PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - McKevitt, C
AU  - Morgan, M
AU  - Hudson, M
TI  - Locum doctors in general practice: motivation and experiences.
DP  - 1999 Jul 01
TA  - British Journal of General Practice
PG  - 519--521
VI  - 49
IP  - 444
4099  - http://bjgp.org/content/49/444/519.short
4100  - http://bjgp.org/content/49/444/519.full
SO  - Br J Gen Pract1999 Jul 01; 49
AB  - BACKGROUND: There is evidence of dissatisfaction with locum doctors' performance, but little is known about doctors who work as locums in general practice or about their experiences of this work. AIM: To describe the motivations and experiences of doctors providing locum cover in general practices. METHOD: A postal questionnaire survey distributed to locums through organizations such as locum groups, commercial agencies, and general practices. RESULTS: Questionnaires were returned by 111 doctors currently working as locums in general practice. Four main reasons for working as a locum GP were: as a short-term option while between posts, to gain experience of different practices before commitment to one practice, to balance work and family or other commitments, to continue part-time work after retirement. One-quarter of responders intended to continue working as a locum indefinitely. The drawbacks of locum work included frustration with low status, lack of security, and difficulty accessing structured training and education. CONCLUSION: Locum doctors in general practice are a heterogeneous group that includes those who have chosen this type of work. The doctors who intend to continue as locums indefinitely represent a useful resource in primary care whose ability to provide short-term cover could be maximized. The need to control the quality of 'freelance' doctors should not overshadow the need to control the quality of their working environments.