Work with Us Portal – International support

If you are a UK registered Doctor, Dentist, Nurse or Allied Health Professional

Choose Dumfries and Galloway

Based in the SW of Scotland, we are a small and friendly health board that will support you finding your way both in and out of work.

NHS Dumfries and Galloway were awarded the NHS Scotland Pastoral Care Quality Award in 2023 as recognition for the warm welcome and support we give to our International Nurses and AHP who were recruited as part of a national approach to recruit international staff to work in Scotland.

We recognise that moving to a new country either by yourself or with family can be one of the hardest journeys you undertake in life. We want to ensure all our staff locating from out of the area know where to find the right information and support to be able to not just survive but thrive in work and in the community in which they settle.

However you came to join us, either through one of dedicated recruitment programmes, directly or via one of our partner agencies we wish you all a warm welcome and hope this page and the links on it will help you find your place and your people in Dumfries and Galloway.

Relocation Information

We have put together some important information on living in the region. This page is particularly useful if you are new to the UK

Welcome Hub

Staff can access a hub of useful information on site at DGRI opposite the canteen. This hub will be staffed the last Wednesday of every month - Pay day!!

Welcome Ambassadors

The Health board have set up a welcome ambassador group for those new to the region wanting some one to one support from a peer.

Divisions

Check out some useful information on our different divisions of work and some information about our teams and the benefits of working with us.

Staff Networks

Our staff networks are a great place to connect and build relationships with other colleagues outside of your team that have a shared interested or background.

I came to Scotland in October 2007 when I was 24 years old. A successful interview placed me in a small family practice in Newton Stewart, and I was living in Stranraer. My employers, a lovely couple, were my Scottish family and they had promised my parents that they would look after me as there was mutual affection amongst us. I fell in love with the area straight away. I felt welcomed. My girlfriend, Eirini, visited me a few times and could not wit to join me in. She loves working in the area. Before we knew it, we made great friends from Scotland and from Greece in Dumfries since 2011! Now we are married and have two young children that love the area. We love being part of our community and we care for all. I enjoy playing for Dumfries Chess Club in the Scottish National Chess League, the only chess club in the South of Scotland! Dumfries is a great place to raise children, a peaceful quiet city with great connections to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Carlisle and very close to the countryside whenever you need a quick escape! All these made us to make Dumfries our new home, and we are very grateful to be here!

Stavros

Dentist

Other support essential for registered staff

There is a wealth of information on the internet some of which can be confusing or out of date. Below are some key links to trusted sources that will give you some extra information about working or training in Scotland.

As well as the links below registered staff joining from overseas can also join professional groups such as the Filipino or Indian Nursing Associations to build a wider network of NHS professionals. Don’t forget to visit us at the Welcome Hub in DGRI on pay day to get some one to one support.