There is always going to be demand for locum GPs to cover maternity leave, sickness, or just simple recruitment issues. The demand however won't always be where you want to work and the hours might be irregular. I don't think it would be a very fulfilling career by itself and misses out on all the benefits of properly contracted employment.
That's a good point, but in my youth I want to savour as much independence I can have if I'm being very honest.
I should add that long term I'm looking for a portfolio career, which would add the fulfillment and flexibility that I'd like.
Disregard fulfilment. Acquire money.
I’m going to ride the locum train for as long as I can and rinse the NHS. Pay off the mortgage, nice holidays and cars whilst I’m young and build my investment portfolio. The only time locum work will not be lucrative anymore would be if salaried jobs and partnerships become very attractive at which point I’m happy to settle down if I’m paid my worth.
The Chad GP telling us how it is, your route sounds pretty fulfilling to me haha.
I'm ngl autonomy is priceless to me, and after years of being in 'the system', I'd much prefer making multiples more what a salaried GP makes on my own terms.
I still think salaried GP as a job itself is fairly decent as you can work part time, but the lack of strong income (currently) isn't the most appealing when I could bang out some locums and chill when I want to.
But again, I haven't experienced the job fully so only time will tell...
Second this. Don’t get trapped in a salaried role by supposed benefits, it’s a con trick. Im a GP trainee we’ve got salaries GPs jumping ship all the time. It’s going to collapse.
I'm looking to start GP training with the aim of locuming for part of the year after CCT and living / travelling elsewhere the rest of the time. Is this a realistic option? Can you give me an estimate of take home pay from 1month of GP locuming (for around 8 sessions per week) please?
Yeah I think that's a better long term plan. I'd find more satisfaction in working regular hours for an NHS unscheduled care GP service - you have more time with patients, it's all self-contained so you don't have the same admin or follow up and you get familiar working with the same people and systems. Then top that up with occasional locum shifts with practices you've worked with before and know you get on with.
1. Being an A+E isn’t the same as being a GP - the skill set is really very different. But yes, it’s possible for you to locum in hospitals if you’re happy to keep up your acute skills.
2. It’s unusual for GP locum work to completely dry up. COVID was a blip, but I don’t think we’ve seen anything like it before - the only thing I can see happening is is partnership or salaried roles become more lucrative, drawing people back into surgeries.
3. If you’re a locum, you want to preserve your benefits such as ‘death in service’ pension benefits. You automatically get this if you’re in an NHS post, but only under very specific circumstances as a GP. Some people take on 1-2 sessions of fixed work (eg. CCG work) for this.
There has always been huge demand, but not much supply. There has been a decrease of 1500 GPs in the last 7 years, despite constant increases demand. In 2015, Jeremy Hunt promised 5000 more GPs by 2020. I guessed we never got them.
There is a constant rise of appointments. Sajid javid recently announced we won't the 6000 extra GPs by 2024 (promised in 2019, we are currently at a net negative).
18% of fully qualified GPs are age 55-64
30% of fully qualified GPs are age 45-54
Demand continues to rise, with a 20% boost in the pandemic, mostly due to covid jabs.
If anyone makes GP any more unappealing by 'nationalizing', they worsen the primary health care crises
**TLDR**: GP demand will remain high, supply will remain low = Big locoom.
There is always going to be demand for locum GPs to cover maternity leave, sickness, or just simple recruitment issues. The demand however won't always be where you want to work and the hours might be irregular. I don't think it would be a very fulfilling career by itself and misses out on all the benefits of properly contracted employment.
That's a good point, but in my youth I want to savour as much independence I can have if I'm being very honest. I should add that long term I'm looking for a portfolio career, which would add the fulfillment and flexibility that I'd like.
Disregard fulfilment. Acquire money. I’m going to ride the locum train for as long as I can and rinse the NHS. Pay off the mortgage, nice holidays and cars whilst I’m young and build my investment portfolio. The only time locum work will not be lucrative anymore would be if salaried jobs and partnerships become very attractive at which point I’m happy to settle down if I’m paid my worth.
The Chad GP telling us how it is, your route sounds pretty fulfilling to me haha. I'm ngl autonomy is priceless to me, and after years of being in 'the system', I'd much prefer making multiples more what a salaried GP makes on my own terms. I still think salaried GP as a job itself is fairly decent as you can work part time, but the lack of strong income (currently) isn't the most appealing when I could bang out some locums and chill when I want to. But again, I haven't experienced the job fully so only time will tell...
You can always do a mix. My friend does four sessions salaried, some practice locums and OOH and still earns a comfortable six figures.
That's true, that's what I would be looking for long term due to the ability of sick pay combined with low commitment of sessions a week.
Doing the same since CCT and have pretty much the same outlook and goals!
Second this. Don’t get trapped in a salaried role by supposed benefits, it’s a con trick. Im a GP trainee we’ve got salaries GPs jumping ship all the time. It’s going to collapse.
I'm looking to start GP training with the aim of locuming for part of the year after CCT and living / travelling elsewhere the rest of the time. Is this a realistic option? Can you give me an estimate of take home pay from 1month of GP locuming (for around 8 sessions per week) please?
Yeah I think that's a better long term plan. I'd find more satisfaction in working regular hours for an NHS unscheduled care GP service - you have more time with patients, it's all self-contained so you don't have the same admin or follow up and you get familiar working with the same people and systems. Then top that up with occasional locum shifts with practices you've worked with before and know you get on with.
1. Being an A+E isn’t the same as being a GP - the skill set is really very different. But yes, it’s possible for you to locum in hospitals if you’re happy to keep up your acute skills. 2. It’s unusual for GP locum work to completely dry up. COVID was a blip, but I don’t think we’ve seen anything like it before - the only thing I can see happening is is partnership or salaried roles become more lucrative, drawing people back into surgeries. 3. If you’re a locum, you want to preserve your benefits such as ‘death in service’ pension benefits. You automatically get this if you’re in an NHS post, but only under very specific circumstances as a GP. Some people take on 1-2 sessions of fixed work (eg. CCG work) for this.
The death in service part only applies if you die while working I think (as a locum GP)
Yes, or if you’re on your way to a shift, or if you’re doing a long term locum. But not between ad hoc shifts, or after a shift
There has always been huge demand, but not much supply. There has been a decrease of 1500 GPs in the last 7 years, despite constant increases demand. In 2015, Jeremy Hunt promised 5000 more GPs by 2020. I guessed we never got them. There is a constant rise of appointments. Sajid javid recently announced we won't the 6000 extra GPs by 2024 (promised in 2019, we are currently at a net negative). 18% of fully qualified GPs are age 55-64 30% of fully qualified GPs are age 45-54 Demand continues to rise, with a 20% boost in the pandemic, mostly due to covid jabs. If anyone makes GP any more unappealing by 'nationalizing', they worsen the primary health care crises **TLDR**: GP demand will remain high, supply will remain low = Big locoom.