registered nurse

registered nurse - operating room

optical assistant

optometrist

medical receptionist

Spamedica-(uk)

It looks great on the outside but the longer you're in there and the more you see then the toxic truth is revealed. 

Management is absolutely shocking, I've never experienced anything like it - incompetent, will take credit for others work and really has no clue about how to do our job but as long as they can keep the directors happy with figures and graphs then nothing is ever questioned.  Unfortunately for us we are human and not robots who can work to the bone without breaks.  The moral within the team is low and the atmosphere was generally depressing but nobody says anything because everyone knows nothing will be done, as managers are pally with HR and you're just seen as a problem.  Some managers have this strange complex of being "the best" in the directors eyes and have a one-sided "battle" with other managers - we're all supposed to be on the same team (considering we work for the same company!) and work together but that really isn't the case.  It becomes a little like the school playground but again, nothing is done by HR.  Just because you can make a graph doesn't mean you're better than any other manager, especially when your team is in tatters.  
Pay is low across the whole company, I don't know why they include "competitive salary" in their job posts because there's nothing competitive about it.  You're made to feel like it's ridiculous to be asking for a (more than fair) raise, basically be happy you have a job.  Don't get too excited about the possibility of a raise or bonus after your appraisal either, you'll be shot down at every turn.  

I actually really liked my job but the environment and manager just became intolerable towards the end.  Don't get me wrong it wasn't all bad, there are some really great managers who don't get caught up in all the director shoe licking and actually have a great team dynamic - if only I was lucky enough to have one of them as my manager, I'd probably still be there.  I think the company provide a world class service for patients but it would be great if that could be carried across to their staff.  

I was employed as a Patient Driver.  The miles to collect and deliver patients to the various Spa Medica hospitals is excessive, sometimes in excess of 200 miles in a day.  Drivers are expected to undertake portering duties in the period they are waiting for patients after dropping them off.  Because I found the miles too much, I took some breaks, to relieve the miles driven, and found that they are unpaid, i.e. deducted from time in lieu, which is not good.  You say in your advert for a new driver in Kendal that full training will be given.  That is a laugh, there was minimum training in the mini bus and one day induction at Bolton.  All other training was done online and no practical First-Aid course available, I think that is very negligent, as drivers are dealing with aged, sometimes infirm people. It took 2 months for me to acquire a step for patients to climb up onto the mini bus, one should automatically come with the mini bus initially. 
The rate of pay is twenty odd pence over minimum wage which is diabolical for a job which requires a very good standard of driving, which is very important as patients need to feel safe, and drivers need to be able to negotiate extreme weather conditions.  I myself was complemented on my driving skills by patients on many occasions, as I am a MIDAS trained driver.  There should be a patient feedback form that patients can complete rating the ability of the driver.  Not enough emphasis is put on the importance of your driving ability by the Transport Manager.  If you are looking for job satisfaction as a patient driver, then its a driver's interaction with the patients which gives you that satisfaction, rather than any praise and encouragement coming from the Transport Manager, who concentrates on all your little faults and never praises you, which drivers need, as it is a very responsible job, the importance of which is very underestimated by Management.
I learned a lot about Spa Medica as a company. Generally workplace culture is good. Spa Medica do an excellent job treating NHS patients.  

The staff at the location I worked clearly have no repsect for one enother as I was approached by several different staff gossiping about others when I started, whilst calling themsleves "a big family" so that was one huge red flag already.
If you do not have a smile on your face 100% of the time they will assume you are miserable and drag you in to a million meetings under the guise that you are not performing properly - even if you're better at the job than staff that have been there months longer than yourself. 
The job itself is repetitive and tedious, they say the start time is 7:30 but make you get there early for a huddle which you don't get additional pay for. You are also expected to work late constantly even though the contract says 17:30 finish, which was a rare occurance.
I learned very little working here, and the staff on the reception desk seemed to think it was extremely difficult and tiring clicking boxes on a computer screen and putting files back in the extremely disorganised file room in which patients files were constantly lost and so they would cancel the appointments with some fake reason because of their own inability to do the job. 
The NUL branch is ripe with nepotism and unless you are in with the managers you wont be treated with the same respect and kindess as do with the ones in their little clique. They enjoy brown nosing and you are unlikely to suceed/enjoy your time here unless you do so.
If anyone applies for a receptionist role at the NUL branch I would recommend that you avoid like the plague. 

Worked here for 3+ years at Bolton HQ and can honestly state it was the longest 3 years of my professional working career.  A full new Exec Team being drafted in during the 12-18 months i was there with little or no healthcare experience has really shown a light into the operational aspects of the organisation.  It produced a sales management style to all aspects of the workplace, referrals, admin, informatics/coding, call centre, it was a strategy bought in by hard hitting commercially minded directors.  Senior Management (Heads of dept) are only interested in the shoe licking to directors and offer little or no support to the ground staff.  Its an environment that has grown to be further depressing day by day.  With the focus on each hospital running 'independently', it has a strong sense of being true partners to the NHS and offering excellent clinical outcomes, which of course is all about ensuring we pick up the most of work (referrals) and contracts.

Pros
A partner to NHS 
Good clinical outcomes for cataract surgery

Cons
Pay is NOT in line with NHS organisations as advertised
Pension available is the bare minimum and pitiful
Sick pay is disgusting, 0 weeks in first 12 months, 1 week after 1 year
no true training or employee support package (barely receive appraisals or PDRs)
HQ does not have parking facilities for staff
Management are unsupportive and extremely rude


It is very fast paced with the company always putting money first and patients second. Management is poor and like to sit in the office whilst all the staff struggle. The pay is abysmal and you have to fight to get a pay rise, they like to keep wages secretive and start new people on more that current long term employees as they are desperate for staff with a lot leaving. You will be sent anywhere in the Midlands without even being asked it is just placed on to your rota regardless. The lists of patients are ridiculously busy seeing 30+ in some clinics it tells you that is is 7:30 - 17:30 but what it does not tell you is that each day someone is selected to be on a late and this is until the last patient has left. With the clinics so busy if the theatre team runs over you will have to see each patient, this has ran on till 10pm+ before the company offers no rewards or extra pay for working over instead you are given TOIL and can hardly ever take it. Management is poor with them blaming staff leaving as the problem when there has been over 15+ staff left in the last 5 months, turn over is high and recently trained staff are looked at to train new starters due to the demand on existing experienced staff, I would never recommend anyone to work here as Management treat you like robots and not people, they would rather be stubborn and not listen to your suggestions which in turn would have helped things run smoother.

When I saw the reviews on here about the company I work for I was so shocked the bitterness of some people who have left is sad to see but do't believe it all. I thought I'd put my stamp on things and put the record straight

I've worked for the company for a good amount of time in the offices and get out on the road too -  I've had a great experience, the people I work with are friendly and the environment is great too. 

The management team are a mix of managers who have been recruited from outside the company and internal promotions (thumbs up), all are very friendly and approachable members of the team and I personally have had a great experience, HR are a good bunch, they are friendly and welcoming, very supportive and helpful when I have a question or just want to say hello.

Nice staff canteen area and good rates of pay, communication is good and we have a weekly update with key updates and a positive news email on a Friday - great to see and keep it going! Nice things like team lunches and different awareness days, really nice to see the company recognising Ramadan too. 

I look forward to continuing my employment with SpaMedica - it's a great place to work at and if I'm honest it's also up to you what you make of it, come in with the right attitude and you'll love it. 


I've been working as a nurse for SpaMedica for 10 years. It has grown massively over the years since I started but the same high clinical standards are the same. I feel all staff are appreciated for their skills, teamwork/ team spirit  is very good, and we generally all get along really well. We have to, as this reflects on the patient experience. It is busy, we see approx 25 patients per day in each clinic/ theatre session. We do work quite long days, as there is no 'late shift', so if a session runs over- yes you have to stay, but this time is returned back to you. I see from other reviews this has been an issue with some former employees, but this is a medical facility, you can't just walk out on the dot of 5 if there are still patients in the clinic. Also, as I said its busy, the day just flies past, so be prepared to work! Each site has its own manager, so they get to know their staff really well. We have lovely reviews from appreciative patients and its so rewarding seeing them return for second eye surgery with better quality lives already after the first eye surgery. 

I worked at this company for just over 2 years. This was a very demanding job. You were expected to take 1 call after the other where patients constantly shouted at you for lack of appointments. More value by management is focused on how many calls you complete in an hour not the quality of the calls. No breaks allowed apart from 30 minutes for lunch, no progression unless you were the manager’s favourite. No matter how hard you tried a negative would be found. This job wasn’t just involving answering the phone, emails had to be sent, queries followed through, and at the same time you were timed as to how long you answered the phone, duration of call, how many O/B or I/B you completed and were constantly compared with each other in the office. What I thought was a vacancy involving wanting to help the patient not just find an appointment but to be mindful that most were elderly and to listen and not rush them turned out to be more of a sales environment. If you are willing to receive low pay, don’t mind being shouted at and can take being treated like you’re brain dead then this is most certainly the job for you!

Day starts off being forced to be clinical lead of the day even though your already given a role ! Patients are constantly coming in and out like a rotating belt without any support so your expected to complete your job and be dealing with emergencies! Bringing up fridge items that are very heavy and a lot to put away using barcode method which could take along time in a freezing cold room! Staff are micro managing and those who have been there a while tend to be up the pecking order giving you unrealistic goals and demands whilst they eat lunch ! High expectations without appropriate training and pay !  Forced to do overtime to help with finances! Very clicky staff!  Over worked and constantly asked to keep doing more until your burnt out ! Absolutely worst place I have ever worked !  Do not recommend this place! 7 nurses gone in a space of year !  Staff constantly coming and going ! Badly managed and mangers constantly leaving or asked to leave !  

Lovely clean sites, a pleasure to work in.  I started my career with this company at another site and it wasn't until I got to my current site, that I really felt welcomed and truly part of a team.  We're not just colleagues, we're a team that are friends who work hard to make a patient's experience, a positive one.  I feel my pay is fair, yes we'd all like a little more, but you are given plenty of opportunities to advance and pay is reviewed regularly.  Twice yearly bonuses make you feel appreciated as well as all the competitions and monetary awards given in recognition of outstanding performance. I've not had to raise any concerns so do not have any comments to make in how they are handled.  What I do know is that if something did arise, it will be dealt with professionally by our upper management.  Personally, the flexibility shown to me in terms of shifts or time off, has really been outstanding.  It has allowed me to maintain a good balance between work and home commitments. 

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Registered nurse 46 salaries reported	£37,268 per year
Registered nurse - operating room 27 salaries reported	£39,209 per year
Optical assistant 45 salaries reported	£25,894 per year
Optometrist 11 salaries reported	£58,128 per year
Medical receptionist 21 salaries reported	£25,528 per year

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