Unlocking Opportunities: The Benefits of Locuming in the UK for Aussie Medical Scientists

If you're considering locuming in the UK, now may be the perfect time! Locuming allows you access to many new opportunities as well as the ability to work flexibly in the country of your choice. With so many requirements in the UK, as an Aussie medical scientist you will have no trouble in finding work here. In this blog, we take a look at the main benefits of locuming in the UK for Aussie Medical Scientists (known as Biomedical Scientists here in the UK) including the openings available and what you can expect from a medical job in the UK. 

Understanding the UK's Backlog of Health Appointments

Following the impact of covid-19 on the NHS, there is a huge backlog of patients waiting to receive secondary care and hospital treatment in the UK. This includes patients who are on waiting lists to receive treatment, people who haven’t visited their GP due to health fears, and previously cancelled procedures patients. There is no estimated time to solve this backlog of patients, with experts saying it could take years before normal NHS waiting times resume. According to the BMA analysis of waiting times in the UK, in March 2023 over 7,415,352 patients were waiting for treatment in England. 3.09 million of those patients were waiting over 18 weeks, with the median waiting time for treatment now at 13.8 weeks, up from 7.2 weeks in April 2019. 
 
This increasing backlog of patients is having a huge impact on the healthcare system but from a job seeker's perspective, these statistics demonstrate the urgent need for additional medical professionals from overseas. This is where Australian medical scientists can come in. The help of Biomedical Scientists in the NHS would significantly help to ease the pressure on the NHS in all departments and care settings.

Exploring Locum Opportunities for BMS Professionals from Australia

Locums are a unique type of healthcare professional that temporarily fills vacancies in various healthcare settings whenever necessary. A locum’s contract can be on a short or long-term basis to work for however long they are required. Locums have plenty of flexibility to work in any area of medical care and in any location where extra staff are needed. With this added flexibility, if you don’t like working in the same environment for long periods, locum work means you can experience different placements and different systems so you can expand your knowledge as a medical professional.
 
In terms of visas, the most popular for most locums is the Youth Mobility Scheme Tier 5 Visa. This allows you to stay and work in the UK for up to 24 months provided you meet the criteria. This is currently for people aged 18-30 but is being extended to 35 as of 2024. Working holidays are an amazing experience and give you unlimited travel potential around the UK and the rest of Europe.

Lucrative Rates of Pay and Additional Perks

Locum Biomedical Science roles in the UK can pay up to £40 per hour, depending on location, timings of the shifts and your experience.  
 
As well as the lucrative rates of pay on offer, there are many other perks to becoming a locum in the UK. It's an incredibly rewarding career with plenty of opportunities for professional development. You’ll get used to working in many different healthcare settings to further develop your skills as a healthcare professional.

Conclusion

In summary, there are many benefits to locum work in addition to being a part of helping the UK healthcare industry. If you’re wondering how, you can seize this opportunity, consider locuming in the UK with Globe Locums. We’re a leading locum provider in Australia for healthcare opportunities in the UK and It’s very important to us that you feel well looked after by Globe during your stay in the UK or IRE. We would be on hand to hear about any queries or concerns you might have whilst on assignment. We want you to feel that we are approachable with anything you need help with. You might want some advice on where to work next or even how to handle a specific situation at work. What matters to us is that you’re happy and have a great working holiday experience.