What discounts can you get this summer as a NHS worker?
Posted 10 August 2023 - 01:00
The cost of living remains stubbornly high but there are some savings to be made for nurses on holidays, eating out and family day trips
With work pressure well and truly on for nurses, it is important to make time to switch off and unwind after your shift.
23 - 24 October 2024, ACC Liverpool
Register for updates about this unique nursing event and make a note in your diary to join us later in the year.
But with the cost of living spiralling ever higher, spending money on leisure activities can often take a back seat.
Fortunately, there is a host of savings and discounts on offer exclusively for nurses, social care workers and other NHS staff, making a little rest and relaxation more affordable.
Nursing Standard has pulled together a list of the best discounts on offer for nurses in need of a treat – from holidays and hotels to theatre and theme parks.
Eating out
If you fancy treating yourself to a bite to eat, there are plenty of well-known restaurants offering discounts so you don’t have to break the bank.
The Blue Light Card will get you savings on a variety of popular restaurants including 20% at Bill’s, Ask Italia, Prezzo, Las Iguanas, TGI Friday’s and Greene King. Meanwhile Bella Italia is offering a healthy 25% off.
The card costs £4.99, is valid for two years, and nurses from the NHS and parts of the private sector are eligible to apply.
Blue Light Card chief executive Alidad Moghaddam told Nursing Standard: ‘Alongside their fellow Blue Light community colleagues, nurses play a vital role in our healthcare system, coping with physical and mental strains that many of us can’t even begin to imagine. The very heartbeat of the NHS, as well as private sector services, thousands of nurses tend to those in need 24/7, and their commitment deserves our utmost appreciation.
‘To extend our gratitude, and as a gesture of our admiration, we’re pleased to offer all those in the nursing community exclusive discounts, complimentary tickets and access to dedicated Member Days, recognising their invaluable contribution.’
Travel and holidays
If time and expenses allow, there is still a chance to book a last-minute summer holiday with lots of savings available for nurses and other NHS workers.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, travel company TUI launched a website giving discounts to key workers to ‘say a heartfelt thank you to NHS workers who worked tirelessly on the front line.’
NHS staff can book through the website and will get £30 off their holiday. If you spend more than £1,200 you can claim £100 off your booking using a valid NHS email address.
You can also get a £25 discount on Jet2 holidays or 20% off National Express coach travel via the Health Service Discounts website.
If you have the Blue Light Card, take advantage of 10% off at Expedia and Hotels.com, as well as 15% off Forest Holidays and Parkdean Resorts.
The card also gets you 4% credit on Booking.com and a £15 discount with Thomas Cook.
If you’re an RCN member, you can also take advantage of the ‘Perks at Work’ scheme which entitles you to lots of great travel discounts including 20% off APH parking at airports including Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham and Luton.
You can also grab 10% off car rentals at Enterprise and Arnold Clark if you prefer, or finances dictate, a staycation over a holiday abroad.
Theatre
ATG Tickets has discounts for nurses, social workers, prison officers and other key workers, which offers discounted theatre tickets on selected shows in England, Scotland and Wales.
Just choose your nearest city on the ATG website and they’ll offer you a range of musicals, plays and operas with a 25% discount including family favourites such as Shrek the Musical in Bristol, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in Edinburgh and the Wizard of Oz in Liverpool.
If you’re London-based then try Tix Culture, which has a 5% discount for West End shows including The Book of Mormon, Tina the Musical and Frozen.
Spa days
If you are in need of some serious pampering or tranquillity, there are plenty of spas around the UK that give discounts for their treatments so make sure to check if there are any offers in your local area.
Maybe indulge in a facial or a deep-tissue massage at the four-star Bedford Lodge Hotel & Spa in Suffolk and get 10% off if you show your NHS ID badge.
The Malaysian-inspired Santai Spa at Resorts World in Birmingham also offers 10% off their spa experience day to NHS workers and Blue Light Card holders.
Rowton Hall Country House Hotel and Spa in Chester gives a range of deals for Blue Light Card holders, including discount rates on rooms, dinner vouchers and spa access.
If you live in London and prefer to unwind in the comfort of your own home, the Urban Massage app allows you to book therapists to come to you. New customers who work in the NHS can get £10 off their first treatment by using the discount code PNHS.
Find out more at Nursing Live
Hear more on managing the rising cost of living at Nursing Live – a unique, free event for nurses, brought to you by RCNi
Free event: Sign up here for Nursing Live
Theme parks
If you prefer thrills over chills, there are plenty of theme parks offering discounts for NHS staff.
Drayton Manor Park in Staffordshire and Legoland in Windsor offer money off for NHS staff if you book using the Blue Light Card.
Meanwhile Gulliver’s Theme Parks, based in Milton Keynes, Warrington, Rother Valley in Yorkshire and Matlock Bath in Derbyshire, all offer discounted admission with your NHS ID badge or Blue Light Card.
It’s also worth checking if your workplace has specific deals with local companies. For example, staff at York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust get access to a whole load of local discounts including Flamingo Land, Point Zero trampoline park, Jorvik Viking Centre and Chester Zoo.
The ‘Perks at Work’ scheme for RCN members can also get you up to 15% off on tickets for Alton Towers, Blackpool Tower and the London Eye.
Alison Stacey is RCNi senior news reporter
Further information