Locums have been essential in supporting pharmacies during times of cover, whether it be for annual leave, sick leave or when it generally gets busy. However, for a lot of pharmacies, the need for a locum can be an important decision, especially when costs, efficiency and disruption to workflow need to be considered.
Pharmacies & Locums help each other.
Although these are all important factors to take into account, pharmacies still need to ensure they are adequately staffed according to the workload and busy periods in a pharmacy. With Locumate, we understand time can be a constraint to organising locums; therefore, we have put simplicity and ease at the forefront of our design. Allowing the managers and owners to focus on running their business!
What are the main 3 reasons for pharmacies to employ a locum?:
- Rest & Recharge: having a locum cover shifts, especially annual leave, allows the pharmacist to take time off with the comfort of having a qualified, experienced colleague come in and work their shifts. It is essential for pharmacists to work at the peak of their ability through a proper work-life balance, where taking a break should be a priority.
- Reduce workload: if a pharmacy finds it challenging to manage workload due to reduced staffing levels, locums can help fill in the gaps and reduce some of the stress in pharmacies. Having adequate staffing levels helps to assist with tasks such as webster checking, vaccinations or serving patients, is important in maintaining customer satisfaction, delivering quality healthcare and boosting team morale.
- Fresh perspectives: sometimes locums can offer new ideas and solutions to processes or workflow optimisation. They have usually worked in a variety of different settings and can help contribute by offering insights from their experience.
In summary, although locums are there to cover a shift, it’s important to recognise their contribution goes far beyond this. With a locum that feels welcomed and supported in their work environment, it can present as a great opportunity to improve on existing efficiencies and give an employee a well-deserved break.