Manila to Manchester: my nurse husband moved first, I followed 18 months later

My husband (an NHS-registered nurse) moved to Manchester on a Health and Care Worker visa. I joined as his dependant, sat PLAB while doing locum HCA shifts, passed both parts in 11 months, and started as a Trust Grade in Paediatrics.

Working as a Healthcare Assistant while studying for PLAB was humbling. Cleaning beds at 35 with a medical degree tested my ego daily. But it gave me confidence in NHS workflows that pure book-prep never could.

If your partner can get NHS sponsorship first, that visa pathway is much cheaper and faster than the doctor route. HCA work also counts as UK clinical exposure on your CV.