Locum GPs (General Practitioners) are Doctors who provide cover for other GPs. Their work involves the diagnosis and treatment of injuries and illnesses.
Qualifications and skills
To become a Locum General Practitioner, a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery degree is required. Entry onto such a course is highly competitive, with candidates requiring at least three A levels in scientific subjects and work experience in a healthcare environment. Following graduation, prospective Locum General Practitioners must undertake a two-year programme of general training, before undertaking specialist GP training.
Locum GPs should be able to take in and draw on scientific facts and figures and make quick and clear decisions. They should have excellent communication skills, helping them to put their patients at ease, and should be able to work to high standards.
Major employers of Locum GPs
The majority of Locum GPs work for the NHS. However, many combine their NHS work with Private Sector practice. In addition, Locum GPs work for other organisations, such as the Armed Forces and the Prison Service. The number of Locum GPs working in the UK has increased steadily in recent years. However, there is still a shortage of trained professionals willing to take on the role. Employment openings for Locum GP jobs may be advertised in medical journals and through recruitment agencies - who use their considerable expertise to match candidates with suitable employers.
Terms of employment and salaries
Locum General Practitioners are self-employed staff members and hold contracts. Their salaries vary considerably, according to the services they are required to provide and the way in which they provide them. Locum GPs can earn between £40,000 and £150,000 per annum, depending on their working hours and experience.