Were they Band 4 or Band 5?

I don't know but we were ban(ne)d from the Intercon, Marriott and Plaza for a while.

Off Topic we know, SR16,000 plus I have consultancy work that pays quite well. exchange rate today 5.3, but I am not comparing my salary to UK salaries as my base now is Thailand. Beautiful wife and cute son to boot.

Talking of salaries, why are Biomed salaries below average of the industry, Multi-skilled engineers in the food industry are usually advertised at 35-40, biomeds at 28-35, and if it is London, where there are jobs on offer how can you live on anything below 50k

Times really have changed as there are not that many Brits here, and I don't know any Americans, I do know that there are a lot of (TCN) "Americans" here, change of nationality = a change of salary but it does not change the mentality.

Hi Neil,

Well as the real Americans would say " Thats not too Shabby "
especially at 5.3. Enjoy it mate, Jeddahs not a bad posting either. T.

Dream on, Mate. Dream on.

Hospital biomeds will never sit at the top table, simply because they work in hospitals. Surely by now you must have noticed that hospitals have a pecking order that cannot be breached?

In my experience, it is only in (what we may call) unusual situations like hospitals managed by O&M contractors (as is common in Saudi Arabia) where the biomed may have some sort of standing. That is, influence, status ... and a salary to match ... especially if (as once happened to Yours Truly) he also happens to be Deputy Project Manager or some such thing.

In the UK, NHS biomeds are regarded (if, indeed, they are even noticed at all) as minions, or at best support staff (which is, of course, what they are). In the UK, anyone who thinks he (she) is in biomed for the money will be sadly disappointed, for sure.