Working for Medacs
As one of the market leaders in the provision of Healthcare Professionals to the NHS, we are proud to welcome you to our organisation. As you would expect there are many benefits to working through Medacs
- Excellent pay rates
- Building your career portfolio
- Improved earning potential
- Opportunity to broaden your horizons
- Positions available nationwide
- Specialist Recruitment Consultant knowledge
Medacs gives you more. As on of the largest suppliers of Healthcare Professionals to the NHS, we have over 50 years experience within this industry and this means you will receive an unrivalled service with the best choice of options whatever your preference.
We are confident that you will enjoy your time with us and look forward to working with you over the coming months and years
What is a Locum
A locum is a suitably qualified professional, who will fill a post on a temporary basis for a period of anything from a few hours to three months or a year. Locum work arises from vacancies caused by holidays, illness, unfilled posts etc…
Longer vacancies normally come in the week before they are due to start but sometimes there is a longer notice period. If you are looking for work as a full time locum work you may need to be flexible regarding location to be fully employed.
Short term work by its very nature, comes with little notice. Hospitals anticipate locums undertaking this type of work need some flexibility in the start/end times. You are paid for the hours you actually work.
Documents Required For Successful Registration
As market leader we are proud to have built our reputation by offering high quality services to both locums and clients. This has been achieved through rigorous vetting procedures which offer peace of mind to our clients and in return offers continuation of job opportunities to our locums. By completing registration with Medacs you can be confident that we will meet your requirements. Our dedicated Recruitment Consultants are here to support you throughout the registration process if required. The registration process is, however, only a small part of your long-term life with Medacs. Once completed and returned it’s never been easier.
- Completed Registration and Health Statement Form
- Curriculum Vitae
Your CV must include the start and finish dates of each post you have undertaken. Hospitals assume your CV is complete unless you inform them. If there are any gaps in your CV, you should include all details of what you did during that time. Medacs must be notified immediately of any amendments. These will be confirmed to you in writing and will be included in your file for submission to hospitals. The layout of your CV may be reworked by your Recruitment Consultant to maximise your chances of securing positions.
We will request new references every 6 months to ensure we hold a copy of your most recent post on file, at least one of which must be your current post. We will also request reports/references on shifts in line with our quality procedures.
- Two Passport Photographs for your Medacs Identification Badge
- Copy of NMC/HPC/RPSGB Certificate
- Proof of Eligibility to work in the UK
Original Documentation will be required in line with the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996.
- Criminal Records Bureau – Disclosures
All public and private organisations request that an Enhanced Disclosure be obtained for all Healthcare Personnel which is acquired from the Criminal Records Bureau or Disclosure Scotland.
- Medacs can assist you at all stages of the Disclosure process, from application to using the Portability Disclosure service should you already hold a valid Disclosure (Not applicable to Nurses). You are required to inform Medacs if you have been subject to a prosecution by the police after the CRB was undertaken.
- Police Check
If you currently reside outside of the UK, please forward your original police check. Locums who have resided in the UK for two weeks can start their application process providing satisfactory police checks from their country of origin are no more that 3 calendar months old.
Under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975, applicants for locum medical posts are not entitled to withhold information about convictions which for other purposes are ‘spent’.
Locums are expected to provide Medacs with a statement of any criminal convictions, police investigations, or cautions and written permission to disclose them to clients.
We need to know if you are currently subject to any Fitness to Practise proceedings by an appropriate licensing or regulatory body in the UK and any other country.
We will require details of the nature of the proceedings undertaken, or contemplated, including approximate date of proceedings were undertaken and the name and address of the licensing or regulatory body concerned. We also need written permission to disclose this information to clients.
Immunisation Evidence
Hepatitis B
The Department of Health insists on protecting Healthcare Professionals and patients from acquiring and/or infecting others with Hepatitis B. Hospitals insist on locum Healthcare Professionals providing evidence of their UK Hepatitis B status which must be an identified and validated sample, and require a photocopy of an original UK pathology report including your;
·Full name
·Date of Birth
·Date of Test
·Specific surface antibody levels or surface antigen status if you are a non-responder to the vaccine, or naturally immune.
A Hepatitis B surface antibody level of over 100 iu/l from a test carried out in the UK in the last 5 years will be accepted. Non-responders to the vaccine will need to show evidence of a negative surface antigen to prove non-infectivity to the virus.
Your GP or Occupational Health Department will be able to assist you in obtaining the above samples. Please be aware that hand written evidence cab not be accepted.
Rubella and Varicella
Evidence of immunity to Rubella and Varicella, preferably on a pathology report is required. Most hospitals will accept and official Occupational Health Department immunisation record showing immunity.
Tuberculosis
Hospitals are now insisting on seeing documented evidence from an Occupational Health Department of GP practice, showing immunity to Tuberculosis. Written evidence of a visible and palpable BCG scar and/or a positive Heaf/Mantoux test will be accepted as proof of immunity to Tuberculosis. We require an Occupational Health/GP Certificate of a positive scar or a record of a positive skin test result and notification if you have worked in a TB prevalent area, where HIV is also prevalent in the last 3 years.
Private and Permanent Placements
In addition to finding Healthcare Professionals posts within the NHS, we also have a number of interesting and varied roles within the private sector. We can also offer you permanent roles within the NHS and private sector.
Job Offers/Acceptances
Medacs works hard to match you to a number of vacancies and we will be in contact with you regularly to discuss your options. We receive a high volume of jobs every week and we therefore ask you to keep us updated with your whereabouts and any changes in contact details. We would ask that you remain in regular communication with Medacs to ensure that you are the first choice for all positions we submit you for.
Once you have given us your firm commitment we will forward your details to the client. We will not compromise you professionally by submitting you for work without obtaining your consent unless by prior arrangement. Upon submission, your details will be passed to the relevant parties. This process sometimes takes a couple of days and you should inform us immediately if you become unavailable for the job to enable us to withdraw your CV.
If you are successful we will inform you immediately and you should confirm your acceptance. You are then firmly committed to complete the placement and we will send confirmation to the hospital. Occasionally another agency may offer you the same job that we have and vice versa. You should only allow yourself to be put forward by one agency and if we have put you forward we will expect you to complete the placement through us.
Healthcare Professionals are reminded of their responsibility not to put patients or themselves at risk and must not declare themselves fit to work if they are suffering from diarrhoea, a rash or vomiting. Locums must also inform their Recruitment Consultants if they become injured or diagnosed with any condition. If you are pregnant then you must inform both your Recruitment Consultant at Medacs and the Client of your condition so that adequate safeguards can be taken.
Payment Process
For every week or part week of the post you cover, you will receive a timesheet which you should carefully complete giving clear details of all hours worked and travel details where travel is to be reimbursed. These timesheets need to be signed by an authorised person as indicated in your confirmation letter; duplicate copies left with the signatory and originals to be sent back to us as soon as possible.
Prompt submission of timesheets is advisable to avoid problems with invoicing the Client, which in turn could result in delayed payment to you. We are unable to make payment if timesheets are unauthorised or incorrectly authorised.
Payment will be transferred directly to your bank or building society account via our BACS system. Once you have submitted your timesheets and the hours have been approved, you will be paid within 7 days. Each timesheet carries a unique number. Please ensure that you use the one assigned to the correct job to ensure payment is not delayed. Payments are made to the nearest quarter hour rounded down.
If you have any questions you can contact your Recruitment Consultant. You will be advised whether or not your travel expenses are covered before you are put forward for a position. In such cases, please retain receipts such as bus/train fares. Mileage is verified via the website link www.theaa.com
Locum work as your second job
Tax
When you commence working with Medacs, you will be sent a P46 form which you need to complete and return to our accounts department. This enables the tax office to inform us of the appropriate tax code for you. If you have a break of 3 months or more, it is a legal requirement that we send you a further P46 for us to reapply for your tax code. Should you decide to leave Medacs, please request a P45, which should then be passed to your full time employer.
National Insurance
If you are already working in a full time position, you may be exempt from further contributions on any locum work undertaken. To ensure your payments are accurate, please request a CA72 form from us.
Upon completion, this form needs to be sent to the Contributions Agency for assessment. If applicable, a Deferment Certificate will be sent to us, which will allow us to refund any contributions already deducted and to stop further deductions.
Working Time Regulations
The Working Time Regulations 1998 (‘the regulations’) require Medacs Healthcare Services plc, trading as Medacs, to limit your average weekly working time to 48 hours unless you agree with Medacs that the limit shall not apply to you. Please sign and return the enclosed waiver form. Under the working time regulations you may be entitled to paid holiday.
Cancellations Of Assignments By You
Please do not accept any booking if you do not have every intention of working it. It causes tremendous frustration if you cancel after accepting.
We know that unexpected circumstances can arise where you are unable to complete a booking. In these instances, you should complete as much of the booking as possible, even if it is only a day or two, to enable a replacement to be located and the hospital to make alternative arrangements. If unexpected circumstances arise you should ensure that Medacs are informed at the earliest opportunity by telephone, making a note of the full name of the person you informed, together with the time and the date. You must also inform the hospital but you must notify us in the first instance. Hospitals take cancellations very seriously and have in the past taken further action in cases of cancellation without good reason (e.g. informing the HPC/NMC/RPSGB and contacting referees).
The reason cancellations are taken so seriously is that when a hospital selects you for a position, they may forego several other locums. If you cancel after accepting a position, other locums may not longer be available and the hospital may incur unnecessary financial loss through cancelled clinics.
Cancellation of Bookings by Clients
As there may be occasions when you have reasons to cancel your assignments, this can also be replicated from a clients perspective. Again this is taken very seriously. Medacs have a policy of not supplying locums to hospitals who habitually do this. In instances such as this, financial compensation will not be paid, we will endeavour to offer you alternative work and do our best to ensure you do not lose out.
Personal Belongings Insurance
Some hospitals advises that you should have personal belongings insurance to cover you when working on their premises.
Suggestions For Improvement / Cause For Complaint
As a company, Medacs prides itself on listening and adapting to our doctors needs. We not only value your feedback but need it! If you have any suggestions, commendations or cause for complaint, please email satisfaction@medacs.com or fill out or comments form (Link to comment form) or write to her at Medacs Healthcare Services plc, Kinetic Business Centre, Theobald Street, Borehamwood, WD6 4PJ.