Do Locum Doctors Get Rest Breaks
Locum F3 doctors often mistakenly think that by leaving contracted employment, they lose their employee rights like sick pay, maternity or paternity leave, rest breaks, and annual leave. However, this is not necessarily true. Is important to understand your contract and your rights, and to know what you are entitled to or you may miss out on money and other benefits.
In this article we will focus on locum doctor rights in regard to rest breaks.
You can learn more about employment rights in these articles:
👉 Understanding your rights as a locum doctor
👉 23 biggest myths for locum doctors
👉 Salary comparison: GPST1 vs F3 locum doctor
🔍 Your Rights
Doctors are entitled to rest breaks during the working day, and the Trust rest break policy should be documented in your locum booking terms and conditions.
Most Trusts follow the BMA 2016 contract breaks, which is:
✅ 1x 30 minute break for a 5 hour shift
✅ 2x 30 minute breaks for a shift over 9 hours
Make sure to check this with the rota-coordinator or your agent prior to starting your shift as not all trusts will follow this to the book.
It is important to remember that rest breaks are unpaid. As a locum, if you work through your rest break you will generally not be compensated for this work and cannot claim back money or time owed. As a trainee, you may be able to claim back money or time if you have worked during a rest break through the Exception Reporting system.
Before working a locum shift, you should check the Trust policy (by speaking to a rota coordinator) about overtime payments and working through rest breaks. Some rota coordinators will state that there is no capacity for locums to work overtime, whereas others may say that if the ward needs support and you are willing to stay then you can complete a timesheet and they will pay accordingly.
Establishing in advance whether or not you will be compensated for additional work can be useful in helping you communicate with the ward team as to whether or not you can stay late to help, or whether you are required to leave on time and take your mandated breaks. This is particularly useful information to know if you struggle to assert your boundaries, and need an excuse to leave work on time.
If you work on a particular ward regularly and find you're not getting the rest breaks you're supposed to, it’s worth discussing this with the rota co-ordinator or booking co-ordinator as they may adjust the hours or pay for that particular shift.
📒 Summary:
Rest breaks are mandatory and you should take them.
The rest break policy may match the BMA 2016 contract requirements, but you should check your Trust policy before starting work as it may vary slightly.
Rest breaks are unpaid and if you work through them you may not be entitled to claim back time or money for this work.
Some rota-coordinators are flexible on timesheets but many are not. It is worth checking in advance whether you will be paid overtime if you stay late or work through a rest break.
Knowing the rest break and overtime policy for locums at your Trust may provide you with confidence and a good excuse to assert your boundaries and leave work on time.
If you find that you are regularly not getting the breaks that you are entitled to as a locum, speak to the rota coordinator or your locum agency as they may be able to adjust the shifts or pay for your work to reflect the additional demands on your time.
If you are unsure about your entitlements, or feel you have been given a wrong response by the Trust, speak to your BMA representative who may be able to provide you with additional support and advice.
This article is part of a wider series of comprehensive guides and information to help doctors ensure their F3 year is a success. We cover everything from initial planning, options for moving abroad, help with finding work, and tips for making the most of the experience.
Click here to visit our F3 Resource Hub to explore the full list of guides and articles.
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