Going the extra mile for one doctor and his family
By Gemma Raw
Relocating to the UK is a journey. It’s an incredible one full of hope and excitement, but it’s also one with lots of steps. 90% of the time, those steps are straightforward to take. But sometimes, there are hurdles.
That’s why it’s far better to relocate to the UK through a recruitment partner with a pastoral support team who take care of any little hiccups.
An unexpected problem days before flying
Imagine relocating with your family to start work as a doctor to find out that your private rental accommodation is no longer available ten days before you fly.
This is precisely what happened to one of our first international candidates, Dr. J and his family, as they were making a permanent move to Southampton.
In a highly unusual and unexpected twist of events, the landlord decided to remove their rental property from the market altogether, leaving Dr. J without anywhere to live. It was, understandably, very upsetting for the whole family, and as their relocation support team, we knew we had to find a quick solution.
Finding a solution
It wasn’t going to be easy. Rental flats were exceptionally hard to come by in Southampton, especially those with direct transport links to the hospital and within a short distance of the children’s new school.
We were determined, though. We needed to act fast and draw on all our contacts and internal resources to find an equally appealing home in the right location. So our then Head of Sanctuary International stepped in and tirelessly searched for new accommodation, day and night, making several trips to Southampton to meet with agents and view properties.
A couple of days before Dr. J and his family were due to fly, we were pleased to tell them the good news. We had secured a tenancy with a new landlord. Better still, their new home was closer to work and school.
Going above and beyond
There was only one problem. Their new home would not be ready for several days after their arrival. However, we couldn’t let them be without somewhere comfortable to stay and so, with all expenses paid, we secured a family room at a nice hotel that was close to where they would be living.
When the moving in day arrived, we drove to Southampton in the early hours so we could take the family on a shopping trip.
Together, we dropped into Ikea to pick up all the essentials, visited three separate supermarkets and a South African food store to purchase some familiar items.
When the family arrived at the flat, we helped unpack everything and even assembled flat-packed Ikea furniture so the children had beds they could sleep on that night.
We were tired but incredibly humbled after leaving at 1 am the following morning. It’s still a story we share to this day because although we have grown, we have never lost our commitment to just making things happen.
By going the extra mile, Dr. J and his family are enjoying a wonderfully fulfilling life here in the UK, and we couldn’t be happier for them.
Start your journey today
Whether you’ve only just started to think about moving to the UK or are further along in the process but haven’t found the right job, you can register with Sanctuary International, and we’ll help you on your journey and beyond!
