Great Ormond Street can’t find doctors to work empty shifts
An email to junior doctors reveals that Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) is struggling to fill vacant shifts in its medical rotas.
GOSH says since it started enforcing maximum rates for locum (temporary cover) shifts, it has seen an increase in vacant shifts.
In the email they state they are looking for junior doctors to work 'ad-hoc' in surgical and orthopaedic specialities.
Since 23 November 2015, new rules capping the rates of pay for locum shifts were introduced. On 1 April 2016, these rates are set to become even lower, with doctors being allowed to be paid no more than 1.55 times than their normal rates of pay.
These rates of pay were meant to save hospital trusts money by reducing the amount they spent on agency staff.
However, many doctors and other healthcare s