Nursing In Southend-on-Sea: Studying, working, & living guide
Find out about nursing in Southend-on-Sea - where nurses can find jobs, the hospitals they might work in, colleges & universities to study in, plus living information.
Southend-on-Sea is a coastal city in southeastern Essex, England. It was afforded city status in 2021.
Known as Southend it is a traditional seaside resort and is home to the longest pleasure pier in the world.
Southend-on-Sea is easily commutable with road links to the M25 motorway while its three rail stations provide useful links to London for onward travel to major UK cities and towns.
For Nurses, Southend-on-Sea could be a wonderful place to live, work and study in.
From cost of living and travel through to culture and nightlife, here is an end-to-end guide for Nurses wanting to study or work in Southend-on-Sea.
Where do Nurses work in Southend-on-Sea?
There are many hospitals in Southend-on-Sea, which are the biggest employers of Nurses in the city.
Southend University Hospital
The Phoenix Hospital Southend (private)
Spire Wellesley Hospital (Private)
The Chartwell Hospital (private)
Southend-on-Sea has many private hospitals and care homes throughout which specialise in support for minor and major treatments as well as treatment for adults and children. They frequently look for Registered Nurses as well as carers.
There are thousands of live vacancies for Nurses, both full-time and part-time, throughout Southend-on-Sea offering plentiful work for anyone wishing to pursue a career there.
Where do aspiring Nurses study in Southend-on-Sea?
For anyone wanting to gain their nursing degree and become a Nurse the University of Essex has a campus in Southend. Located in the city centre, it offers a variety of Nursing courses including Mental Health, Adult Nursing, and other associated options with start dates in October. This is currently the only University in Southend-on-Sea.
Students from Southend-on-Sea can also study at South Essex College with three local campuses including one in Southend. It offers a small selection of nursing courses as well as health, social care, and childcare options with start dates in September.
Find our nursing university guide here.
The average monthly rental cost in Southend-on-Sea is £1100 per month making it one the top ten most expensive places to live in the UK.
Where do Nurses live in Southend-on-Sea?
Nurses in Southend-on-Sea live all over the city with its extensive good transport links making access very straight-forward.
The most popular locations in Southend-on-Sea for Nurses to live in are:
Southend-on-Sea city centre
Popular due to its closeness to amenities and the beach.
Thorpe Bay
One of the most sought-after areas in Southend and offers good travel links.
Leigh on Sea
A popular place for young people boosting numerous local amenities and independent shops and bars. It was voted in the top five places to live in the UK by Muddy Stilettos Website.
Chalkwell
A great area for Nurses with families to live in with good local schools as well as its convenience for the beach and station.
What are the living costs for Nurses in Southend-on-Sea?
Southend-on-Sea is a wonderful place for nurses to live in the UK.
Here is a general guide to some of the different costs of living in the city of Southend-on-Sea.
The average price for a home in Southend-on-Sea is currently £357,900 higher than the national average of £293,000.
The average rental price for a property in Southend-on-Sea is £1100 per month. But if you are looking to rent a room in a shared house, the average cost is just under £450.
Council tax costs vary a lot across the city. But most people across Southend-on-Sea are in a Band B property or similar, which means paying £1,594 a year. This works out to £132 per month.
Other bills like shopping and utilities are priced the same rest of the UK but eating out and entertainment compare positivity.
Is travel easy in Southend-on-Sea?
Southend-on-Sea has good transport links to most parts of the UK.
The A13 and A127 both provide quick links to the M25 for onward motorway access. Central London is accessible within one hour and twenty minutes.
There are three train lines serving Southend-on-Sea all providing fast regular rail links to London. Southend Victoria serves Liverpool Street while Southend East and Southend Central Stations link the city with Fenchurch Street. Journey times are about 1 hour 15 minutes.
The nearest airport for Southend-on-Sea is London Southend Airport which flies to many European destinations.
Southend-on-Sea is well connected for all your transport no matter where you are located.
What to do in Southend-on-Sea: walks, culture, nightlife and eating out
Southend-on-Sea has everything to offer for your free time.
Culture and attractions
Southend-on-Sea is a vibrant coastal city to visit and has many wonderful attractions to visit.
Adventure Island is a free-admission amusement park located on the seafront. One of the most popular attractions of its type it offers everything from mini golf to rollercoasters and is a fun interactive place to enjoy and experience with your friends or family.
Another popular place to visit in Southend-on-Sea is Sealife Adventure. The zooquarium allows you to explore and learn about underwater zones while meeting a variety of sea and land animals. A perfect way to spend a day with family or friends.
No day at the seaside city is complete without a visit to Southend Pier, the longest in the world, and with its own railway line.
Gunners Park with its popular nature reserve, Chalkwell Park for its oriental garden, and Priory Park (with a fishing lake and sports courts) are beautiful green spaces to explore and walk around.
Southend-on-Sea has everything to offer for the music and arts scene with the Cliffs Pavillion and Palace Theatre, in nearby Westcliff-On-Sea, offering a variety of entertainment options.
Other popular entertainment venues include The Borough Hotel, The Dickens and, Chinnerys (live music) while Southend Civic Centre also provides regular entertainment slots.
Focal Point Gallery (arts) is another top place to visit with artists and exhibitors from around the world while Beecroft Art Gallery offers a collection of 2000 paintings from the 17th century.
Southend United Football play in the English National League and host their home matches at Roots Hall Football Stadium while for cricket fans Essex CCC play a week of matches in the city each season.
Nightlife and eating out
Southend-on-Sea has many options for nightlife, bars, clubs, and restaurants. There is something for everyone to enjoy in Southend-on-Sea.
Highlights include:
Sarah’s Creative Chocolate Kitchen, known for its bespoke homemade chocolate, deserts and gifts.
Namaste Village Southend-on-Sea popular for its authentic tasty Indian cuisine.
Pieno-Lleno. Renowned for its fresh ingredients and freshly cooked Mexican food.
The Alex. A craft bar rated number one in the city on Trip Advisor.
What are the school options in Southend-on-Sea?
If you are thinking about where you might send your children to school, Southend-on-Sea offers a range of educational options.
Southend-on-Sea has 43 primary schools and 22 secondary schools and 5 private independent schools in the area.
Overall, there are many schools in Southend-on-Sea to send your children.
Population and demographics in Southend-on-Sea.
Here are some of the stand-out population and demographic facts in Southend-on-Sea.
Southend-on-Sea has a metro population of 321,000.
Its population density is one of the highest outside the London boroughs with 4,334 people per square kilometre.
Southend-on-Sea was upgraded from a town to city status in 2022.
Southend-on-Sea is home to the longest pleasure pier in the world at 1.33 miles.
3.6% of Southend-on-Sea's population is unemployed.
In summary: is Southend-on-Sea a good place to be a Nurse?
Southend-on-Sea is a relaxing coastal city for nurses to live, study and work.
Southend-on-Sea has a beachfront and a range of open green spaces to walk around and explore. There are lots of places to visit during the day and evening.
There are lots of things to do in Southend-on-Sea whether you are a student or an experienced nursing professional.
Travel is easy, and there is plenty of work on offer. You can easily reach other cities and towns by bus, car, or train.
Living costs are slightly higher than the national average but Southend-on-Sea is a coastal city with all your needs.
Nurses earn an average of just over £35,000 per year in Southend-on-Sea.
So, your salary as a registered Nurse goes much further.
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 more than £1200 left in your pocket each month for everything else. Your disposable income in the Southeast would barely reach half of this figure.
As a Band 6 Nurse, you would easily be able to borrow enough money to buy a joint mortgage in an average-priced flat in Southend-on-Sea.
As a nursing student or Nurse in Southend-on-Sea, you will have a decent quality of life with lots of things to do.
