January 2024 was LocumDeck’s busiest month on record for Instant Book sessions, according to internal data.
Bookings data for NASGP’s platform LocumDeck also showed:
- LocumDeck now has more practices signed up than ever.
- Instant Book sessions for the last 12 months are up 43% compared to the same period last year.
January is a typically busy time for practices booking GP locum sessions for March, April and June.
The findings come at a time when some GP locums report struggling for work. Since December, GPs have been petitioning the Government to expand ringfenced funding to include GP locums.
Some GP practices are also struggling to fund their workforce. Last month it emerged that three salaried GPs were being made redundant from a Surrey practice where partners had been unable to make drawings.
Dr Richard Fieldhouse, GP and chair of NASGP, said: “Conditions for getting work are certainly tough for many GP locums at the moment.
“From our findings it seems that, where we have high concentrations of NASGP members using LocumDeck, the momentum that’s been driven by locums maximising LocumDeck’s network effects – having encouraged practically every local practice to use LocumDeck – bookings are a lot healthier than we’d expected. We’ve even had instances this week where some members feel they may have over-compensated and taken on too much work.
“We’re doing everything we can to maximise LocumDeck’s functionality to break through any barriers and help ensure practices can book GP locums, so that they get as much work as they need.”
