Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow E-letters: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when E-letters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (1)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Morgan, M.
Right arrow Articles by Hudson, M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Morgan, M.
Right arrow Articles by Hudson, M.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Family Practice Vol. 17, No. 1, 53-55
© Oxford University Press 2000

GPs’ employment of locum doctors and satisfaction with their service

Myfanwy Morgan, Christopher McKevitt and Meryl Hudson

Department of Public Health Sciences, Guy's, King's and St Thomas' School of Medicine, Kings College London, UK.

Myfanwy Morgan, Department of Public Health Sciences, GKT School of Medicine, Kings College London, Capital House, Weston Street, London SE1 3QD, UK.

Abstract

Background. Locum doctors provide cover during normal working hours for GPs absent due to holidays, sickness, maternity leave or for educational purposes. However, there is little information on the extent of the use of locums or of GPs’ perception of their services.

Objectives. To examine the level of use of locum doctors by GPs, the ease of recruitment and satisfaction with their services.

Methods. A postal survey of all general practices in one of the six health regions in England was carried out. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the independent effects on locum use of practice size and type of area, source of recruitment and GPs’ satisfaction with their services.

Results. A total of 935 (80.6%) general practices responded. Locum GPs were employed by 81.7% of practices in the previous 12 months. Two-thirds of practices reported problems obtaining locum cover, especially at short notice and for holiday periods. One-fifth of practices employing a locum in the previous 12 months were dissatisfied with the locum.

Conclusions. There are high demands for, but a considerable shortage of, locum doctors in general practice. Educational and other initiatives for GPs may contribute to increased demands for locum cover. Difficulties in recruitment may be reduced by measures to improve the conditions of employment for doctors working as locums on a longer term basis. New codes of practice for employing locums may increase satisfaction with locum services.

Keywords. Family practice, manpower, quality of health care, staffing, workload..


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Work Employment SocietyHome page
A. A. Alonzo and A. B. Simon
Have stethoscope, will travel: contingent employment among physician health care providers in the United States
Work Employment Society, December 1, 2008; 22(4): 635 - 654.
[Abstract] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.