What do GP locum sessions actually pay?
There is no official figure, and nobody publishes one for free. So this builds one: locums add a session they have already worked, anonymously, and everyone who takes part can see what sessions have paid, by region and kind of work.
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How the survey works
The survey records NHS sessions booked directly as a sole trader. For each one we ask the month, the region, the kind of work, the length of the session and what was paid, with the employer pension taken out so every figure compares like with like.
Results are shown as ranges for groups of at least 5 sessions worked in the last 12 months. Individual answers are never shown, and no name, email or practice is collected.
Why some sessions aren’t included
BMA guidance on competition law says a sole-trader locum may share the rate they charge for NHS work for transparency. However they advise against sharing rates for private work, and for work booked through agencies, chambers, partnerships or limited companies, where the law is less clear. Sessions booked through a platform such as Lantum, where you set your rate and invoice the practice yourself, count as direct and are included.
The same guidance is clear that locums must not agree minimum rates between themselves. This survey describes what sessions have paid. It does not suggest what anyone should charge: every locum sets their own fee. The GP locum rates guide explains the rules, and how to work out a rate from your own costs.
Related
GP Locum Rates
Why there is no official rate, what competition law lets you share, and the salaried pay range as a yardstick.
Read guide →GP Locum Session Rate Calculator
Turn a target take-home income into the session rate you need to charge.
Open tool →Salaried vs Locum Calculator
Compare a salaried session rate against a locum rate like-for-like, total package with paid leave, pension and benefits, plus the break-even locum rate.
Open tool →