In the 2009-2011 period, 79 (42%) specialist placements and 68 (74%) GP placements required a locum with private medical indemnity. Of all registered specialist locums, 34 (40%) do not have adequate private insurance.
GP locums have even less, with 78% not having adequate private insurance. There is a signiicant mismatch between demand and supply of locums with adequate medical indemnity, particularly for GP obstetricians. This is a signiicant barrier to the provision of locum support to GP obstetricians and is likely to be contributing to the higher number of unilled GP placements. Seventy-eight percent of GP placements that were cancelled due to no interest required private indemnity. In the 2009-2011 period, 79 (42%) specialist placements and 68 (74%) GP placements required a locum with private medical indemnity. Of all registered specialist locums, 34 (40%) do not have adequateprivate insurance. GP locums have even less, with 78% not having adequate private insurance. There is a signiicant mismatch between demand and supply of locums witth d uate m iicindemnity, particularly for GP obstetricians. This is a signiicant barrier to e provision of l umsupport to GP obstetricians and is likely to be contributing to the he n e o uu i ed GP placements. Seventy-eight percent of GP placements that we e cc ce d innterest required private indemnity.
The most common reason for specialist placements not going ahead was that there were no interest from locums however, of the 11 placements that were cancelled due to no locum interest, 8 (72%) required private indemnity insurance. This data suggests that the requirement of private insurance decreases the appeal of a placement for specialist locums, who do not all have private medical indemnity (SOLS 2009-2011 Internal Evaluation Report).
SOLS is concerned about this mismatch between demand and supply of locums with adequate medical indemnity and the roll-on effect this has on filling locum placements that require private medical indemnity. SOLS would like to hear from both specialist and GP obstetricians who have provided locum relief through SOLS where private indemnity was required and where the locum saw private patients, to understand the type of medical indemnity cover a locum would need to be able to provide locum relief where private indemnity is required.
Please email the SOLS Secretariat This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or phone (03) 9412 2912.
