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Life as a locum
How the pandemic changed one resident optometrist's career path
Beheshta Hamid discusses becoming a locum as a newly-qualified optometrist and the benefits she gets from increased testing times
Beheshta Hamid
09 July 2021
About Beheshta
Qualified: 2020Previous roles: Resident optometrist in a multiple
Based: London.
I qualified in 2020 and, given the pandemic, it was a strange first year in practice. I found myself not working too much last year. I would have spurts of working full-time, part-time and being on furlough. By October last year, life was getting tiring, so I began to explore my options and consequently looked into locuming. Being a resident optometrist with a multiple and newly-qualified, I was initially unsure as to whether my contract would allow me to locum, but on seeking advice and realising I could, I decided to become an AOP member so that I had the required insurance and could learn more about what was involved.
I signed up to the app Locumotive and out of curiosity booked a couple of half day locum shifts in and around London to see what it was like. It was so very different to what I was used to as a resident optometrist. I went from 25 minutes testing per patient to an hour in the smaller, independent practice that I worked in. I have always preferred to spend quality time with my patients as I think it’s important to be able to get to know their needs and requirements, and build a rapport. Those initial shifts gave me a taste of locuming and I really liked it.
At times during the pandemic, the amount of locuming shifts available varied and as a result I began to travel outside of London for work. I have been up to 65 miles away. I also took days in places like Southend-on-Sea and Leigh-on-Sea. As this work slowly became more regular, I decided to hand in my notice as a resident optometrist and embark on locuming full-time.
It was so very different to what I was used to as a resident optometrist. I went from 25 minutes testing per patient to an hour

There are downsides to being a locum and what I least like about locuming is chasing invoices. I am not very comfortable discussing money, so I find having to chase after sending an invoice quite difficult. It also takes up a lot of time. I can get exhausted from the travelling too. As I am relatively new to locuming, I am willing to travel further afield for work. But travelling long distances and sometimes getting stuck on a motorway on the way home, for example, can be tough. In the future I hope to be able to practise closer to home. My next step would be to locum in and around London full-time.
I have always felt comfortable responding to and managing what patients may present with and was not fazed by becoming a locum early in my career
While practising during the pandemic has brought many challenges, for me, if it wasn’t for the pandemic, I wouldn’t have gone into locuming so early on in my career. Locuming is a career path that I previously spoke to colleagues about and it was largely felt that it wasn’t an option you should explore until you were experienced and had been in practice for a few years, which I never really understood. From my perspective, during my pre-reg and early stages of qualification, I was exposed to a wide range of pathology and complex patients. Therefore I have always felt comfortable responding to and managing what patients may present with and was not fazed by becoming a locum early in my career.
A day in the life of Beheshta
6.00am: Due to the areas that I am currently covering, I set my alarm for around 6am. I get up, shower and aim to be ready to leave for 7am, even if navigation says that it’ll only take an hour to get there; I have learnt not to trust traffic and I don’t want to be late. Driving is my primary method of getting to work.I double-check that I have all my equipment packed and that it is working before I head off.
8.00am: When I arrive, I introduce myself to staff. I am then usually shown the testing room. I don’t think I have locumed in a practice where I have worked with another optometrist, so mostly I am greeted by a manager who shows me around, introduces me to staff and briefs me on processes.
As I normally arrive early, I can take the extra time that I have to familiarise myself with the equipment. Locuming has allowed me to rekindle a passion for so many pieces of equipment that I met at university, but didn’t have to use as a resident optometrist.
Before my first patient, I normally pop back outside of the testing room to speak to and build rapport with the manager, as well as ask any questions that I have.
5pm: Before I leave, I make sure that I have done everything I need to do with regards to my patients. So, if there are any referral letters I need to write, I would do that. If there are any results or tests that I need to follow-up on, I would do that too. I would also make sure that everything is signed, especially with the new eGOS system. Lastly, I check in with the manager to ensure they are happy, and then say goodbye.
Ad hoc: Once I arrive home, I make sure that all my equipment is ready and packed for the next day. I do research about the store that I am going to the following day so that I understand what equipment it has, and prepare my journey there. I will also send out my invoice.
Beheshta Hamid is currently taking a career break.
- As told to Emily McCormick.
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