Innovation Awards finalist: Locate a Locum – allowing pharmacists to search for shifts nationwide

Software platform Locate a Locum is a technology workforce management platform that helps companies manage their permanent and temporary staff, says chief executive Jonathon Clarke.
“When you first qualify as a pharmacist you have the opportunity to go locum,” says Mr Clarke. He describes how a pharmacist would hand out business cards and offer their services to pharmacies to cover shifts.
Locate a Locum goes further, allowing locum pharmacists to search for shifts nationwide. From a safety perspective, the platform ensures members have the correct qualifications for any shifts they cover. The company has expanded into the optometry market and is also looking at the potential of other markets.
It runs off a subscription model and is available as a browser-based platform or through an app.
“A pharmacist has to be present in the pharmacy for it to open,” says Mr Clarke. The company gives employers access to 44,000 locums while working with more than 10,000 pharmacies across Ireland and the UK.
The company has also launched a premium version of the software that gives locums greater control over their finances on the app. Locum pharmacists can sign up for the service for £12 a month, or £115 annually.
As locum pharmacy workers are self-employed, the premium version of the app allows people to send automatic invoices after they work each shift, allowing them to keep track of their expenses. This makes it easier to file tax returns at the end of the financial year.