Moving from permanent to locum work. Help me decide whether to go for it!!

[Hellandhighwaters]

I just wondered if there were any SLTs or other AHPs who could give me the pros and cons if they work as locums? For various reasons I am looking to leave my Band Six NHS permanent role and have already been offered work as a remote SLT on a term time contract. They are happy for me to work out my notice in my current job and I would start in April. I am naturally hesitant about making the leap and would like an honest account of those who have made this decision as well.

I’m a service manager who recruit Locum Sw and AHP

Locum are usually better paid,and paid weekly. Notice period usually 1 week, although if you’re getting in well they’ll give you much more notice

Locums are employed when there is shortage of staff and they’re trying to recruit to vacancy. In the event of recruiting to the post (tricky at the mo) you’ll be required to leave when new candidate start.

There is a shortage of HCP and as a SLT you’ll always be in demand,

Ok so as a Locum, you should stay out of the workplace politics and the team working relationships. This isn’t your forever job and it’s kind of not your business what the team think of the manager etc

Your agency will be responsible for your training & compliance needs and depending on the trust they may also enrol you in their in house train too

Job wise it’ll be exactly the same. Caseload and treatment.

Pros
Weekly higher pay
Maintain experience
Can leave when you want less ties
AL when you chose as a Locum they cannot impose your AL dates although there may be an expectation you fit in around service needs. You don’t have to, accommodate the dept need but it’s helpful if you do
Not enmeshed in the dept politics
Can leave at short notice if another post arise

Cons
Your placement is subject to dept needs it’s not a long term career job
You’ll get a bigger or harder caseload as the Locum
You’re always the Locum. It can feel a bit you’re not completely in the team
There isn’t a long term career plan for you as a Locum
No secondment or promotion in that department
May not have access to internal training
Your agency arrange your mandatory training

Hi @PhoneKeysBook Thank you so much for taking the time to reply and for such a comprehensive answer. That’s been really helpful.

The other thing I am looking for is remote work in order to widen my options and the position I’ve already been offered is fully remote. I enjoy feeling part of a team in my current job and do worry about the lack of face-to-face contact with both colleagues and clients. However I think that this service delivery model is likely to continue after the pandemic as well and my husband and daughter both work successfully from home in their roles. Do you have any knowledge of locus AHPs who work remotely in these types of roles and how they find it?

Our Locum and team are all in work we aren’t fully remote working, too much work and COVID-19 pressure
We have a wfh rota but if we are short staffed due to staff isolation then the staff who are wfh have to come in
We could not work to a remote wfh model.

It’s exciting for you having a new post and it allows you see if post suits

Hi OP,

This is an old thread I know but did you make the change to locum?

Im in a similar situation and don't know what to do!

Thanks for your message. I eventually left my NHS role for a permanent face-to-face role in the private sector. For various reasons this did not work out and I only stayed 5 months. Since then I have worked remotely as a locum in a number of roles for the NHS. My shortest contract has been 6 weeks and I am currently working on a 6 month contract. There has been no shortage of work. Most days I enjoy not having the commute and obviously earning a lot more.

I would just like to say that I am over fifty and do not have to think about the potential benefits of a permanent NHS role such as Maternity pay! I don’t get paid for any days off I take and my decision to work as a locum was definitely a little easier because my dh has a well paid permanent job. I will definitely not be returning to work for the NHS permanently in a face-to-face role, but would maybe like to do a combination of locum remote working and face-to-face in the future. Good luck with your decision!

Thank you for replying!

i'm glad your decision worked out. If you did need to consider maternity pay would you have still made the same choice?

Would you mind saying which client area you work in from a remote role point of view please?