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Locum doctors in general practice: motivation and experiences
C McKevitt1, M Morgan, M Hudson
1Department of Public Health Sciences, Guy's, King's Hospital Medical School, London.
Summary
General practice locum doctors are a diverse group with varied motivations for their work. Understanding their experiences is key to optimizing primary care resources and improving working environments for these essential healthcare professionals.
Area of Science:
- General Practice
- Primary Care
- Healthcare Workforce Studies
Background:
- Limited understanding of general practice locum doctor experiences.
- Previous evidence suggests dissatisfaction with locum doctor performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the motivations and experiences of doctors working as locums in general practice.
- To identify factors influencing locum general practitioner (GP) career choices.
Main Methods:
- Postal questionnaire survey distributed to locum GPs.
- Data collected via locum groups, commercial agencies, and general practices.
Main Results:
- 111 locum GPs responded.
- Key motivations include career transitions, experience-seeking, work-life balance, and post-retirement work.
- One-quarter of locums intend to work indefinitely.
- Drawbacks cited: low status, job insecurity, and limited access to training.
Conclusions:
- Locum GPs are a heterogeneous group, including those who choose this career path.
- Indefinite locums are a valuable primary care resource; their short-term cover potential can be maximized.
- Focus on improving locum working environments is crucial, alongside quality control.