How to get a Locum role anywhere in Australia

You may have heard us throwing around the term ‘Locum’ when it comes to our Physiotherapy work in rural/regional Australia. A Locum refers to a temporary, usually short-term contract based in the health sector. The contracts can range anywhere from a couple of weeks to over 6 months, and are available for many healthcare professions including nursing, allied health and medicine. Locum roles are prevalent in rural and remote areas, where availability and retention of healthcare workers is poor - or where there is a seasonal increase in demand of services.

As well as running our own mobile business ‘Project Physio’, we undertake Locum Physiotherapy roles along the way, as they are a great way to get to know a new area and supplement income from our business. There are so many benefits of taking up a Locum role during any stage of your career as a health professional. Usually, the pay is much higher, the scope of practice much broader, you may be able to negotiate added benefits such as accommodation and travel subsidies, and you gain the experience of living and working in a completely new place.

When it comes to searching for Locum roles, there are many places to start. Firstly scanning job websites such as seek.com or indeed.com. There are usually tonnes of ads posted by recruitment agencies looking for Locum contractors for their clients all over the country. Signing up for specialist health recruitment apps and websites such as Jora, Aussie Locums and Lokko helps if you want to narrow down your search a bit - they will often send out notifications for new jobs in your desired area/field. You can also check out our partner project @in.reach for more insight into rural Locum work and unique allied health job opportunities around Australia.

Another place to search for Locum work is Jobs4Physios - run by the APA, as well as state specific rural health websites such as Rural Health West (based in WA), and the Northern Territory PHN. Rural LAP is another great national organisation that aids in the recruitment of rural Locums. The process to apply for Rural LAP is pretty extensive, however definitely worth it if you plan on doing several Locums over a longer period of time.

If you haven’t quite found the perfect role for you, don’t be afraid to cold-call facilities/clinics/hospitals in your desired location or field of practice. More often than not, even if not advertised, rural and remote facilities are open to taking short-term contractors on board to fill in employee leave periods or manage large caseloads.

Get in touch if you are interested in taking up a Locum role in rural/remote Australia. We are more than happy to aid in your search for the perfect Locum to suit you!

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