Information for Doctors
TYPE OF WORK DIRECT MEDICS CAN OFFER YOU:
We offer work in all grades and specialties, on a locum, substantive and permanent basis.
Working on a locum basis means you will be offered positions, varying from a few hours to three months or a year. Locum work arises from vacancies caused by holidays, illness, maternity leave, unfilled posts etc.
Short term work by its very nature, comes in with little notice,. Hospitals anticipate doctors undertaking this type of work may need some flexibility in the start/end times. Please indicate, when considering a locum position, the time you would be able to arrive and leave. You are paid for the hours that you actually work.
Most of the hospitals will put out long term locums as 1 – 3 months initially, but invariably these posts extend to 6 months, and indeed, many extend for a year or longer.
A substantive post is one where you are working directly for the client and the position will normally guarantee at least 6 months employment. Acceptance of a substantive post does mean you are committed to work for the set period of the contract and you will be employed and paid directly by the client.
The type of work you will carry out in either post is similar, as is the number of hours worked on a weekly basis. Both kinds of posts offer the opportunity to accept additional evening and weekend work, when available, as a means of supplementing your salary.
We offer both temporary and permanent posts. It is quite common to take up a temporary position that can then become permanent.
FREQUENCY OF WORK
Direct Medics is the ‘First Choice Agency’ for many UK hospitals, and is a preferred supplier to hospitals in Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. This puts us in the enviable position that we can offer you a wide selection of jobs in a variety of countries of varying lengths. The number of jobs varies from day to day depending on the clients requirements. To receive daily updates via email why not sign up to our free vacancy email service
HOURS OF WORK PER WEEK
The average full-time working week is 40 hours. However, many posts do carry an on-call or full shift rota which usually increases the hours worked. As required by the NHS Code of Practice, doctors are required to confirm that they will not breach the controls on hours set out in the Working Time Directive unless you agree with Direct Medics that the limit shall not apply to you. Please sign and return the ‘Opt out’ form which you can download from the DOWNLOAD section
RECOGNITION FOR TRAINING
If you are filling a vacancy as a locum that is normally recognised for training, you may be able to receive recognition for the post. To do so, you should consult the appropriate Royal College for advice or you may be able to apply for approval through the relevant Royal College.
REGISTRATION WITH ONE OR MORE AGENCIES
Some agencies do not allow or do not condone candidates using more than one agency. We have no qualms with this and feel that it is up to each individual to choose how they go about finding a suitable position. We will always endeavour to find you the right job and find it first.
ACCOMMODATION AND TRAVEL EXPENSES
Hospitals provide accommodation and reimburse payment of travel expenses at their discretion. Single accommodation is usually provided, for the duration of the placement. Some hospitals charge rent pro rata, while others offer accommodation free of charge. Some hospitals offer subsidised travel which covers one return trip from your usual place of residence by bus or train, while others do not reimburse travel at all. No taxi fares are reimbursed. Accommodation and travel arrangements will be confirmed in writing prior to placement. If no specific mention is made of subsidised travel, then the travel will not be paid.
SERVICES TO OVERSEAS DOCTORS
If you are coming to the UK, Ireland, Australia or NZ from overseas, we'll do everything we can to help ensure you have a smooth transition into your new job.
We will:
• guide you in your registration process with the relevant medical council or state/territory medical board,
• assist you in obtaining the relevant visas/work permits in compliance with local immigration laws,
• apply to the local police vetting authority to obtain police clearance for you,
• assist you with travel and accommodation,
• help you open a bank account, obtain your NI, PPS, IRD or Tax File Number,
• and ensure that your relocation is as stress free as possible, by providing information on local facilities for example, local transport, shops, places of worship, schools, pubs, clubs etc.
DIRECT MEDICS SUPPORT
It is all part of our personal service policy that we support our candidates throughout their entire career path. We provide regular contact, social and networking opportunities, continuing professional development and education
METHOD OF PAYMENT
Payment will be made directly to your bank or building society via the BACS system. We will pay you within 7 days of receiving your timesheet subject to approval of hours worked. The timesheet must be signed by an authorised person such as the Consultant , Practice Manager or Medical Staffing Office and sent back to us as soon as possible. No payment will be made on unauthorised or incorrectly authorised timesheets. It is your responsibility to get your timesheet authorised by the appropriate person before leaving the assignment. Failure to do this can seriously delay payment. Payments are made to the nearest quarter hour, rounded down. If you have any queries please contact our Payroll Department on payroll@directmedics.com
Travel expenses are not always paid and you will be advised of the situation before you are confirmed for a post. Where necessary you should retain travel receipts, or make a note of your mileage if travelling by car.
Timesheets should be sent to us at the end of each working week, or as soon as you have finished the locum (if shifts) and obtained approval for the hours worked. If there is a long delay in sending timesheets to us (e.g., 3-4 months) we can sometimes have difficulty invoicing the client.
TIMESHEETS CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE DOWNLOAD SECTION
SELF EMPLOYMENT
Most locum doctors work on a self-employed basis or through a Limited Company to benefit from the higher pay rates and from offsetting your expenses against your salary.
For further information on working as self-employed or through a Limited Company, please contact your recruitment consultant or contact our payroll department at payroll@directmedics.com
REPORTING AND IDENTIFICATION
On arrival at the hospital, you should take your current Medical Registration Certificate or renewal notice to the Medical Staffing Officer together with another means of identification, such as your passport. Outside of office hours you may be asked to show these to a designated person and, if you are unable to identify yourself as a locum, you may be turned away. When working with Direct Medics, you will be expected to wear/show an identity badge, which we will supply. In addition, occasionally, the hospital may require that prior to commencement of each or any assignment that you produce a copy of your immunisation/ vaccination record, and/or test results.
When arriving at the hospital you are to seek information from your line manager on fire procedures, manual handling, crash call mechanism, 'hot spots' and 'violent episode' policies. At the start of your first shift you should report to your line manager to become familiar with and comply with the hospital's general policies including, without limitation, those relating to training and health and safety
LEGAL CONTEXT FOR MEDICAL PRACTICE
You are expected to have an understanding and experience of the legal context for medical practice appropriate to the posts you undertake (e.g. the application of the Mental Health Act 1983 or the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984 in psychiatric practice). For further information, the BMA publication 'Rights and Responsibilities of Doctors' is recommended.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Information concerning patients, their treatment and their affairs is strictly confidential and must not be disclosed to any unauthorised persons. The confidentiality of employer/client must be maintained. You are reminded that any breach of confidentiality will result in the termination of your engagement with the employer/client and could result in civil action for damages.
SECURITY
You are expected to comply with all security measures implemented by the hospital in respect of personnel and other persons attending those premises. All doctors are to observe the hospital's computer security instructions in respect of the proper use and protection of any password used in connection with such computer systems and if there is a need to use or insert into any computer any floppy disk, CD ROM disk, removable hard drive or any other device for the storage and transfer of data or programs, please observe the following;
• Do not load any program into any computer via disk, typing, electronic data transfer or any other means
• Do not access any other computer or bulletin board or information service (including, without limitation, the Internet) except with specific prior consent of the hospital
• Do not download any files or connect any piece of computer equipment to any network or other item of computer equipment except with the prior consent of the hospital.
MAINTAINING MEDICAL EXCELLENCE
All doctors are advised to read carefully the Medical Council's 'Duties of a Doctor'; the requirements are clearly laid out in the 'Good Medical Practice' booklet. Many Hospitals will either have their own procedures in place or will expect you to be aware of the Medical Council's recommendations. We recommend you make yourself aware of the Hospital’s policy before commencing your engagement.
CANCELLATION OF LOCUMS BY DOCTORS
Please do not accept any booking if you do not have every intention of working it. It causes tremendous frustration if you cancel after accepting.
From time to time you may have to cancel a locum assignment due to unexpected circumstances. In these instances, you should complete as much of the booking as possible, even if it is only a day or two, to enable a replacement to be located and the hospital to make alternative arrangements. If unexpected circumstances arise, you should ensure that Direct Medics are informed at the earliest opportunity by telephone, making a note of the full name of the person you informed, together with the time and date. You must also inform the hospital but you must always notify us in the first instance. Hospitals take cancellations very seriously and have in the past taken further action in cases of cancellation without good reason (e.g. informing the Medical Council or contacting referees).
We know that unexpected circumstances can arise where you are unable to complete a booking. The reason cancellations are taken so seriously is that when a hospital selects you for a position, they may forego several other doctors. If you cancel after accepting a position, other doctors may no longer be available and the hospital may incur unnecessary financial loss through cancelled clinics.
CANCELLATION OF APPOINTMENTS BY CLIENTS
As there may be occasions when our doctors have reason to cancel their locums, this can also be replicated from the hospitals' perspective. Again this is taken very seriously. Direct Medics have a policy of not supplying doctors to hospitals who habitually do this. In instances such as this, financial compensation will not be paid, we will endeavour to offer you alternative work and do our best to ensure you do not lose out.
PERSONAL BELONGINGS INSURANCE
Some hospitals advise that you should have personal belongings insurance to cover you when working on their premises.
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