Locum Doctor Defined

A locum Doctor is a fully trained Doctor, usually with specialty expertise, who temporarily fills the duties of a permanent member of staff. A permanent member may be absent or a temporary, increased demand for service may exist in a particular hospital.

There are around 3500 locum Doctors working within NHS Trusts on a daily basis in the UK. Private agencies operating via a national framework agreement provide around 80 percent of the locum Doctors servicing UK health facilities.

NHS Trusts in the UK spend around £467 million per annum on locum Doctors.

Microbiology Locums

Microbiology
noun [mi·cro·bi·ol·o·gy / ˌmīkrōˌbīˈäləjē/]
(from Greek μῑκρος, mīkros, “small”; βίος, bios, “life”; and -λογία, -logia)
is the study of microscopic organisms, either unicellular (single cell), multicellular (cell colony), or acellular (lacking cells).

A microbiology locum Doctor’s expertise is in the field of microbiology. Some microbiology locums specialise in areas like bacteriology, virology, and pathology.

Benefits of Locums for the locum Doctor, the Agency, and the NHS Trust

Locum Doctor

• Flexibility: The Doctor chooses assignments that fit better with other priorities and commitments.
• Variety: Assignments may perfectly fit or enhance the Doctor’s skill set.
• Choices: Doctors may work in any region, which allows them to work close to home or travel if they have the flexibility and desire to do so.
• Ideal Rates: The Doctor receives a rate that fits properly with their expertise and level.
• Connections: The Doctor forms rapport with multiple agencies, which expands their options.
• Focus: Because agencies deal with pay, contract, and assignment queries on the Doctor’s behalf, the Doctor may focus more on their craft instead of administrative inconveniences.

The Agency

• Reliability: Approved Doctors with proven expertise.
• Fostering Relationships: Agencies build working relationships with both the Doctor and the Trust, which better enables them to match requirements.
• Rates: Favourable rates for the expertise of the Doctor or a finder’s fee.
• Contract Flexibility: A Doctor is employed for a set amount of time, with the option for extensions should the Trust require.

The NHS Trust

• Public Trust: Doctors with proven expertise and Agencies with proven reliability and trustworthiness.
• Efficiency: Where high demand and a lack of Doctors exist or where there’s a vacant post that would increase demand if not filled, the Trust can use locum Doctors to ease burdens on the system on a short-term basis.
• Faster: A locum Doctor is a trained professional who will “hit the ground running” and perform duties with minimal supervision.
• Mutual Benefit: Optimise hours, rates, and working arrangements that satisfy the requirements and demands of the NHS trust, the Department, and the locum Doctor.
• Flexible Recall: Should demand for a position increase in future, the Trust can recall a Doctor to fill the role repeatedly on short-term contract.
• Decreased Pressure: The NHS Trust can take advantage of specialist expertise without the increased administrative needs of a formal employee.