Tiny Scots island home to 35 people offers rare job with almost £40k salary

A TINY Scottish island with massive sheer sea cliffs and beautiful blue waters is offering a rare job with a salary of almost £40,000.

The island of Foula is just 16 miles west of Shetland and 100 miles from the mainland and spans five square miles.

It’s home to around just 35 islanders, most of which are crofters who make a living from farming the rare and colourful Foula sheep.

The island was known in Roman times as ‘Ultima Thule,’ which roughly translates as ‘the edge of the world.’

And it was famous in 1936 after the classic movie of the same name was made there.

But today it’s still a haven for sea and moorland birds, including Great Skua, which divebomb anyone walking too close to their nests.

Foula is now looking for a full-time district nurse to join the population and handle emergencies alongside GPS and the ambulance service.

NHS Shetland is looking for someone who can “deliver truly person-centred care and support to individuals across the life span”.

This is an exciting and permanent job opportunity to live and work on a beautiful remote island, with resilient and friendly people, within a rural crofting community

Liz Petersona councillor for Shetland West

And the job has a salary range of £37,831 to £46,100 – with added benefits including distant islands allowance and possible relocation assistance.

The new nurse would be the first point of contact on the isle.

Applications for the role are now open and will close on Sunday, June 23.

Islander Magnus Gear said the island is looking forward to welcoming a new resident.

He said: “It is vital for us to have a nurse in place.

“We are very lucky with Oscar Charlie [the coastguard search and rescue helicopter] and the other emergency services that will respond to us.

“But in health care, you have a limited time to have successful intervention so to have a nurse based here is of huge reassurance to the permanent population and also to visitors.”

And he explained that the island itself now boasts much-improved connectivity with superfast internet speeds.

Gear added: “The post advertised is not just for planned and emergency health care in Foula, which is important to the local population.

“But NHS Shetland also hopes to use the successful applicant’s skills on a remote working basis.”

Liz Peterson, a councillor for Shetland West, said it was an “exciting opportunity” for interested parties.

She said: “This is an exciting and permanent job opportunity to live and work on a beautiful remote island, with resilient and friendly people, within a rural crofting community.

“This job provides vital care for the islanders.

“And is a unique post which ensures the Foula folk are able to be looked after, whilst continuing to live on their isle of unspoilt beauty.”

Anyone interested in applying for the job can find out more here.