A locum role can be a great idea at any stage in your career, whether you’re looking to create some flexibility or branch out and expand your sphere of expertise. Whatever level you’re currently at, here are five good reasons why a locum role could well be the right choice for you.
Locum pay is better
Of course the overall amount that you earn as a locum doing temporary doctor jobs will depend on the total number of hours that you work, but your hourly rate is significantly higher than you would receive on a permanent contract.
There are plenty of jobs for locums
At the moment there is huge demand for locums to fill staff shortages in the NHS, particularly in departments such as A&E. However, the demand is much broader too – a survey in 2014 found that more than half of locum GPs said the need for their services had increased significantly during the previous 12 months. If you’re looking for ongoing work all over the UK the locuming is an easy way to make sure that you’re guaranteed the hours, whether your interest lies in dermatological jobs or surgical jobs.
Locum work is very versatile
There’s a wide range of opportunities to experience a broad array of different working environments when you locum – in a way that you would not if you went from permanent contract to permanent contract. You can put your skills to the test in a busy city centre A&E department or experience the very different challenges of a DGH. The value of this kind of versatility is that you can gain a better understanding of what’s involved in each environment, which is useful if you’re considering a career move – or even to reinforce the path you’re currently on.
Locuming is flexible
There are many reasons why you might decide that you currently need to escape the rigidity of a rota for a period of time. Perhaps you want to factor in a holiday, maybe you are looking for more time to spend with family or friends or perhaps it’s just time you were able to develop other interests or live life at a slightly less frenetic pace. Locuming is a choice that can give you that kind of versatility.
Being a locum gives you perspective
Choosing to locum means that you can consider a specialty change, or a career move, without doing damage to your CV. You’ll be able to gain the headspace you need while filling your CV with the experience from a myriad of temporary roles so you can avoid worrying about questions concerning career breaks.
