A survey of 441 GP locums that asked how much GP locums earn has revealed that across England as a whole, both the average hourly rates and average daily rates remained static compared with 2020, GP Online reports.
Of those respondents who were working as a GP locum a year ago, 62% said that demand for their services had increased in the previous 12 months, and a further 25% saw no decrease.
In England, only 18% of respondents to the poll said that they had increased their rates over the past 12 months. Some 78% said that their sessional rates had remained the same and 4% said they had even cut their rates.
Dr Richard Fieldhouse, chair of NASGP, said: “What I find so interesting about these figures is how little they have changed. These last 18 months have been a rollercoaster for GP locums, with work crashing at the beginning of the pandemic, and now locums are working flat out and seeing demand outstripping supply.
“Yet despite all of this, the great majority of these self-employed independent contractor GPs have not changed the rates they charge. The standout finding in the report is that locums who enjoy their work do not tend to raise their rates, and this aligns itself with NASGP’s own research which found that happy locums also work more sessions.
“At a time when we know that general practice is suffering from an acute crisis in capacity, those involved in GP workforce planning should take note that a well engaged and motivated GP locum workforce are in a better position to support practices.”
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