It’s good to know what hiring a locum entails so you can ensure the smooth running of your practice, as well as uphold the relevant obligations when working with a locum. Here is some guidance for employers to consider when employing a locum, including responsibilities and how much GP rates vary across London and the UK. 

Where Do Locums Work?

Locums typically work within the medical profession in various different environments and roles. Some of the most common areas include:  

• Primary medical services
• Personal medical services
• Private practice or non-NHS practices
• Out of house providers of medical services
• Alternative medical services
• Locum agencies

Requirements for Locums

Locums need to be highly qualified and resourceful individuals by nature. In order to slot into different medical roles and provide an excellent level of care, a sound knowledge of their field is essential, as well as strong interpersonal skills that will enable them to handle communications with their new team.

All locum GPs must have the same training and postgraduate medical education and training board accreditation certificates required to handle the role of a full-time doctor in the medical provider they aim to work. Generally, it is in the practice’s interest to work closely with their locums in terms of ongoing support and training, so they equipped to handle long-term sessions when necessary. For instance, only qualified locums will be able to cover for annual, sick, or maternity leave.

Locum GP Rates and Deciding Fees for Locum Sessions

Pay rates for Locum GPs vary significantly across the UK and many factors influence how much a locum should get paid. There isn’t one fixed rate across the UK or even London, so it’s worth considering how you will set the fees for your locum sessions. 

If you are working with a locum agency that manages a large number of Locum GPs in the London area, you may be given a fixed rate depending on your location. Alternatively, you may need to arrange your rates directly with your locum based on several factors, the most important of which is their level of experience. GP locum insurance should help you to cover this cost either at the rate of invoice or at a fixed rate.

Factors Impacting Locum Rates

The most important factor determining pay as a locum is the level of experience. But others include sub-specialty, on-call commitments, length of the contract, and geographical location. All these things are generally taken into account when deciding how much a locum paid. 

If you need a highly qualified locum in a niche specialty for 6 months or less in central London, then you can expect to pay a higher rate than for a locum in another part of the city or the UK, with longer sessions and lower experience requirements for the role. 

The average rate for locums in London is around £95 per hour, but this can vary depending on the factors we’ve mentioned. Rates are generally above £80, and it is possible to negotiate and re-negotiate an arrangement, much like it is with other employer-employee relationships. 

How Long Is a Locum Session?

A locum session is an agreed period of time that locum will work for, including the daily hours that expected to work. Regardless of the role, a session should include adequate time for administrative work as well as the first clinical time. 

Ultimately, each session length has to be negotiated and agreed with a realistic assessment of work. The fee paid to the locum GP must factor in their total duties with pay adjusted accordingly for the entire session.

Factors to Consider When Deciding on a Locum Fee

• Professional costs of locum GPs 
• Standard rates for other GPs in similar fields and full-time roles
• Postgraduate qualifications and training
• Background skills and awareness of the medical system
• Knowledge of the practice
• Increased pay for lower job security (As locums take the risk of not being paid if they fall ill, the pay is generally higher than for full-time GPs. Some choose to take out GP locum insurance to cover this eventuality)  
• Previous experience in a similar practice or situation