Rare job on tiny Scottish island offers nearly £40,000 and relocation allowance

A rare job opportunity has come up to work on a small Scottish island for a salary of about £40,000.

Foula is just 16 miles west of Shetland and 100 miles from the mainland, spanning five square miles. In Roman times, it was known as ‘Ultima Thule’, which loosely translates as ‘the edge of the world’. It is home to dramatic cliff edges, roaming ponies and sheep known for their multi-coloured wool.

A small community of 35 people live permanently on the island, most of whom are crofters.

Foula is now hiring a full-time district nurse to join the small island population. The NHS Shetland job post is looking for someone to act as first point of contact for the residents and provide care in both planned and emergency situations while working with GPs on mainland Shetland and the Scottish Ambulance Service.

The health board said the job, which is listed at 37 hours a week, is for someone who can “deliver truly person-centred care and support to individuals across the life span”.

The job has a salary range of £37,831 to £46,100. Some added benefits include a ‘distance island allowance’ of £2,256 a year and up to £8,000 is available as relocation assistance. There is a small clinic in the centre of the island, and a car for the use of the post holder and visiting healthcare professionals.

The post added: “A high degree of personal resilience is required to undertake this remote island post.”

The island also has a primary school, a post office, a wool shop and an airport. Applications for the role are now open and will close on Sunday, June 23.

Foula Heritage, a community organisation promoting and preserving the islands cultural heritage, described the role as a “fantastic job opportunity” and the chance for someone “to live and work within a creative, resilient, crofting island community”.