Category Archives: News

New Enhanced Access (EA) arrangements go live from 1st October 2022 – this is intended to remove variability across the country by putting in place a more standardised and better understood offer for patients.

Extended access of course is not new, and a lot of practices have had this available in some form since 2016 and even more so during the pandemic.  But this is different – its enhanced access – the requirements for enhanced access and the funding for it is distinctly different.

This does not mean that all GP practices will need to be open in the evenings and on weekends, as the new EA service is required at a primary care network or PCN level and in a way that best reflects the needs of the local area it serves. PCNs will be required to provide enhanced access appointments between the hours of 6.30pm to 8pm Mondays to Fridays and between 9am and 5pm on Saturdays.

There is no centrally driven prescription on how this enhanced access needs to be delivered – it can and is likely to be a mix of in-person and remote appointments, whether by telephone or video.  The exact mix will be determined by each PCN based on its local needs, its resourcing levels and following patient engagement.

The number of emergency appointments, same day or pre-booked appointments and the types of services available at different times will all be determined in a similar way.

This will all be in an EA plan that was required to be in place by 31st July.

At Pairoo, we understand this is a anxious time for many involved in primary care.  Whilst there is no doubt that everyone working in primary care wants to ensure patients have convenient access that works for them, it is also true that this needs to be delivered in a realistic way that matches availability of staff with the right skills with the demands of patients.

At Pairoo, we understand that you cannot sacrifice quality for quantity.  We will work with you to match your rotas with clinicians quickly and easily.  As an NHS approved supplier, we take care of all the onboarding and compliance for you and allow you to get on with what you do best.

Call us on +44 20 8956 2111

or email us info@www.pairoo.com to get started or for more information.

The arrival of technology in the recruitment market is starting to shake things up drastically. Newly spun up cloud platforms are about to change the way healthcare does recruitment, Pairoo.com is the latest and most innovative platform which is making a bold statement on where recruitment in healthcare is heading.

As CTO and Co-Founder of Pairoo, we spotted a gap in the market in terms of full-scale automation using technology as a win-win for both temporary healthcare professionals and healthcare organisations alike. Locum agencies have served an important function over the years by taking some of the admin burden and recruitment challenges facing them in the modern age. However, the time has now come to allow technology to make the recruitment process easier, more efficient and more cost effective than ever before.

Pairoo leaves pricing to market forces and lets the Clinicians and Organisations connect directly via one highly advanced yet easy to use platform. Compliance can all be done on-line and no manual effort is required by either party in deciding whether there is a match, Pairoo will take care of the whole process for you!

We believe that this revolutionary platform is a simple idea that is going to transform the recruitment process, taking care of every aspect from staffing requirement all the way to billing and IR35 compliance.

What does this mean to the healthcare sector? Well, for a start more money can go into the pocket of healthcare professionals and clinics with some much needed relief ultimately helping our beloved NHS. Not only that but burdensome tasks that were previously undertaken by NHS staff can now be streamlined, allowing them to focus on the main task at hand – improving the care that we will ultimately receive.

For more information visit us at www.pairoo.com

Does it still pay to be a Locum GP?

Despite changes to IR35 in April 2017, the vast majority of Locum sessions are deemed outside IR35. Following HMRC’s guidlines on IR35, a Locum GP should be classified outside IR35, however, since the changes came in, the responsibility has fallen on the shoulders of the client to decide whether or not this is the case. This has resulted in some clients unwilling to take any risk on the matter and going for the default option. There are many advantages to being a Locum GP and many GPs report that it’s a lifestyle choice with money being a secondary factor. Some GPs are still willing to work inside IR35 because there is a lot more to being a Locum GP than the take home pay. GP Hourly Rates are also at an all time high with demand continuing to increase throughout 2019. It is our view that being a Locum GP remains a highly attractive option.

What rate should I expect to get be getting as a Locum GP in the London Area?

The average rate when going direct came out to be £94.64/hour (Call it £95!) in 2019 according to the data supplied by our Pairoo Data Analysts. If you are getting a rate significantly below that then it may be worth re-negotiatiating your existing arrangement. Negotiating a fair rate with your client can be an awkward conversation to have. Consider using data available (such as the above) to prove your case and use the fact you go direct, thus saving on agency fees, to justify your request. GPs are in high demand and a significant portion of vacancies remain unfilled so don’t be reluctant to seek a fair deal. Of course money isn’t everything and saving lives is what really matters as a GP, there are bound to be additional factors to consider such as the distance of the practice, working hours, number and type of patients as well as it’s relevance to your speciality.  

How much do rates vary across London?

The typical variance from the average was £6.50/hour, so you should be all accounts expect to comfortably be getting paid over £88/hour as a Locum GP in the London area. Of course longer term roles come in at about £5/hour less due to the fact they are more in demand than the occassional shift.

Do Locum GP rates vary throughout the year?

GP Locum Rates expectidly showed an increase in the winter and summer months as demand for GPs increases ever more in the UK. The vast majority of sessions posted on the Pairoo platform were determined outside of IR35 by practices, giving GPs the flexibility to chose sessions that worked for them. 

It will be interesting to see if rates keep increasing into the key winter period where demand for GPs becomes especially high and if the newly qualified GP contribute to both the demand for GPs and the average rate. Keep tuned with Pairoo for updates on this and how the rates vary throughout the London area.