Book Top Dental Locums Across the UK

Card Payments: Practices that choose card payments ensure a quicker payout for locums. Once a timesheet is approved by the practice, the payment is processed and reaches your account within 8 days.

Invoice Payments: Some practices prefer the invoicing method. While this is a feasible option, it does extend the payment timeline. For these practices, after timesheet approval, you should expect your payment within 18 days.

Summary:

You can see the number of days a payment will take to reach your bank account in the Bookings section. It's next to the payment amount, in the Amount column. You'll see a green hourglass icon and the estimated number of days next to it. It looks like this:

Once a practice books you, you will receive an instant text message. By clicking on the link sent to you, you will be able to view the details of the job, such as the pay you will receive, your travel payment (if applicable), the practice details and the start and finish times of the job. If the job looks good to you, just click on 'Accept' and the booking is yours! If you're not interested in the job, simply tap 'Decline'.

If you get cancelled with less than 18 hours to go before the job was due to start you receive 100% of the booking fee. 💰 

As an Airlocum worker, you are part of a community of professional, experienced and reliable individuals. 👩‍ Being part of this community means that you are held to high standards of service. 

Airlocum has strict policies regarding not attending a shift as this provides a bad experience for the client that was relying on you and other locums who missed out on the chance to accept that shift. If you are selected for a shift that you’ve applied for, you are responsible for making sure that you are available to work that shift. 👍 

🚫 Not attending a shift and failing to correctly withdraw via the appropriate channels (through the Airlocum app or by telling Airlocum support) will result in the immediate deactivation of your Airlocum account. Providing Airlocum, and the practice, with less than two hours’ notice of your non-attendance will also be considered a no show, as it means we will be unable to find a replacement before the beginning of the shift. 

Your reliability is tracked via your reliability score. 💯 Each time you withdraw from a shift, your score will reduce by 10%. Our minimum allowance for an Airlocum workers' reliability score is 80% to be active on the platform. Your reliability score will take into consideration your withdrawal history within your last 10 shifts accepted on Airlocum.  

Reliability Boost Program: Locums Cancelling Late

Overview

What is the Reliability Boost Program? The Reliability Boost Program is Airlocum's initiative to enhance reliability across our platform, benefiting both locums and dental practices. It introduces a late cancellation fee structure and rewards system for reliable locums.

Late Cancellation Fees

What are the late cancellation fees?

• Within 24 hours of shift start: £24 fee

• 24 hours to 5 days before shift start: £12 fee

How will I be charged for late cancellations? Fees will be automatically charged to your linked Stripe Express account.

Are there any exceptions to the late cancellation fee? While fees are charged automatically, Airlocum understands that emergencies happen. If you face exceptional circumstances, you can contact Airlocum after paying the fee to explain your situation. Refunds may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Is there a cap on how many late cancellation fees I might incur? There's no specific cap, but your reliability score affects your account status. If your score drops below 70%, your account will be deactivated.

How can I dispute a late cancellation fee? If you believe a fee was charged in error, please contact The Airlocum Team via:

• Online chat: www.airlocum.co.uk

• Mobile: 07716 580305

• Email: [email protected]

• Contact Form: www.airlocum.co.uk/en/page/contact

Reliability Score

What is a reliability score? Your reliability score reflects your history of attending booked shifts. It starts at 100% and decreases by 10% for each withdrawal from a shift.

How is my reliability score calculated? Your score is based on your withdrawal history within your last 10 accepted shifts on Airlocum.

What happens if my reliability score drops too low? If your score falls below 70%, your account will be deactivated from the Airlocum platform.

Can I see my reliability score? Yes, you can view your reliability score by logging into your profile and clicking/tapping "My Profile".

Benefits of High Reliability

How does the booking request system work? Booking requests are sent based on a weighted sum of four criteria: Distance from the practice, Reliability score, Star-rating, Response time to booking requests.

Requests are initially sent to 10 locums, then to another 4 locums every 60 seconds thereafter.

How does high reliability improve my visibility to practices? Practices can sort locums by their Reliability scores. 100% reliable locums are shown at the top of the search results page.

Are there any other benefits to maintaining high reliability? Yes! Reliable locums often build trust with nearby practices, leading to more job requests. This increased demand allows you to potentially increase your hourly rate while maintaining a busy schedule, resulting in greater profitability.

Miscellaneous

What happens if I don't show up for a shift? Not attending a shift without proper notification (through the Airlocum platform or by informing Airlocum support) will result in immediate account deactivation. Providing less than two hours notice is considered a no-show.

Does this program affect new locums joining the platform? Yes, new locums are subject to the same reliability standards and late cancellation fees.

Will this program be reviewed or adjusted in the future? Yes, Airlocum will assess the program monthly, evaluating its impact on late cancellation rates and locum experiences. Fee structures and refund policies may be adjusted based on this review.

If you have any questions not covered in this FAQ, please don't hesitate to contact our support team. We're here to help you succeed on the Airlocum platform!

You choose your hourly rate. It comes down to only 3 things: your location, your soft skills (are you good with people) and your clinical experience. 

If a practice chooses you above another less expensive locum, it's because they want the best. You want to meet their expectations. Setting inappropriate expectations may make it difficult to satisfy your client and could adversely impact your reputation. Practices can rate and review you after each assignment. 

After you've completed a shift, the practice is asked to provide feedback based on five key questions. Your overall rating directly influences how soon you're notified about new shifts. Here's what we ask the practices: 

1. Punctuality - "Did the locum arrive on time?" 

2. Professionalism - "Was the locum's appearance professional?" 

3. Attitude - "Did the locum display a positive attitude towards work and the team?" 

4. Value - "Did the locum demonstrate worth for their hourly rate?" 

5. Rehire Potential - "Would you rebook this locum for another shift?" 

Every “Yes” boosts your score, which can catapult you to 5-star status: 

5 yeses = 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 

4 yeses = 🌟🌟🌟🌟 

And so on. 

Stars are your ticket to more shifts and better visibility on Airlocum. Stellar ratings = More eyes on you = More work. 

Quick Tips for Star Power: 

Be on time, every time. 

Dress the part. 

Bring a can-do attitude. 

Deliver top-notch value. 

Make them want you back. 

If a locum has a rating of 100%, that means you’ve attended 100% of the last 10 shifts you’ve accepted. If you have a 50% rating, that means you’ve only attended 50% of the last 10 shifts you’ve accepted. 💯 

There is some nuance with withdrawals, however. If you withdraw or cancel more than 24 hours before the shift was due to start, you don’t incur a penalty because the practice will have time to accept a different locum to that shift. However, if you withdraw less than 24 hours before the shift, the practice will most likely not be able to backfill that locum and your Reliability rating will be affected just as if you didn’t show for the shift. A no-show to a job and cancelling with less than 24 hours to go before the shift was due to start is treated the same. Locums are penalised on their Reliability score. 

The reliability rating only looks back at the last 10 shifts you accepted. If you’ve worked 20 shifts in the month, only the most recent 10 shifts would be used to calculate your Reliability. This is done to ensure only your current reliability is showing. ✅ 

Your timesheet is digital, no paperwork. 

⏰ Airlocum will send you a reminder to submit your timesheet at 7pm the day of your booking. This text and email reminder will contain a link to that day's timesheet. Tap Update and you're done. 

OR 

⏰ Go to the Bookings section of your Airlocum profile. 

On the far right there's a View Timesheet icon. Click that.  

Tap Submit and you're done. 

Here are some insights on how practices evaluate your performance. Understanding this feedback system will help you excel in your assignments and boost your profile on our platform.

After each shift, practices answer questions about your performance. We've included tips to help you shine in each area:

1. Did the locum arrive on time for their shift? Tip: Aim to arrive 10-15 minutes early. This shows professionalism and allows time for any unexpected delays.

2. Was the locum's appearance professional? Tip: Ensure your attire is clean, pressed, and adheres to the practice's dress code. When in doubt, opt for a more formal look.

3. Did the locum have a positive attitude towards their work and your team? Tip: Engage with the team during breaks. Instead of using your phone alone in the surgery, join colleagues in the staff room and participate in conversations.

4. Did the locum proactively ask where they could help or take initiative during downtime? Tip: Ask a team member, owner or PM if there's anything you can do to help.

5. How would you rate the value provided by the locum relative to their hourly rate? Tip: Deliver amazing service and make sure the rate you charge matches your abilities. Practices are often happy to pay a little more, but then they expect more. 

6. Did the locum use their time productively, avoiding distractions like personal phone use? Tip: Have your phone on silent and hide it somewhere out of view.

7. Would you have this locum back for future shifts? Tip: All of the above criteria needs to be met to get a 'Yes' on this one! 

Practices also provide an overall rating: 5 stars (Excellent), 4 stars (Very Good), 3 stars (Good), 2 stars (Fair), or 1 star (Poor).

How This Feedback Impacts You:

Star Rating: Your visible profile rating is based on the overall ratings you receive.

Favourites List: If a practice answers "Yes" to question 7, you're added to their 'Favorites' list, increasing your chances of being booked by them again.

Booking Opportunities: Higher ratings and positive feedback can lead to more booking requests and earlier notifications about new shifts.

Remember, every shift is an opportunity to showcase your skills and professionalism. If you have any questions about improving your performance or need any support, we're always here to help!