Pharmacist Cooperative Locum Survey Report 2023
01 Apr . 6 min read.
This report presents a comprehensive analysis of the 2023 Pharmacist Cooperative (TPC) Locum Survey, which gathered responses from 300 locum pharmacists across the UK. The survey reveals significant challenges in the locum pharmacy sector during 2023, including difficulties in securing work, pressure to accept lower rates, and issues with certain locum agencies.
Key findings include:
55.6% of locums experienced difficulty finding bookings
87.8% of respondents reported being pressured to accept lower hourly rates
Most locums (70.6%) were available for work but couldn't secure bookings for up to 10 days each month
The majority of pharmacists worked as locums over 30 hours per week (55.7%)
Average hourly rates clustered between £35-£44, with 53.2% of respondents in this range
This report examines these challenges in detail and highlights areas for improvement in the locum pharmacy sector.
Demographic Profile of Respondents
The survey captured responses from a diverse group of 300 locum pharmacists with varying levels of experience:
Years of Qualification:
Less than 1 year: 8.0% (24 respondents)
1-4 years: 28.0% (84 respondents)
5-9 years: 25.3% (76 respondents)
10+ years: 38.7% (116 respondents)
The data shows a good balance of newly qualified and experienced pharmacists, with over a third having extensive experience (10+ years). This provides a broad perspective on the current state of locum pharmacy work across different career stages.
Work Hours:
Part-time (<30 hours): 44.3% (133 respondents)
Full-time (>30 hours): 55.7% (167 respondents)
For full-time locums, the shift distribution was:
1-2 shifts per week: 4.2% (7 respondents)
3-4 shifts per week: 47.9% (80 respondents)
5-7 shifts per week: 47.9% (80 respondents)
For part-time locums:
1-2 shifts per week: 62.0% (75 respondents)
3-4 shifts per week: 38.0% (46 respondents)
5-6 shifts per week: 0.0% (0 respondents)
This distribution highlights that while most locums work full-time hours, a significant proportion maintain part-time schedules, suggesting that locum work provides flexibility for those seeking reduced hours.
Earnings and Working Conditions
Hourly Rates
The survey revealed that the most common hourly rates for locum pharmacists in 2023 were:
£40-£44: 27.7% (78 respondents)
£35-£39: 25.5% (72 respondents)
£30-£34: 17.4% (49 respondents)
£45-£49: 16.0% (45 respondents)
These four bands account for 86.5% of all respondents. The concentration of rates between £30-£49 suggests this is the current market standard. Very few locums reported earning at the extremes, with only 4.6% earning below £30/hour and only 8.9% earning above £50/hour.
The data indicates that despite inflation and cost of living increases in 2023, locum rates appear to have remained relatively stable compared to previous years.
Travel Distance
The survey showed that locums typically travel significant distances for work:
Up to 5 miles: 6.0% (17 respondents)
Up to 10 miles: 17.7% (50 respondents)
Up to 30 miles: 36.5% (103 respondents)
Up to 50 miles: 29.4% (83 respondents)
Up to 100 miles: 7.5% (21 respondents)
More than 100 miles: 2.8% (8 respondents)
The data reveals that 65.9% of locums regularly travel between 10-50 miles for shifts. Only a small percentage (6.0%) are able to find work very close to home, while 10.3% travel extensive distances (over 50 miles). This suggests that locums need to be highly mobile to secure sufficient work.
Challenges in the Locum Market
Difficulty Finding Work
A majority of locums (55.6%, 155 respondents) reported experiencing difficulty in finding bookings during 2023, while 44.4% (124 respondents) did not face such challenges.
When examining availability versus actual bookings, the data shows:
24.8% had no days where they couldn't secure work when available
31.9% had up to 5 days per month without bookings despite availability
18.4% had up to 10 days per month without bookings
7.8% had up to 15 days per month without bookings
5.3% had up to 20 days per month without bookings
11.7% had more than 20 days per month without bookings
These figures indicate that 75.2% of locums experienced at least some difficulty securing work when they were available, with 24.8% struggling to find bookings for more than 10 days per month.
Pressure to Accept Lower Rates
One of the most concerning findings was the widespread pressure on locums to accept lower hourly rates:
61.5% reported definitively being pressured to accept lower rates
26.4% sometimes experienced such pressure
Only 12.2% reported never experiencing pressure to reduce their rates
This means 87.8% of locums faced pressure to work for less than their standard rates at least occasionally. Additionally, 19.2% (46 respondents) reported being threatened or intimidated when asking for higher hourly rates.
The free-text comments from respondents (not fully included in this report) suggested that some agencies and pharmacy chains were known for particularly aggressive rate negotiation tactics, including threatening to remove locums from future bookings if they didn't accept lower rates.
Locum Agencies: Performance and Ratings
The survey asked locums to rate their experiences with various agencies on a scale where lower ratings indicate poorer experiences:
Lowest-rated agencies (weighted average score out of 5):
Locate a Locum: 1.77
Locumbell: 2.22
Locum Prime: 2.42
Clarity Locum: 2.45
Team Locum: 2.56
Highest-rated agencies (weighted average score out of 5):
Medwing: 3.25
Alternate Locums: 2.95
Locumpoint: 2.85
Locumsupply: 2.84
Expert Locums: 2.84
It's notable that even the highest-rated agencies only achieved moderate scores, with no agency achieving an average rating above 3.25 out of 5. This suggests widespread dissatisfaction with locum agencies across the board.
The frequency of agency use also varied:
Never: 14.6%
Rarely: 33.6%
Sometimes: 29.2%
Usually: 16.1%
Always: 6.6%
These figures indicate that a significant proportion of locums (48.2%) rarely or never use agencies, suggesting many prefer to secure work directly with pharmacies or through other channels.
Professional Development and Future Outlook
The survey revealed significant interest in independent prescribing (IP) qualifications:
15.8% of respondents were already independent prescribers
69.7% of non-IP pharmacists were considering pursuing the qualification
Only 30.3% had no interest in becoming an independent prescriber
Among those already qualified as independent prescribers, the most common workplaces were:
Community Pharmacy: 52.6%
Hospital Pharmacy: 21.1%
General Practice: 13.2%
Primary Care Network (PCN): 10.5%
The high interest in IP qualifications may reflect locums' desire to enhance their employability and potentially move into more stable roles or sectors where their prescribing skills would be valued.
Additionally, many locums reported pursuing or considering additional education:
Currently doing additional courses: 27.3%
Seriously considering additional courses: 38.8%
Not pursuing additional education: 34.0%
This indicates that 66% of locums are actively upskilling or considering it, potentially to diversify their career options beyond traditional locum work.
Conclusion and Recommendations
The 2023 TPC Locum Survey reveals a challenging landscape for locum pharmacists in the UK. While there appears to be work available for most, a significant proportion face difficulties securing consistent bookings. The widespread pressure to accept lower rates, combined with the need to travel considerable distances, paints a picture of a workforce under strain.
Key recommendations based on the survey findings:
Improved Rate Transparency: The industry would benefit from greater transparency around locum rates, potentially through benchmarking or published rate guidelines that reflect experience and regional variations.
Better Agency Oversight: The consistently low ratings for locum agencies suggest a need for improved standards and potentially greater regulation of these intermediaries.
Support for Professional Development: The high interest in IP and additional qualifications indicates locums are seeking to enhance their skills. More support for this upskilling could benefit both locums and the wider pharmacy sector.
Addressing Intimidation: The concerning reports of intimidation around rate negotiations suggest a need for better reporting mechanisms and protections for locum pharmacists.
Reducing Geographic Barriers: The significant travel distances required for many locums highlight potential inefficiencies in workforce distribution that could be addressed through better coordination of locum needs across regions.
The data suggests that while locum pharmacy offers flexibility and relatively good hourly rates, the uncertainty of bookings and pressure on rates are significant stressors. As the profession continues to evolve, addressing these challenges will be essential for maintaining a healthy locum workforce that can effectively support pharmacy services across the UK.
