Nursing in Newcastle-upon-Tyne: studying, working, and living guide
Find out about nursing in Newcastle-upon-Tyne - where nurses can find jobs, the hospitals they might work in, colleges & universities to study in, plus living information.
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, known simply as Newcastle, is the most populous city in the north-east of England. It is located on the River Tyne’s northern bank and is the largest part of Tyneside.
Originally a Roman settlement, historically it was one of the largest ship building centres worldwide but today its economy is far more diverse.
Newcastle could be an ideal place for nurses to relocate to for study and work. From cost of living and travel through to culture and nightlife, it is an end-to guide for Nurses wanting to study or work in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
Where do nurses work in Newcastle-upon-Tyne?
Newcastle has a large number of healthcare employers. There are, of course, hospitals, both NHS and private, providing acute and specialist care. There are also nursing homes, hospices and GP surgeries across the city.
Some of the larger nursing employers include:
Royal Victoria Infirmary
Newcastle Freeman Hospital
Great North Children's Hospital
Nuffield Health Newcastle Hospital (private)
The main NHS Trust operating in the city is the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, one of the largest NHS trusts in the UK. It provides healthcare throughout communities in the North-East.
There are thousands of ready to fill vacancies for nurses throughout Newcastle-upon-Tyne for anyone wishing to live and work here.
Briardene Nursing Home - Mariposa Care Group
Find nursing jobs in Westerhope, Newcastle-upon-Tyne at Briardene Nursing Home, operated by Mariposa Care Group. On this facility page by Mariposa you can find career information & jobs for nurses, home managers or care practitioners for in Westerhope (depending on whether they are running vacancies at the time of publishing).
Where can aspiring nurses study in Newcastle-upon-Tyne?
There are many educational places that aspiring Student Nurses can study at in Newcastle-upon-Tyne including Newcastle University and Northumbria University – both located in the city centre.
Northumbria University offers multiple nursing courses, both undergraduate and postgraduate, for anyone wanting to study and train to become a nurse. Northumbria University was ranked the Best University in the UK by The Times Higher Education Awards 2022.
Northumbria University also ranked in the Top 20 for Nursing & Midwifery in the UK (Guardian University League Tables 2022) offers multiple nursing related courses including Midwifery, Nursing Science, and Childhood and Early Years Studies. All courses start in September.
Newcastle University does not offer nursing courses but provides undergraduate and postgraduate courses specialising in science and health. Undergraduate courses include Pharmacy, Medicine and Surgery, and Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry and all courses commence in September.
Plenty of options for anyone looking to gain a nursing degree at a university in Newcastle-uopn-Tyne.
Find our nursing university guide here.
The average monthly rental in Newcastle-upon-Tyne is around £850 per month which is significantly lower than other major cities in the UK.
Where do Nurses live in Newcastle-upon-Tyne?
There are many places in Newcastle for nurses to live, each one offering something different and suited to your individual needs.
Highlights of the best places to live in Newcastle-upon-Tyne are:
Newcastle City Centre
Popular with students due to its excellent central location with endless amenities close by.
Jesmond
A popular and affluent area with larger houses. Perfect for shared housing and home to local restaurants, bars and shops located on Osbourne Road.
Quayside
One of the most known areas in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, located near the city centre. Close to all amenities and nightlife.
Sandyford
A slightly smaller area in the northeast border of central Newcastle-upon-Tyne but with proximity to all amenities as well as being close to both Newcastle University and Northumbria University.
There is a diverse choice of areas to live in Newcastle, whether you're there to study or wokring and raising a family.
What are the living costs for nurses in Newcastle-upon-Tyne?
Compared to other major cities across the UK, Newcastle-upon-Tyne has a lower cost of living.
Here is a general guide to some of the different costs of living in the city:
The average price for a home in Newcastle-upon-Tyne is currently £233,000 which is markedly below the national average of £293,000 – according to Zoopla.
The average rental price for a property in Newcastle-upon-Tyne is £800 per month. But if you are looking to rent a room in a shared house, the average cost is just over £400 depending on the area of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
Council tax costs vary across the city. But many people reside in a Band B property or similar, which means paying £1.624 a year, which works out to just under £135 per a month.
Bills like shopping and utilities are priced along the same lines as the rest of the UK.
As well as being much more affordable in terms of housing costs, Newcastle is also ranked as the fourth cheapest city in the UK to eat out in according to Smallbuinessprices.co.uk.
Is travel easy in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne?
Travel is simple in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, whatever your requirements. There are lots of places in the city centre that are easily accessible by foot or bus.
The award-winning Nexus Tyne and Wear Metro System has over 60 stations and connects Newcastle with Sunderland every 20 minutes, as well as links to Gateshead, Newcastle Airport, and all parts of Tyneside.
Newcastle-upon-Tyne provides easy reach to multiple UK locations by train. Part of the East Coast Main Line it offers regular direct trains to London (around three hours) and Edinburgh. There are good links to Yorkshire, the Midlands, the South West, and the North West. Nearby Durham can be reached in just over 20 minutes.
The A1 passes close to Newcastle-upon-Tyne providing links to London in just over 5 hours and Edinburgh to the north. Manchester is under three hours away while York and Doncaster (A19) are also easily accessible.
The award-winning English Dock port of Tyne welcomes over 250,000 cruise passengers each year to Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
The nearest airport to Newcastle-upon-Tyne is Newcastle international, the second largest terminal in the north of England which offers flights to destinations across the UK, Europe and beyond.
What to do in Newcastle-upon-Tyne: walks, culture, nightlife and eating out
There are lots of places to visit and experience in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, From daytime attractions to student nights and nightclubs.
Culture and attractions
Depending on your interests and where you want to spend your free time Newcastle-upon-Tyne has an array of places to visit and attractions to enjoy.
One must-see is Newcastle Castle, an iconic landmark with stunning views which tells the history of northern England, as well as the city’s history and how it came by its name.
Look out also for Newcastle Cathedral, the Victoria Tunnel (an underground walkway), Jesmond Dene, and the many attractions of the Quayside including the Millennium and Tyne Bridges.
St James Park is home to Premier League Newcastle United Football Club and is in the heart of the city. Tours of the stadium are popular, offering a chance to walk on the legendary turf.
There are also many art galleries and museums in Newcastle-upon-Tyne to visit including The Life Science Centre where museum meets art, providing an exciting interactive experience. There is also the Great North Museum for natural history, as well as the Discovery Museum (science and local history) and the Biscuit Factory, the largest craft design gallery in the country are all must visit.
For anyone with an interest in the arts The Theatre Royal offers the chance to experience major West-End shows and musicals. It also boasts contemporary dance, opera, and ballet; the Tyne Theatre is also worth a visit.
There are also many music venues across Newcastle-upon-Tyne, the most well known being the O2 City Academy and the Utilita Arena, which host popular national and international acts.
Nightlife and eating out
Newcastle-upon-Tyne is famous for its bustling nightlife and restaurants.
The city’s nightlife is considered the best in the UK with an influx of lively clubs including Digital and NX Newcastle, and a city centre party atmosphere that must be seen to be believed.
When you’re not partying the night away, there is a great selection of restaurants to check out:
Brinkburn Street Brewery Bar and Kitchen is a popular place for groups of friends and students to visit.
Jesmond Food Market offers a variety of independent street-food vans offering street-foods from all corners of the world.
Simla Restaurant, the number one TripAdvisor rated restaurant in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
Route is a Michelin star bistro offering a regular changing menus and flavourful foods.
This is just a preview of the wide range of welcoming, high-quality bars and restaurants in the city,
What are the school options in Newcastle-upon-Tyne?
There are many schools in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, each offering something different for your children.
Newcastle has 90 primary schools, 30 secondary schools and 6 private independent schools.
There are 31 Ofsted Outstanding schools in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and the surrounding areas.
Only five state schools in Newcastle-upon-Tyne follow the local authority admission criteria, with 94 state schools setting their own admission criteria.
Population and demographics in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
Here are some of the stand-out population and demographic facts in Newcastle-upon-Tyne:
Newcastle-upon-Tyne has a population of 823,000
Newcastle-upon-Tyne population density is 2,630 people per a square kilometre
It is rated the third best city in the UK for cultural attractions
It is also the 8th biggest city in the UK
In summary: is Newcastle-upon-Tyne a good place to be a nurse?
There are many wonderful places to live in Newcastle and its surrounding areas. It is a city with lots to do culturally, and has a repuation for being a lively, friendly place to call home.
Travel is relatively easy and it has good connections to Manchester, London and other areas.
Living costs are a little cheaper than that of other UK cities, and there is lots of work on offer whether you’re an experienced Registered Nurse and Student Nurse just starting your career. You can check out those vacancies here.
The average salary for a nurse in Newcastle is £38,200 per a year.
Your salary as a Registered Nurse can go much further in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Here are a couple of examples:
As a Newly Qualified Nurse on an NHS Band 5 salary, if you rented a house, you would still have just over £1000 left in your pocket each month for everything else. Your disposable income in the Southeast would barely reach half of this figure, for example.
As a Band 6 Nurse, you would easily be able to borrow enough money to buy a joint mortgage on an average-priced flat in Newcastle. In fact, in many parts, your salary could cover the cost of buying a house.
As a nursing student or Nurse in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, you will have an excellent quality of life with lots of things to do.
