To Locum or not to Locum?

The benefits of locum work need little explanation and never more so than during the pandemic were locum positions in such demand, meaning a plethora of opportunities and burgeoning pay packets for many. As the industry slowly started to recover after COVID-19, we sought the thoughts of two experienced locums about where their future lies, the pros and cons of locum work and whether or not returning to permanent positions is on the horizon.

Sam Green

We first speak with Sam, who recently moved into a float vet role in our north-west London region late in 2021.?

Travelling has been a big influence on him in recent years. “I always tell my friends to try to travel and experience as much as possible,” he says, grinning. It turns out that after several years being a locum in small animal practices in the UK, Sam, like many others, hit the adventure trail, and ended up working with street dogs in Cambodia and, perhaps more interestingly, as veterinary advisor at the Elephant Valley Project.

“It’s an amazing charity,” he explains. “When I volunteered there a few years ago they were looking after a number of working elephants, which were no longer needed by their owners and had been sold into the tourist trade before being rescued. Very few elephants in the country are now wild,” he adds.

He laughs as he recounts his time doing this volunteer work. “They needed help with dealing with parasite protocol and worm egg counts, as well as general pachyderm care, which was quite a big challenge. While there are some similarities to a large cow or a bull, there was certainly an element of me making things up as I went along. Education and engagement with local communities, though, was actually a big part of the job, so it was handy that I am quite a ‘people-person’ and I found it really enjoyable.”

Back to the less exotic climes of companion animal practice, Sam tells us about his current position.

“One of my favourite things about being a vet is the diversity at work and this is what attracted me to locum work in the first place. Being a float vet now means I still visit several different practices in the same group, from tiny sole-charge clinics to big hospitals with all the latest kit.”

We asked Sam if he’d ever experienced any differences in teamwork between his past locum, float and permanent vet roles?

“In some jobs, you’re definitely seen as just another locum who will be swanning off on Friday, never to be seen again, and that can be reflected in how easy it is to temporarily integrate into the team.

As a locum, it can be difficult working in unfamiliar places and I’m pretty sure we’ve all been in the position of having to search every single cupboard in sight for the elusive microchip scanner or nail clippers,” Sam chuckles. “It can sometimes be genuinely difficult for vets being unable to follow cases through, or having clients unable to revisit with them. Now I am a Float across a handful of practices, it’s very easy to feel part of the team.”

And the elephant in the room – salary??

Sam acknowledges the differences. “As a limited company, there is more money in being a locum, but IR35 means the margins are becoming tighter. “From a personal point of view, though, I made the judgement that the stress and extra work involved in locuming was not worth the extra cash to me. My current position has a really good benefits package, which actually makes a big difference to me. But I guess it is all down to personal preference as everyone has different priorities.”

Mel Wagner

We also spoke to Mel Wagner, a locum nurse who travels into London from her home near the south coast several days a month for regular locum shifts in both hospital and branches “I choose to stay with Goddard’s specifically, as it is a convenient commute from where I am based in East Sussex. I really enjoy the variation of the different small branches and have found the teams very friendly and supportive and there is always plenty of work available on an ad hoc basis, which is great”, she says.

And the downsides?

“Well, for me I also have a permanent role near where I live, so I will continue for a while longer as the regular extra work suits me. I’ve heard from locum nurses elsewhere in the industry who’ve found that permanent members of staff can treat locums differently in clique environments, but I am fortunate not to have ever experienced this myself.

“The lack of benefits, like pension and CPD allowance, as well as being sad when you are enjoying a job role and it comes to an end being only a temporary basis, are probably the obvious other downsides from my perspective,” she adds.

“But for now, I still enjoy the feeling of ‘freedom’ a regular locum role brings. I can work on my own terms and the higher pay rate compensates, at least for the moment, the demanding nature of the role. I actually started as a locum in my current permanent role, so it’s actually really nice to get the feel of a place before opting for a more permanent basis.”

Jenny Everton, one of three locum co-ordinators at Goddard Veterinary Group, recognises both sentiments.

“Since COVID-19, some vets and nurses have left the industry and many locums have just not returned. We’ve seen many regular locums take up permanent positions or sign up with companies where they are not allowed to work elsewhere, but can pick up extra shifts within that company.

“But we’ve definitely seen a shift recently, where frequent, but flexible, working is becoming more of a consideration. Working with small, friendly teams is often mentioned by the locums we use as reasons for coming back to us. We’re also now offering float and fixed term contracts and this seems to be attracting more and more applicants.

“I also think recognising workload demands on a locum is also really very important,” she points out. “We know that a locum will not be as quick in an unfamiliar environment, so it is important that they are able to take some time out during the working day and to keep the diary manageable, which we always endeavour to do for them.” So, it seems that all options are good options and there is one that’ll likely suit everyone choosing to stay in the industry. A choice of plum permanent positions are currently there for the taking by the best candidates, and with fixed-term and limited-hour contracts on offer, a great work/life balance can usually be achieved.

Flexible working choices

Founded in 1952 by veterinary surgeon Arthur Goddard, we now have 3 hospitals, 440 employees, 44 branches and our own dedicated vet nurse training college, and employ more than 100 vets and 116 RVNs.?

Float role and fixed-term positions benefit from pro-rata benefits and paid either per shift on an average number of shifts per month, or with a fixed salary and fixed hours.

Different roles are available with part-time and full-time role equivalent. Full-time benefits include 33 days of annual leave entitlement,?private health care, pension, professional body membership allowance and ￡2,000 CPD allowance per annum. Certificates are supported.

Locum positions are also available across London at competitive rates.

For an informal chat about all opportunities across London, contact us at [email protected] and one of our team will be in touch.