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The number of people who have chosen career paths as locum doctors has sky rocketed since 2009, jumping from 8,176 to 16,002 in 2015. This growth has continued – it was recorded in 2017 that there are now close to 44,000 locum doctors operating in the UK.
So why has locum work become so attractive for new and existing doctors? Here are 4 reasons.
Locum doctors get paid more
Money is always a huge pull in any profession, and it’s the same for doctors. However, it’s not as black and white as some might assume. Many doctors feel that the lack of government spending on healthcare has fractured the potential earnings of GP practices.
GPs now need to do double the work for less money, and with a rise in population, this demand does not look as though it will slow down. On the other hand, locum doctors can earn much more than regular doctors and in some occasions for half of the work. It was reported in 2017 that one in thirty locum doctors earn up to £300 an hour.
Locum doctors have a better work to life ratio
Locum doctors are able to maintain a greater degree of control over their time. Amanda, a 43 year old locum doctor from Nottingham and ex-GP, recently told The Guardian that her marriage was saved due to her career change.
“My marriage nearly ended, in large part due to my job. I have also been very depressed as a result of all the stress. I hardly saw my kids on my work days. I would see more than 50 patients a day even though evidence suggests that we lose the ability to make good decisions after 30 patient contacts. I am now a locum, and more GPs are doing this in order to keep sane. I can now choose to work 5-8 hours a day and be paid better than when I was a partner.”
Similar stories have popped up everywhere; locum doctors tend to enjoy a less stressful work life than GPs.
Locums doctors experience more
Locum doctors are private contractors. Though you may have contracts that could run for between one and two years, in most occasions you will have the opportunity to chop and change your working environment. As you are aware, not all hospitals are the same, therefore you would have the change in working with different equipment and management systems. This can be hugely beneficial to your career path as you would be able to look at health care from a wider spectrum.
Networking and building industry relationships
As a locum doctor you would have the opportunity to meet new people and create new relationships. If you have ambitions of opening up your own clinic one day, or you’re a junior doctor wanting to increase your industry contacts, being locum doctor can help you achieve this in a relatively short time period.
We are locum doctor agency who are trying to help doctors achieve a more fulfilling lifestyle. Find out more and register online today.