Total Locum gives me no placements

[philly]

I have registered with Total Locum recently. To start with, I have requested placements on any Sunday till the end of June using their calendar tool. I have not been given a single offer in return. Why is that? I have set all the sensitive variables (pay rate, mileage rate, hours of work etc.) to minimum to maximize the number of offers. I am accredited for MURs, I have a Repeat Dispensing certificate. On the other hand, I have just a few months experience as a pharmacist and know only one computer system.
What would be the best way to start as a locum? What agencies would you recommend to me? Can I be registered with more than one? I'm looking for work in the East of England if that helps.
Thank you

[dizzyb23]

Find the Lloyds Head Office number in your area, call them, speak to the locum co-ordinator. Lloyds are always needing locums.....

[DavidS]

I was registered with about ten locum agencies. Eight I never had any bookings from, one would give me bookings at terrible places when they couldn't be filled by friends of the agency owner, and one is really nice and sends me work often.

Stick at it.

[Fleegle]

I was registered with about ten locum agencies. Eight I never had any bookings from, one would give me bookings at terrible places when they couldn't be filled by friends of the agency owner, and one is really nice and sends me work often.

Stick at it.

Yes philly. this is how it works. Your decision to become a locum does not give you the right to bookings. It does however give you the right to enter the market and negotiate for your income on a fairly level playing field. The quality of your business skill will then give you the right to any income you may generate as a locum pharmacist.

I was a locum for 16 years...I like to think I managed to do so.

I'm not a locum any more though.

Best of luck...

Fleeg.

[philly]

So what agencies do you recommend? The only thing I find troublesome is that every agency requires references and I don't want to exploit the kindness of people who agreed to give me a reference. But if that's the only solution, I'll stick at it

[Fleegle]

I don't want to exploit the kindness of people who agreed to give me a reference.

Don't quite follow. As DavidS said..register with as many agencies as you want. Be prepared to hear nothing back from them...but if you want bookings, keep at them. There are hundreds of locums out there doing exactly that. Don't think it's just you that contacts them looking for work. Use your reference sources. If you don't, they're worse than useless.

[pharmer7]

I have not received any from Total Locum for about over a month, and I request work on any Monday-Friday. So I think its just quiet at the moment - but if its not just me and you, then something is wrong...

[philly]

Are PPLS, LocumLink or TeamLocum any better?

PS. Why are you so reluctant to mention names of the agencies? It's not forbidden as far as I know

[Fleegle]

OK...I can only assume you haven't been in the locum game very long. The availability of placements has nothing to do with what agencies you use. It is and always has been a question of supply and demand. Jan, Feb and Mar are traditionally quiet months. Very few pharmacists take holidays then. It will pick up come April, and should be relatively buoyant until October. November is quiet. December can be busy, as some pharmacists 'go home' for Christmas and New Year.
Do not forget there are also many newly-qualified pharmacists immigrating to the UK from eg Ireland. They need money to pay off loans, and will work for next-to-nothing to do so. If you can get any long-term work, I strongly suggest you take it. eg. maternity cover.
In the past, I always found PPLS to be the best agency. They were the first in the UK. The others saw a bandwagon and jumped on it.

Fleeg.

[roper]

Are you sure that this agency is popular in the areas that you want? Almost all the agencies try to give the impression that they are truly nationwide but the real test is which numbers your local pharmacies call in a crisis - ask them! I registered with PPLS way back in 2003 and have never been offerred suitable work through them. I think this is due to location (they are Birmingham based and I am Yorkshire) although there was also a considerable delay whilst they took up references for me. I was possibly hindered by the necessity to name an unfriendly previous employer as referee, she may have mislaid the forms for a few weeks. I also registered with MJV locums who I saw in PJ advert - same story although I did get a couple of jobs. You are allowed to register with more than one but it can cause difficulties if working for the same multiple chain through several agencies. I now do some work through a locally based agency and some through my own contacts. I keep the two separate so that I have no need to lie to the agency when working in an independently sourced job. They know that they did not make the introduction and I am above board. I have had some direct approaches from places I previously worked on an agency booking. If they are local it seems a shame not to go back but I value my agency relationship so I simply confirm availability and refer them to the agency to finalise (or confirm that I will be informing the agency). January was very quiet on all fronts and, although Feb is better, I am still not fully booked. I have made my situation worse by not releasing dates far enough ahead of time as I was monitoring my health (I'm 6 months pregnant) and making sure I did not back out of any bookings.