Benefits of Veterinary Locum Work Over a Permanent Position

Many people debate whether veterinary locum work would benefit them more than a permanent position. There are pros and cons for both, and a discussion of each will help you decide which form of veterinary work best suits your needs.

A lot depends on your ultimate aim in life and your personal ambitions. Are you looking for more general veterinary experience or do you want the security of fixed employment? Are you close to retirement and want to slow down? Keep in mind that the vast majority of practices will insist that you have at least two years experience, and that specialist work, such as equine or zoo work, will be available to you only with the necessary experience and qualifications. To apply for a job, you may need a Letter of Recommendation

Veterinary Locum Work:Benefits 

Veterinary locum work is an attractive proposition for people that like change, are not afraid to travel and want to gain a breadth of experience in veterinary work. Young vets often try locum work once they have the necessary experience. Older vets might look to this type of temporary work as a way of leading themselves into retirement.

Work Into Retirement
Rather than go for early retirement, you might prefer to keep working as a vet, but without the day to day commitment needed by a permanent member of staff.  You can work when you want and stop once your contract is finished. You can avoid the sudden wrench that many experience when they retire: one day they are in full time employment, the next day they are retired, and will never tend to an animal again.

That’s quite a wrench, and sometimes it is just too much for some people. If you are lucky, some practices might employ you after retirement, but most will prefer not to. It won’t be long before you cannot be compulsorily retired in the UK, but even then you might prefer to take locum veterinary work for a year or two before you finally
stop working.

Dual Incomes
The benefit of that is that you will likely get a good package, and enjoy the benefits of two incomes while you take your occupational pension and your locum income. Note that your state pension is not payable until the statutory retirement date.

Gain Experience
Some younger vets might feel that they will gain a lot of broad experience in veterinary surgery if they work as a locum for two or three years. While this is true, you are unlikely to be accepted as a locum vet without 2-3 years experience in any case, but if you have that then locum work is a great way to gain experience with a range of animals, and also a range of different practices and the way they are managed.

Travel
Once you have some experience, you might want to travel around the country to find out where you would like to settle down with a permanent post. You might not find permanent work in the area you want, but at least you will have an idea of what is involved between working in central London and central Yorkshire! It looks good on your CV if you have a breadth of experience with small animals, farm animals and perhaps even exotic animals.

Veterinary Locum Work: Disadvantages

Among the disadvantages of veterinary locum work is the fact that you have to pay your own taxes and your own insurances. You therefore have to decide the basis on which you work: self-employed, a limited company or with an umbrella company.  There is plenty advice available to point you in the right direction here.

You will also have to buy your own personal liability insurance, because the practice will only cover their own permanent staff. Among other disadvantages is that you will move from place to place, and a car would be essential. The practice might find you accommodation if you are lucky, though many do not. The work you carry out might not be what you expect: you might be used as a general gofer or take your turn at reception.
The locum vet is generally given the worst jobs – at least at first until you prove your capabilities.

Permanent Veterinary Work

With permanent veterinary work you have the security of a full time permanent position, with a regular income each month. You can use that income to plan for your future, your holidays, savings and so on. You will also have a permanent residence, living as close as you wish to your place of work, and will likely also have your own car that fixed income enables you purchase. Unlike veterinary locum work, your tax will be taken at source through the PAYE system, and the practice will likely include you in group personal liability insurance policy.

Finding Veterinary Locum Jobs

The upshot is that it’s your decision. If you decide that a locum job would suit you, then you have to look in the right places for the best jobs. An online veterinary locum employment agency will have contacts with large numbers of practices that will contact them first if they have a vacancy.

By using an veterinary recruitment agency specializing in locum vacancies, you will find it easier to get work, and they will also help you with problems such as working status, insurances and even place you with a practice offering the veterinary locum work best suited to your experience.