Locums play a vital role in filling gaps caused by planned holiday, unexpected illness, maternity or vacancies where an employer has yet to recruit a permanent staff member. These pages are designed to help you understand the complexities of employing or working as a locum.

Employing a locum.

For most practices the absence of a key member of staff has a disastrous effect on business resulting in loss of service, revenue and inevitably unhappy patients and their owners!

Whilst it is impossible to support an extra permanent member of staff to cover illness, maternity leave, holidays or busier times, it makes good business sense to provide a strategy for a time when these situations arise. This is where using a good locum becomes invaluable as a temporary solution to a temporary problem, so in effect you can maintain optimum staffing and service levels in the most cost effective way.

Open successfully handles hundreds of locum placements every week and our locum dentists, specialists, nurses and hygienists can be booked for a day, a week or a month, any period of time that meets your requirements. The earlier a possible staffing need for your business can be anticipated, the easier it will be to find a locum and solve a potential problem before it arises. Although, we are often able to find last minute emergency cover!

Using a specialist recruiter in the placement of professional dental locum staff makes the process easier and smoother as we understand the legal and ethical requirements that must be met. Locums need to conform to the same requirements and standards as those in permanent roles although locums are often more experienced and efficient as they gain a broad exposure and experience working with a wide variety of clients in different situations.

If you require locum assistance for your practice, our expert team will take a little time to fully understand your requirement and will then endeavour to find you the best available person to help wherever your location in the UK.

We are always happy to hear of requirements or projects in the dental field and discuss how we may best assist.  Our dental practice sales and acquisitions team can help you if you are looking for a JV opportunity or to buy or sell a practice.

Our Vision: “To be the premier choice within all our specialist sectors by providing; value, excellence of service and superior solutions.”

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Working as a locum.

Dental professionals choose to locum for many different reasons. Without doubt, the flexibility of being able to work where and when you choose provides the chance of a great work and life balance. The earning potential is greater; there is a possibility to travel, and the experience and variety of working with different people in different environments. So, it can be a great choice for many either for a short or long term career move!

Upon registration with Open all locums are allocated an electronic diary on our system to monitor availability and bookings. All possible assignments that match your available days in appropriate locations can then be fully discussed with you.

It is important to understand what is expected of you on each assignment. Typically we would outline the volume and nature of the work, the level of competency of your fellow workers, the location, accommodation or transport available, working hours and payment. We will always gain your agreement before entering into a contract with a potential employer and will confirm arrangements in writing to you.