“I enjoy having to adapt, depending on where I’m working”

As a resident optometrist, full-time, at a Specsavers in Essex.

When I started as a locum, I wish I had known…

That I could have tried different companies, and to not be afraid of branching out – not to be afraid of going to Boots Opticians, or an independent, or Vision Express. I was funnelled into staying with certain companies, because I was used to their systems and how things operated. I think I would have branched out a lot sooner, if I could go back in time.

I realised this…

Probably within the first six months of locuming, when I saw that there were opportunities out there where I would be able to learn different things, different systems, open more doors, meet more people, and network.

The people who initially helped me as a locum were…

Different people, both university peers and people I used to work with, who had branched out... I could ask them what their advice was, and how things operated. There were a couple of people who would help me out, allowing me to be a bit more comfortable and have a little bit of inside knowledge before jumping into a new practice.

I made the decision to become a locum...

For the flexibility. That was a one of the aspects that I wanted to have – to be able to work when I wanted, where I wanted. Financially, it was a bit more rewarding, when compared to being a resident. Those were two of the biggest factors.

My first day of locuming...

Was not fun. It was my first time at Vision Express. I was at Specsavers before that, and went to Boot Opticians and other places. I thought, ‘let me book somewhere local.’ I didn’t know the system, so in the morning I was trying to figure that out, as well as testing patients. Once I got the hang of it, the afternoon was a lot smoother.

My biggest locum challenge is…

Probably trying to find days that mean I don’t have to go too far away. But, with the availability of shifts at the moment, you do have to branch out and travel further to get work. It’s about trying to move to different companies at the same time, as well.

As a locum, I’ve adapted my days by…

As a resident, initially I was working five days. When I became a locum, for the first year, it was six or seven days a week. It’s now back to five days, but I’m working weekends, and having two days off in the week, which I didn’t do when I was a resident.

Practices can make life easier for locums by…

There are practices where pre-screening is done by the optometrists. Some practices are not like that, and some optometrists don’t have practice in using, for example, a different type of optical coherence tomography machine or a field machine. Having someone on-site, either an optical assistant or a manager, to go through it in the morning – how to use it, and so on – would be helpful.

The other thing that’s big is referral pathways. Having someone on the premises who knows them, or if details are written down – this is where you send routine referrals, this is where you send urgent referrals, this is what you what you do if it’s an emergency. Having some sort of layout, in every practice, is vitally important.

One change I’ve seen whilst working as a locum is…

I’ve seen rates become lower, from when I started to where I am at the moment.

Things have also changed the way some stores are practising. First it was only a sight test, but now it’s a sight test plus a dry eye assessment. That has been added on. You don’t get extra money, and you have the same 25-minute slot.

Some practices have changed the way they are managing the spectacles side of things. It’s not how it used to be, where you buy it out right. Now practices often offer a payment plan, and there’s a lot of uptake on that.

My favourite thing about being a locum is…

Flexibility, seeing different places, and working with different people. I like to challenge myself, so now, working in new practices, I feel a lot more comfortable than I did initially. Going to a new practice, you don’t know where everything is. You don’t know how your routine is going to be, so getting to that flow, and adapting – you have to use your brain. That’s the thing that I love. I enjoy having to adapt, depending on where I’m working throughout the week.

My advice for new locums is...

Don’t be afraid to branch out. Make sure you’re using people who you know and networking, to have some advantage in terms of what the practice and systems are like. Don’t be afraid to call or contact the practice prior to a shift, or to spend an hour or so working through a system in an empty testing room.

There are other locums out there who might have worked at practices that you’re looking to locum at. Ask them about referral pathways. It helps to be ahead of it. Look at the Local Optical Committee Support Unit website, because they have information about referrals as well.

My last word on locuming is...

Be willing to adapt and embrace change.