Pharmacist Cooperative Locum Survey Report 2024

The Pharmacist Cooperative conducted a comprehensive survey of locum pharmacists across the UK in 2024, gathering responses from 218 participants. This report analyses the findings and presents insights into the current state of the locum pharmacy sector, highlighting key challenges, market conditions, and trends affecting locum pharmacists.

The data reveals a concerning picture of the locum pharmacy market in 2024, characterised by:

• Difficulty securing work at professional rates

• Downward pressure on hourly rates

• Widespread use of agencies applying further downward pressure on rates

• Significant intimidation and threats when attempting to negotiate higher rates

• A clear movement toward upskilling and qualification as Independent Prescribers

Demographics and Working Patterns

Experience Level

The survey revealed that the majority of respondents (56.4%) were highly experienced pharmacists with 10 or more years of qualification. This was followed by pharmacists with 5-9 years experience (18.8%) and those with 1-4 years experience (19.3%). Only 5.5% of respondents had less than one year of experience.

Working Hours

The respondents were almost evenly split between part-time and full-time locum work:

• 50.5% worked less than 30 hours per week (part-time)

• 49.5% worked more than 30 hours per week (full-time)

Booking Patterns

For full-time locums:

• 41.5% secured 5-7 shifts per week

• 49.1% secured 3-4 shifts per week

• 9.4% secured only 1-2 shifts per week

For part-time locums:

• 75.2% secured 1-2 shifts per week

• 23.8% secured 3-4 shifts per week

• Only 1% secured 5-6 shifts per week

Work Availability

A significant finding was that 82.2% of respondents reported periods when they were available to work but couldn't secure bookings:

• 30.3% experienced up to 5 days per month without work despite availability

• 19.2% experienced up to 10 days per month without work

• 17.8% experienced more than 20 days per month without work

Remuneration and Working Conditions

Hourly Rates

The survey revealed that hourly rates were predominantly in the £30-£39 range:

• 33.7% earned £30-£34 per hour

• 29.8% earned £35-£39 per hour

• 13.5% earned £40-£44 per hour

• 14% earned less than £30 per hour

• Only 6.3% earned £45 or more per hour

Travel Distance

Locums reported travelling significant distances for work:

• 32.7% travelled up to 50 miles from home

• 28.9% travelled up to 30 miles from home

• 14.4% travelled up to 100 miles from home

• Only 21.2% were able to find work within 10 miles of home

Challenges in the Market

Finding Work

A substantial 70.4% of respondents reported difficulty in finding locum bookings in the last 12 months. The qualitative responses revealed several recurring themes:

1. Downward pressure on rates: Many respondents reported that rates had decreased significantly compared to previous years, with some mentioning drops of £5-10 per hour.

2. Lack of negotiation opportunities: Respondents frequently mentioned that companies were unwilling to negotiate rates, with many adopting a "take it or leave it" approach.

3. Use of booking platforms: Locate a Locum was frequently cited as a platform that appeared to be driving down rates by removing negotiation options.

4. Undercutting: Many respondents expressed frustration at other locums accepting significantly lower rates, making it difficult for them to secure work at what they considered professional rates.

Rate Pressure

When asked if they had been pressured to accept lower hourly rates, the responses were concerning:

• 63.1% responded "Yes"

• 23.4% responded "Sometimes"

• Only 13.5% responded "No"

Intimidation

25.3% of respondents reported being threatened or intimidated for asking for higher hourly rates. The survey responses included multiple instances of:

• Being removed from mailing lists for requesting higher rates

• Being told they would never work for a company again if they didn't accept lower rates

• Receiving aggressive or dismissive responses when attempting to negotiate

• Being blacklisted by companies for asking for rates they had previously received

Agency Usage and Experiences

Agency Usage

When asked about their use of agencies to find locum work:

• 17.6% never used agencies

• 25.6% rarely used agencies

• 32% sometimes used agencies

• 20.8% usually used agencies

• 4% always used agencies

Agency Ratings

The survey asked respondents to rate their experiences with various agencies. The lowest rated agencies (rated "Very Poor" or "Poor" by a significant percentage of respondents) were:

1. Locate a Locum: Received the lowest overall rating, with 76.9% of respondents rating it as "Very Poor" or "Poor". It was mentioned repeatedly in negative contexts in the qualitative responses.

2. Team Locum: 48.4% rated as "Very Poor" or "Poor"

3. Locumbell: 51.5% rated as "Very Poor" or "Poor"

4. Clarity Locum: 52.6% rated as "Very Poor" or "Poor"

Locate a Locum stood out significantly as the most poorly rated agency, with multiple respondents specifically mentioning it as driving down rates in the market and removing negotiation capabilities.

Future Prospects and Development

Independent Prescribing

A significant proportion of respondents were either already Independent Prescribers (IPs) or looking to become qualified:

• 25.9% were already qualified as Independent Prescribers

• 58.8% of those who weren't yet IPs were thinking about becoming qualified

When asked how they hoped to use their IP qualification, responses included:

• Working in primary care/GP practices

• Setting up private clinics

• Specialising in areas such as dermatology, diabetes, or pain management

• Working in hospital settings

• Enhancing community pharmacy services

Additional Upskilling

When asked about undertaking additional courses to upskill and move to different sectors:

• 16.8% were currently doing additional courses

• 37.4% were seriously considering it

• 45.8% were not currently pursuing additional qualifications

These responses suggest a significant proportion of locums are looking to diversify their skills and potentially move away from traditional community pharmacy locum work.

Qualitative Insights

The free-text responses reveal significant concerns about the future of locuming in community pharmacy. Key themes include:

Desired Changes

When asked what changes they would like to see in the locum sector, common responses included:

• Minimum rates: Many respondents suggested a minimum rate for locum pharmacists, similar to how locum doctors have minimum rates.

• Direct bookings: Respondents expressed a desire to move away from agencies and booking platforms, preferring direct negotiations with pharmacies.

• Fair rates for increased responsibilities: Many noted that while responsibilities and services have increased (including Pharmacy First), rates have decreased.

• Elimination of rate fixing: Several respondents accused companies and agencies of colluding to drive down rates.

• Consequences for pharmacy closures: Respondents suggested there should be penalties for pharmacies that choose to close rather than pay a reasonable locum rate.

Criticism of Companies

While many companies were mentioned in negative contexts, the most frequently criticised were:

1. Boots: Repeatedly mentioned for offering very low rates (as low as £22-26 per hour) and being unwilling to negotiate.

2. Well Pharmacy: Mentioned for removing locums from mailing lists when they asked for higher rates.

3. Rowlands: Criticised for reducing rates and for aggressive communications when locums asked for previously achieved rates.

4. Locate a Locum: While technically an agency rather than a pharmacy company, it was consistently mentioned as having a negative impact on the market by driving down rates and eliminating negotiation opportunities.

The 2024 Pharmacist Cooperative Locum Survey paints a concerning picture of the current state of the locum pharmacy market in the UK. The data suggests a profession under significant financial pressure, with downward trends in hourly rates despite increasing responsibilities and workload.

The rise of booking platforms, particularly Locate a Locum, appears to have fundamentally altered the market dynamics, removing negotiation power from individual locums and potentially enabling rate fixing across multiple companies.

In response to these challenges, many locums are seeking to diversify their skills, particularly through Independent Prescriber qualifications, which could allow them to move away from traditional community pharmacy roles into primary care, hospital, or private settings.

The survey suggests an urgent need for collective action to address the downward pressure on rates and to ensure that locum pharmacists are valued appropriately for their professional skills and increasing responsibilities.