which will include detail on staff safety."
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