The College of Optometrists

i will be moving to bradford in the new year and i will be looking do to locum work, mainly at the weekend, what sort of rate can I expect in that part of the country?

£180 to £320 depend on experience and the practice willing to pay,or if they are fully book and the regular OO get sick a day before.

Dont except less than 250 pounds flat rate or 225 with bonus.

Thanks for the advice. I'll see what I can find

Beware,

This advice may be okay in the short term, but so many NQ`s are coming onto the scene we now pay £26000 for a NQ so why bother with a locum who charges so much.

If you price out the smaller indies yo uwill be out of work altogether.

I know this will cause anger but its going to happen in the near fututre so think carefully,

Good luck

There was and there will always work for locums, Holidays & sickness,part time work,etc are some examples of that.

Thank you

Of corse there willalways be some

work,but if oversupply occurs then

daily rates fall.

It may be argued that salaries are going to fall in the next couple of years so is it best to locum or get a reasomnably paid job, where the salary cant easily be reduced, now?

Hi finkle,

Yes of course over supply of OO (permanent or Locum)will bring rates down, But that is Not the same to say "Why bother with a locum"/

Most OO Locum does an excellent job, plus they came from far distances in some cases , and in a short period of time call (next day or same day), they simple "save" the clinic on that day.

So a Locum can charge what they want depend on experience,Contact lenses work,dispensing work,Home visits,Etc.

I can't see anything wrong beetween £250 to £300 per day if you have a clinic booked and you permanent OO isn't there (for whatever reason).

Yes, there is a bad locum and a good Locum.(the bad one's will never work again in the same place)

I am just trying to give an opinion to a NQ who is trying to decide whether to go on a salary or go locum.

If we get o a situation whereby too many good locums are available then the rates will come down.

I am 48, 20 Yrs ago i locummed and got a guaranteed £65000 per annum!!

Look at the rate now, its not changed over all this time yet dentists salaries just rise and rise, nd why too many OO`s and too few Dentists.

I am not trying to be provocative, I fel very sorry for young OO`s but I am just giving my views.

The best solution is to open your own practises, or try to get a decent franchise.