Terms and conditions

• By making a booking you indicate your acceptance and are agreeing to abide by these.

• Bookings – all bookings must specify whether you require:

• Fees. These will be clearly stated in advance of the session. In exceptional circumstances if I am required to see extra surgery patients or make home visits in addition to what has been arranged I reserve the right to make an additional charge at my hourly rate, charged in half-hourly increments.

• Payment. Payment is due within 28 days of invoicing. There is a 10% surcharge for late payments.

• Cancellation policy – I ask practices to regard a booking as non-cancellable once I have confirmed dates. If a booking is cancelled less than 28 days before the session is due I will make a 50%cancellation charge, if a booking is cancelled less than 14 days before the session is due I will make a 100% cancellation charge. I would only ever cancel a booking under extenuating circumstances, e.g. personal or close family illness or bereavement. I would endeavour to give as much notice as possible, or to find a replacement suitable cover if necessary.

• Pension. I am a member of the NHS pension scheme and pay my own pension contributions. I require practices to fill in GP Locum A forms together with my returned invoice in order that I can maintain records of my own NHS pension contributions.

• Equipment provided – I will provide and maintain standard medical equipment in my own Doctor’s bag. I expect practices to provide disposables such as gloves, urine dipsticks and sample collection bottles. I also expect to be provided with the use of any necessary admin equipment such as Dictaphone, photocopying facilities and specimen request forms as appropriate. If I am required to be on call practices should ensure that adequate supplies of in-date emergency medication and equipment for administration are available in the surgery. When I conduct home visits or provide emergency cover, a suitable portable pack, including prescription forms, emergency drugs, syringes etc. should be available from the time that such cover begins.

• Private work – I do not normally do non-NHS work as a locum. This may be negotiable for longer term bookings.

• I agree to abide by the NASGP code of good practice http://www.nasgp.org.uk/code/index.htm

• Locum Packs are an invaluable aid to efficient and safe working. For advice on how to provide a locum pack, see http://www.nasgp.org.uk/spip/index.htm

DEFINITIONS

• Full cover includes appointments, repeat prescriptions, paperwork, phone calls

• Surgery only includes a specified length of surgery with patients booked not more frequently than at 10-minute intervals plus associated administration time

• Home visits normally are done to a maximum of 2 patients per day, although this number may be exceeded for multiple visits at one location (eg care home). I would expect to cover one visit for each 25-30 minutes allocated – this does change subject to the driving time involved.

• On-call. The time on call in addition to booked surgery hours must be specified in advance. This is outside the normal terms of a working session, is subject to agreement, and will be subject to an additional payment.

• Results and routine post handling - I do not normally provide these services as a locum.

• Lunchtime cover. Additional payment will apply if I am to provide emergency cover over the midday break of a full day booking. This is outside the normal terms of a working session, is subject to agreement, and will be subject to an additional payment.

• Booking intervals - Patients should be booked not more frequently than at 10-minute intervals. There should be a 10-minute mid session break in surgery sessions of 2 ½ hours or longer. The last appointment slot of a booked surgery session should begin at least 10 minutes before the end of the surgery session (for example, a session due to finish at 6.00 pm should have the last patient booked no later than 5.50pm). I do not normally charge for small time overruns, as long as the workload has been reasonable within the guidelines stated above.

• Extras refer to patients in addition to the booked surgery time. Examples include: a patient booked at the finish time, patients booked in less than 10 minute intervals, extra patients after the end of a booked period

• Additional tasks refer to any additional work which causes me to leave significantly later than the agreed time. Additional tasks will be subject to an additional charge at my usual hourly rate, charged in half-hourly increments. Examples include: prescriptions, inquiries or other administrative tasks for which adequate time has not been allowed.

• Half day booking (session) is normally for a continuous period not exceeding 4 hours, ten minutes. This may consist of either surgery only or full cover, with or without home visits to be agreed in advance. Sufficient time should be allowed for associated administration, such as phone calls and letters.

• Full day booking consists of a time period not exceeding 8 hours divided into two sessions, including administration time. The midday period between the two sessions should be free of practice commitments, unless separately negotiated.

• Chaperones. I work in accordance with GMC guidance which states a chaperone who is a member of the clinical team should be offered for every intimate examination. Practices should therefore ensure there is a suitable chaperone available.