Locum rates

Re: Locum rates

Simo — Fri, 15 May 2015 20:56:33 GMT

Thank you all. I totally agree with the flexibility and the fact that most practices work on 10+ hours shifts. Since I was just coming back and with a young child I selected easy shifts in the past year, including charities and consult only days 9-5. Now I'm more confident and happy to take longer shifts, but I wanted to know if it was reasonable to ask the same money I was asking to the aforementioned businesses (wich was lower than the prices you are mentioning btw), so it looks like yes, maybe rising it a little won't be a bad idea.

p.s. I'm speaking mostly of odd days or 2-3 days in a row or a particular weekday over several weeks.

Re: Locum rates

Robin Grimmer — Fri, 15 May 2015 18:36:19 GMT

[quote user="Neil Wheadon"]

[quote user="Clive Ansell"]

I have a standard rate based on a 10 hour working day, usually 0900-1900 or thereabouts. Most practices that usual includes a gap during in the day for a long lunch, a run. or a cycle ride. I try and avoid locums in low cost clinics, corporates, sweat shops, and working days in excess of 10 hours, but if I do work for them I negotiate a higher daily rate. Similarly, I charge for any OOH work or attendance to inpatients as extra too.

As a locum one has to have a degree of flexibility though. One of my regular practices is open until 8pm twice a week, I don't mind that because most days there is a gap off between 1pm and 5.30pm with another vet on duty, so free to go cycling for 3-4 hours. Suits me, although many don't like the 8pm finish. Where I am this week the only RVN is off sick, so I'm coming in at 0830 instead of the agreed 0900 to admit the daily ops, again need to flexible and adaptable.

[/quote]

I have exactly the same approach. It's all about give and take with mutual trust.

0900 - 1700 is very rare and if you have this and are able to charge the same rate as the rest of us doing 10.5 hour days, be very very nice to them, chocolates and cups of tea all round me thinks

Neil

[/quote]

Me too. I assume a working day will be around 830 til 7. I charge a daily rate similar to what Martin is offering. It's all about trust and give and take.

Re: Locum rates

Neil Wheadon — Fri, 15 May 2015 16:48:07 GMT

[quote user="Clive Ansell"]

[/quote]

I have exactly the same approach. It's all about give and take with mutual trust.

0900 - 1700 is very rare and if you have this and are able to charge the same rate as the rest of us doing 10.5 hour days, be very very nice to them, chocolates and cups of tea all round me thinks

Neil

Re: Locum rates

Clive Ansell — Fri, 15 May 2015 16:21:50 GMT

Re: Locum rates

Simo — Fri, 15 May 2015 16:10:52 GMT

Thank you, Martin

@Luca: I don't know if your opinion can be considered unbiased here, but a to you too.

Re: Locum rates

Martin Atkinson — Fri, 15 May 2015 15:04:08 GMT

I'm sole charge, outer London. My locums' shift is 9 am - 7 pm but that is not non-stop indeed as it is a quiet practice more of that time is spent not working than working, albeit I expect them to be available if something comes in. For that they get £250/day plus accommodation. If they do Saturday 9-11 am they get half a day's pay.

Re: Locum rates

Luca Poddighe — Fri, 15 May 2015 15:01:33 GMT

[quote user="Simo"]Let's say you have a trusted locum who works for you now and then, and you usually booked him/her for 9-5 shifts, but this time you ask for a 8-7 shift, how much more will you be happy to pay, if any?[/quote]

For me that's more than the 25% more of time, so it should be at least the 25% more of money...

Re: Locum rates

Simo — Fri, 15 May 2015 14:10:07 GMT

Or what I'm happy to work for. The problem is that I don't want to be one of those EU vets that ruin the market selling themselves cheap.

Let's say you have a trusted locum who works for you now and then, and you usually booked him/her for 9-5 shifts, but this time you ask for a 8-7 shift, how much more will you be happy to pay, if any?

Re: Locum rates

Hannah Wynne Richards — Fri, 15 May 2015 12:21:03 GMT

What the practices are prepared to pay.

Wynne