If you have considered working as a locum doctor, allied health professional, dentist, or as a casual nurse, there will be useful, actionable information in this presentation. Learn more today about how you can maximise your locum income.

1. Maximise Your Locum
Income

2. Who Am I?
• Managing Director of Beat
Health
• Previously a JMO Manager,
and in-house recruiter for NSW
Health, International SOS, and
ADF

3. Ground Rules and Features
• This is being recorded
• Hands Up
• Ask A Question
• I can’t answer any individual career related questions
• Microphone
• Let me know if you can’t hear me at any point

4. Who can locum?
• Appropriate medical registration
• General and/or Specialist
• The right to work in Australia
• Australian Citizen
• Permanent Resident
• NZ Citizen
• Some visas
• Appropriate qualifications/experience for the job
• Provider number considerations (Urgent + 6 month rule)

5. What is locum work?
• Temporary
• Covering planned or unexpected leave
• Backfilling a long term vacancy
• Fulfilling a workforce requirement

8. Attributes of a successful locum
•Decisive
•Flexible
•Honest
•Organised
•Adaptable
•Have a plan B

9. Where to work?
1. New South Wales
2. Queensland
3. Western Australia
4. Northern Territory
5. South Australia
6. Australian Capital Territory
7. Tasmania
8. Victoria

11. What Influences Rate?
•Supply and demand (more supply = lower rate)
•Location
•Timeframe (tight timeframe before shift = higher rate)
•Government Policy
•Your negotiation ability
•Expansion of medical facilities
•The ‘Part-Timeisation’ of the workforce

12. Indicative Pay Rates
•Sub-specialist Surgeons (especially Plastics) – $3000 per day
•Consultant Specialists – $1800-$2500 per day
•Senior (Non-Specialist) ED (e.g. CMOs) – $1600-$2000 per day
•Procedural GPs – $1500-$2000 per day
•GPs in family practice – $120-$170 per hour / 65-75%
•ED Registrars – $100-$180 per hour
•Ward Registrars – $80-$150 per hour
•RMO (Ward or ED) – $75 – $145 per hour

13. How You’re Paid
•Employee
•Sole Trader
•Pty Ltd
•Agency
•Combination

14. Added Extras
•Travel
•Accommodation
•Car
•Mileage/Taxis/Meals
•Paid Travel Time

15. Negotiating More
•Compare
•Wait vs book ahead
•Solve a problem
•Establish a relationship
•Compromise
•Walk away
•Let someone else do it

16. Waiting vs Booking Ahead
Booking Ahead Waiting/Last Minute
John books 10 x 9
hour shifts @ $120
per hour, 8 weeks
ahead.
Total hours worked = 90
Gross income = $10,800
Terri books 5 x 12
hour shifts @ $180
per hour, 3 days
ahead.
Total hours worked = 72
Gross income = $10,800

17. Working Patterns
•Depends on location, job, etc
•Locum work is often the work that
others don’t want
•Can range from a few hours, to
months or years
•Most common is a 4 weeks on, a
couple of weeks off

18. Getting Ready
•Know what you want (job/location/timing/money)
•Have clear dates in mind (including when you can’t work)
•Decide on some concrete rules/boundaries
•Are you being realistic?
•Use a diary/calendar to track your work
•Talk to your partner/family
•Talk to your accountant
•Get your documents together
•Make sure you have the appropriate registration category
•Decide whether to work with an agency

20. Finding Shifts
•Friends/colleagues
•Job websites
•College job pages
•Call employers
•Agencies

21. Locum Agencies
•You don’t need an agency if you are in a candidate-rich
specialty/area
•Consider an agency if there is an obvious shortage
•Beware ‘shift lists’
•There’s not always a huge variation in jobs
•An agency should provide you with job options, negotiate, and help
with logistics
•Talk to a few agencies, then decide on one
•Agencies are paid as a percentage of your rate or a set fee

22. Locuming FAQs
•Can I work as a locum in Sydney or Melbourne?
•Can your agency accept references/police check/etc
from another agency?
•Can I fly earlier/later so I can explore the area?
•How long before I want to locum should I contact an
agency?
•How much does an agency cost me?

23. Become Part Of The Beat Health Team