Knowledgebase

How GP locums handle ‘difficult’ consultations

What does the McCloud consultation mean for my pension?

Nine tasks for sessional GPs to prioritise before the end of the tax year 2020/21

Three ways new NHS Pensions changes could affect GPs

Annual allowance, compensation, and retrospective taxation could all hit GP locums and salaried GPs now, or in the next two years. Kirsty McGaun, Legal & Medical, advises

Five things sessional GPs want in 2021 – NASGP survey results

2020 was the most unusual year for locums yet – not just in terms of the clinical challenges, but also because of lost and cancelled work.

Q&A: Keeping steady sessional income during Covid-19 when you work as a GP locum

Like many locums, Dr Smith lost work when Covid-19 hit. But by May, he was back to normal. Find out how he coped – and why he helped practices cancel his sessions

‘We’ve seen almost an 100% increase’: the surge at doctors’ support services in 2020

Dr Helen Garr, a GP and the clinical lead at NHS Practitioner Health, explains the importance of preventing burnout amongst GP locums in 2021.

Galcanezumab for the prevention of migraine

This new guideline was published in November 2020.

Reply from Locum Hub Wales

Further to original correspondence from NASGP Chair Richard Fieldhouse, we've now had a response from Wales Government about Locum Hub Wales.

How to set up a locum chambers

An experienced Stoke GP, Dr Ohja explains how to start a new NASGP Locum Chambers in an area without one.

What do you need from the NASGP this year?

What can we do to better support GP locums this year? We’ve launched a new two-minute survey to find out.

Liraglutide for managing overweight and obesity

New guidance came out in December.

How GPs can reduce the risk of missed diagnosis

My advice? Stick to your guns and believe in your gut.

Switching between salaried and freelance work

In 2020 greater incidence of GPs switching between salaried and freelance roles, rather than just having a mix of both, poses new questions for self-employed GPs, Liz Densley writes

Swallowable gastric balloon capsule for weight loss

Dr Louise Human explains.

Q&A: What is a chambers meeting?

NASGP chair Dr Richard Fieldhouse explains how chambers meetings work, where GPs meet, how long they talk for, and why discussing complaints is so important

Judith Harvey: Searching for the sweet spot

Candy floss may hold the answer to the obesity crisis, Dr Harvey writes.

Antimicrobial prescribing for human and animal bites

A new guideline from NICE covers the prescribing of antibiotics for human and animal bites.

NASGP CV builder

Get a fresh new CV in minutes with NASGP's free tool for members. 

Dexcom G6 for continuous glucose monitoring

How can it be used to make a 'hybrid artificial pancreas'?

Antibody tests for Covid-19: what use are they in practice?

NASGP member and Cochrane author Dr Robert Walton shares some clinical advice on Covid-19 antibody tests.

Testing for Lynch syndrome in people newly diagnosed with endometrial cancer

A guidelines published last month explains why anyone with a new diagnosis of endometrial cancer should be tested for Lynch syndrome.

How to make the most of a career coach

Uncertain work and finances can create stress, writers Dr Caroline Walker, but 2020 might be a fertile year for GP locums to reassess your portfolio career – or even make decisions about a salaried role – with a coach.

‘Decision latitude’ is just one sign of burnout for GP locums to pick up on this winter

As a second lockdown kicks in, Dr Adam Staten (co-author with Dr Euan Lawson of GP Wellbeing) explains the reasons why GP locums – even those locked out of sessional work – are burning out.

How to add Covid-19 rules to your terms

LocumDeck enables locums to state exactly how they want to work, including adding risk minimisation and shielding information – and NASGP's templates explain how.

‘We’re paratroopers, we’re supposed to be surrounded’: starting off as a GP locum

Dr Richard Fieldhouse, NASGP chairman, explains how to start a career as a GP locum.

How will having a lower income from sessional work affect my tax return this year?

Specialist medical accountant Liz Densley explains

GPs are still hard at work – whether the Government knows it or not

Jaws dropped when an MP blithely remarked that GPs could safely ‘recommence’ face-to-face services in a ‘regular’ manner in Parliament the other day, Dr Richard Fieldhouse writes.

Salaried GP contract checklist

This ‘practice CV’ template that provides GP locums with a checklist of questions to ask before signing a contract.

What is income protection?

Income protection is a policy that provides GP locums with a replacement income if they are unable to work because of injury or illness. Kirsty McGaun explains how it works, and explodes a few old myths

Q&A: Dr Chloe Evans on doing GP locum sessions outside your area

NASGP member Dr Chloe Evans splits her time between Oxford and Shetland. She explains how she works across two areas, and how NASGP membership supports her work

Remote working in general practice

Advice on ‘mission creep’ in triage/consultation, how to consult online, a remote working terms template and a Covid-19 risk score, the NASGP has remote working all wrapped up

Q&A: What is a chambers? 

NASGP’s Locum Chambers model connects GP locums, so having a flexible career no longer means working in isolation.

Working at a flu clinic

The double whammy of the Covid-19 pandemic and flu must be tackled to avoid NHS overwhelm this winter, but GP locums must know the risks before infections rise, Dr Zoe Neill of MPS writes

GP locum remote working policy

A good remote working policy reassures practices about data and device security compliance, and of the steps to take to achieve continuity during remote working sessions.

How do we let down the drawbridge?

We have to find a way to negotiate social distance so that staff and patients are as safe as we can manage – not only from Covid-19 but also from social isolation.

NASGP Covid-19 risk stratification tool

If you’ve made yourself available to see face-to-face patients on LocumDeck at a practice you’ve not worked at yet during Covid, use this form to generate a score for your biological risk.

Q&A: Why GP locums need terms

Terms keep GP locums, and the practices that book them, working safely – and they also help practices make the most of the locum cover they book. This year, new policies for PPE, infection control and remote working make it more important than ever to write good terms before making a booking. Dr Sara Chambers, NASGP Head of Clinical Excellence and Safety, answers frequently-asked questions on GP locum terms

Ten tips for setting up your finances as a GP locum

Tell HMRC you're locuming, hang on to your receipts, tell your accountant about big moves and purchases, and get advice before setting up a company

Managing insect bites

Most insect bites do not require antibiotics, and most infections in bites are secondary (and quite rare) following itching.

Ten tips for starting out as a GP locum in 2020

Richard Fieldhouse lists the skills, products and memberships that will have a positive impact on a new GP locum's career this year

Day in the life of a Locum Chambers manager

Ali Lewis, NASGP’s longstanding Locum Chambers Manager, told us about a day in the life behind the scenes: how long it takes to join a Chambers, how managers get more practices on board, and how Instant Book is keeping locums busy during remote working