Benefits of becoming a locum in the UK

28th February, 2021

Posted by

General

Where can you work as a locum?

Locums can work flexibly anywhere they wish. Not only does this refer to location, but also to the specific areas of medical care. This includes places of work such as hospitals, GP surgeries, medical practices, pharmacies, private hospitals, universities and other medical areas.

Search and find locum Jobs on Pulse

How long do locum placements generally last?

The length of placements can vary between positions, but it’s typical that locums will work for around a few weeks to a few months at a time. However, this can often even be for a day or two, depending on the nature of why the locum is required.

Why are locums needed?

There are multiple reasons that locums may be required including:

Maternity cover – there may be a maternity position that needs to be filled.
Training – recent graduate staff may have begun within a healthcare environment which would require someone skilled in a certain area to guide them.
Illness – illness can leave a gap in a team of employees, which could be filled by a locum.
Bereavement – if someone has just endured a loss of a loved one, they may need time off work, which is where a locum could come in to fill this position.
Demand – there may be a high demand from patients that need taking care of, so the hospital or surgery may call on a locum to act as an extra pair of hands.
Sabbatical – if a doctor or a healthcare professional takes a sabbatical from work, a locum may be required to fill their position until they return to work.

Benefits of becoming a locum

As we’ve worked through the above, it’s clear there are some substantial benefits of working as a locum doctor or healthcare professional. These include:

Flexibility – one of the biggest plus points about becoming a locum is the flexibility it offers. Not only does this refer to the location you want to work in, but also to the duration of time you want to spend working there.
Increased pay – the hourly rate of a locum compared to an employee is typically much higher, but this does depend on the total number of hours that you work.
Plenty of jobs – there is always a huge demand for locums to fill staff shortages in both the NHS and private hospitals, as well as other healthcare environments – so you’ll always have job opportunities.
Versatile work-life – by jumping from role to role, you’re able to give yourself a very versatile work-life, meaning you can test the waters in multiple fields or environments and see which is the best fit for you.