Nursing In Portsmouth: Studying, working, and living guide
Find out about nursing in Portsmouth - where nurses can find jobs, the hospitals they might work in, colleges & universities to study in, plus living information.
Portsmouth is a port city in Hampshire, England. It is known as the Great Waterfront City and is the UK’s only city not primarily located on the mainland.
Portsmouth has a rich heritage from being the birthplace of author Charles Dickens to providing 800 years of naval history.
For Nurses, Portsmouth could be the ideal place to live, work and study.
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 Portsmouth.
Where do Nurses work in Portsmouth?
There are many hospitals in Portsmouth which would be open to employ nurses.
Queen Alexandra Hospital.
St James’ Hospital.
St Mary’s Hospital.
Totton Dialysis Unit (Kidney Dialysis centre).
Portsmouth has many funded and private health facilities as well as community clinics, outpatients’ clinics and care homes which support all types of treatments for all adults and children. They frequently look for registered Nurses as well as carers.
There are thousands of live vacancies for Nurses throughout Portsmouth offering numerous options for anyone wishing to relocate there.
Where do aspiring Nurses study in Portsmouth?
For anyone wanting to become a nurse, the University of Portsmouth offers a range of nursing and dental nursing courses with start dates in September. It works in partnership with the local NHS Trust to support student nurses in their healthcare learning and experiences through a range of settings such as community clinics and practices as well as local hospitals.
Another option for those wanting to study nursing is the City of Portsmouth College. There are four campuses (Arundel Campus, Tangier Campus, Highbury Campus, and North Harbour Campus) all of which are in Portsmouth. The college has a range of nursing courses which are accessible via online learning or at Highbury Campus.
There are certainly many options for anyone wanting to study to become a nurse in Portsmouth.
Find our nursing university guide here.
The average monthly rental cost in Portsmouth is £900 per a month. This is cheaper than many comparable cities.
Where do Nurses live in Portsmouth?
Students Nurses and Nurses live all over the city but the most popular locations in Portsmouth are:
Southsea.
Popular with local nurses and their families due to its proximity to Southsea beach and attractions as well as local and independent shops, cafes, and restaurants.
Copnor.
Slightly quieter historical area in Portsmouth offering ample local amenities. Popular with families due to its good variety of housing and good access to major local schools.
Cosham.
Popular with professionals and students given its excellent transport links plus its broad selection of local pubs, restaurants, and closeness to the City of Portsmouth College.
Eastney.
Home to Eastney Beach and a good option for nurses with families with its green spaces and easily accessible transport links to Portsmouth and surrounding areas.
What are the living costs for Nurses in Portsmouth?
Portsmouth is the UK’s only island city and could be a unique place for nurses to live and train in. Here is a general guide to some of the different costs of living in the city.
The average price for a home in Portsmouth is currently £281,000 slightly lower than the national average of £293,000.
The average rental price for a property in Portsmouth is £900 per month. But if you are looking to rent a room in a shared house, the average cost is just under £500.
Council tax costs vary a lot across the city. But most people across Portsmouth are in a Band B property or similar, which means paying £1540 a year. This works out around about £128 per month.
Other bills like shopping and utilities are priced the same as the rest of the UK but eating out and entertainment compare positivity.
Is travel easy in Portsmouth?
There are excellent travel connections in Portsmouth as well as good transport links across the UK.
Portsmouth has excellent road links via the A3, M27, M275 and A27. London is just a 90-minute drive away while Southampton can be reached inside half an hour.
There are regular bus services operating to all parts of Portsmouth and surrounding areas while a dedicated Park and Ride bus service in Portsmouth provides convenient access to the City Centre.
Portsmouth also has frequent direct rail services to many cities and towns including London, Brighton, Southampton, and Cardiff while its internationally recognised Port provides ferry access to a variety of locations across the UK and Europe such as the Isle of Wight, Spain, and the Channel Islands.
Portsmouth is also a fantastic location for anyone walking or using a bike given the relative flatness of its terrain.
For those needing access by flight, nearby Southampton Airport offers easy local access to many destinations while for an even fuller service there is direct train access to Gatwick Airport.
Portsmouth is well connected for all your transport no matter where you are located.
What to do in Portsmouth: walks, culture, nightlife and eating out
There are lots of places to visit and things to do in Portsmouth.
Culture and attractions
The area of Portsmouth known as Southsea is a popular seaside resort with both locals and tourists given its wide range of bars, restaurants and independent café and shops. Southsea gained its name from its Castle providing another exciting option for a day out.
One of the most highly recommend attractions to visit in Portsmouth is the Pyramids Centre which is the largest entertainment, leisure, and event complex in the area which includes a multi-purpose gym and wellbeing centre while Exploria is a large soft play and bounce centre for children making the Pyramid Centre an ideal place to relax with your family.
Portsmouth has everything to offer for the music and arts scene.
If you are looking for live music head to Portsmouth Guildhall, King Theatre or The New Theatre Royal which all have a wonderful selection of musical and show productions as well as live music, dance, and cabaret. Another recommendation is Wedgewood Rooms offering a wide selection of live music and comedy acts throughout the year.
There are lots of places to visit for arts fans with Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery featuring ‘The Story of Portsmouth’ as well as a variety of displays. Art Space Portsmouth and Jack House Gallery offers a wide range of exhibitions and events from both local and international artists.
For sports fans Portsmouth Football Club play their games at Fratton Park which has been their home for over 125 years.
Nightlife and eating out
Portsmouth has many options for nightlife such as bars, clubs, and restaurants.
There is something for everyone to experience and enjoy. - no matter what your interests.
Highlights include:
Huis, Known for its good variety of food and generous portions. and rated Number one restaurant in Portsmouth on TripAdvisor.
Sherlock’s Bar. Popular bar to visit due to its interesting name and friendly staff and atmosphere.
Restaurant 27. Michelin star restaurant serving elegant modern British food.
The Rocka Restaurant Ranked number one for best seafood in Portsmouth on TripAdvisor.
What are the school options in Portsmouth?
If you are also thinking about where you might need to send your children to school, Portsmouth has many options.
There are 55 primary schools and 19 secondary schools and 4 independent private schools. This means there are many schools to choose from in Portsmouth for your family.
Population and demographics in Portsmouth
Here are some of the stand-out populations and demographic facts.
Portsmouth has a population of 218,085.
Its population density is 5,400 per square kilometre.
Portsmouth is the UK’S only island city.
85% of people are white in Portsmouth and 7% of people are Asian.
6.1 % of Portsmouth's population is unemployed.
In summary: is Portsmouth a good place to be a Nurse?
Portsmouth has everything to offer student nurses and professional nurses. It would be a wonderful place to relocate and live and work in.
It offers a range of attractions to visit beaches to explore and walk around on your own or with friends/families.
There are lots of things to do In Portsmouth.
Travel is easy, and there is plenty of work on offer. There are direct trains to other cities and towns as well as many travel options such as Park and Ride or walking etc.
Living costs are slightly lower than the national average. Nurses earn an average of just over £39,000 per a year in Portsmouth.
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 £1300 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 for an average-priced flat in Portsmouth.
As a nursing student or Nurse in Portsmouth you will have an excellent quality of life with lots of things to do.
