As an independent practitioner you might want (or need) to spend some time working as a locum doctor. Whatever the reason, working as a locum can provide you with easy access to flexible work. Not only this, it can be a way to broaden your work experience and improve your professional skills through exposure to various departments and environments.
Here you will find information and tips to help you make a success of your locum journey.
A locum doctor offers his/her services on a temporary basis, usually without a direct contract with the employer. The pay is generally per hour, as agreed upon between you and the GP, facility, hospital, or locum agency you are working through.
There are two main ways to find work as a locum – directly or indirectly.
To get locum work directly means that you make direct contact with the practice, health facility, or company where you want to locum. You also receive your payment directly from them.
To find locum work indirectly means involves utilising the services of a ‘middle-man’. This can either take the form of a recruitment agency or a locum profile platform. In both cases the doctor/facility pays the middle-man and the middle-man pays you, either weekly, fortnightly, or monthly.
Although there are different methods, you are by no means limited to only using one. In fact, the more you use the better your chances of finding the locum work that suits you best – a bit like throwing many lines in to catch the biggest fish. So it is advisable to utilise multiple (if not all) of the methods described below, especially as you start out on your journey of working as a locum and until you have found which work best for you.
Click on the different headings to find out more…
Getting locum work directly is a helpful method if you have a clear idea of exactly where you wish to locum, as it allows you to be more specific. Below are some steps you can follow to find locum work without utilising the services of a ‘middle-man’.
General Practice
Private sector emergency departments
Specific departments in the public sector
Recruitment agencies and organisations help to bridge the gap between the locum and the locum-seeker by actively seeking locums on behalf of doctors or facilities that make use of their services. To increase your chances of getting the shifts you want, it is advisable to apply with more than one agency.
1. Locum Recruitment Agencies
Depending on the agency/organisation, payments can be made weekly, fortnightly, or monthly. As noted under the direct tab, some public hospitals also use certain agencies to pay their locums, so it would be useful to find out which agencies they use and register with them.
A job portal is a platform where you register and create a Candidate profile for yourself. Once you have created your profile, adding as much of your CV as you wish, you get access to see which registered practices (or locum recruitment agencies) have submitted job opportunities for specific dates and times. You can then apply for the jobs/shifts you would like to do via the portal and await feedback from the practice/agency that posted the listing to confirm your acceptance.
To make the best use of such a portal, it is recommended that you continually update your profile as you gain skills and experience and check in regularly so as not to miss any opportunities.
Below we have provided a list of all the abovementioned ‘middlemen’ that can help you find work as a locum. These consist of:
The list is not comprehensive, but merely suggestions to help you get started.