Would people take the plunge and wave goodbye to the safety of a permanent contract unless it was really worth it? The answer is, of course – no, they wouldn’t.
For those that are brave enough to give it a go, however, taking on a locum role is really rewarding.
Excellent rate of pay: The reality is that the profession is crying out for locums. Practices are willing to pay what is necessary to make locum dentist jobs attractive to potential candidates. In some roles, the flat day rate can be as much as £500 – not including expenses. If on a fixed rate, some practices will pay at the end of the shift even – locums will not always have to wait a week or more to be paid. If targeted, this wouldn’t be the case (only if fixed rate). Locums also tend to get paid a 50% private split if there is a UDA target in place for their day.
Hotel and travel allowance: To make it worth your while, most practices will contribute to your accommodation and travel expenses for the duration of your contract. This is a great incentive, especially if you love to explore and meet new people. Some practices will have onsite accommodation options / will be able to help with accommodation, but it’s not often. Travel allowance tends to be £25 / day.
Flexibility and freedom: Working as a locum offers a level of flexibility that you just can’t get with other types of contracts. You choose where you work, when you work, and, to a certain extent, how you work. Being a locum dentist also provides a great deal of freedom when it comes to training, meaning you get to assemble your own bespoke CPD schedule. Many locums work alongside their permanent jobs so you don’t necessarily have to choose between the two.
Variety: Just think of the range of jobs and dental settings that would be available to you. Exploring locum dentist vacancies is a great opportunity if you want to broaden your horizons. Specialist settings are available for locum work which looks great on a CV such as prison service.
Permanent opportunities: Many locum staff will start off as a basic locum and then convert to a permanent member, if this is something both parties are open too. This can give a locum a ‘trial run’ as to what it would be like working for this practice and vice versa. If you are a dentist with an NHS performer number wanting locum work, you will be in high demand with such large gaps within the NHS dental recruitment market. However, we are also seeing an increase in the demand for private locum dentists.
Notice period: Most locum contractors will have a 1-2 week notice period unless it works in the favour of both parties for it to be longer.
If you commit yourself, the benefits of locum dentistry are limitless – so what are you waiting for?
