Locums should agree terms in writing with employing practices

Locum GPs should agree in writing the terms of employment with the practice that is employing them, the BMA’s General Practitioners Committee has recommended.

Written agreements should spell out details of the fees agreed between the locum and the practice; the timetable of work, including the start and finishing times each day; the core work to be undertaken; and arrangements for termination of the agreement.

Agreements, which would normally be made between the locum and the practice manager, should also outline the contractor’s responsibilities, such as providing a computer login and password, and the responsibilities of the locum, such as proving original evidence of GMC registration and medical indemnity.

The advice, set out in Guidance on Locum Agreements in General Practice, should clarify for locums and surgeries good practice for employers and employees, said Richard Vautrey, deputy chairman of the General Practitioners Committee.

“The aim is for locums and their employers to be upfront and businesslike about arrangements and have a discussion before the locum starts,” he said. He added that this approach will ensure that the expectations of the locum GP and the employing practice are clearly set out.

• Guidance on Locum Agreements in General Practice is at www.bma.org.uk/images/locumagreementssept2011_tcm41-209391.pdf.