INTRODUCTION

Acute Medical Limited is an Employment Agency established in 1994. The agency specializes in the supply of long term psychiatric locums to NHS, Private and Independent Hospitals. The agency is committed to its doctors and emphasizes to them its offer of a valuable employment package with the opportunity to train and remain clinically up to date.

All the information that doctors supply this agency is treated with appropriate care and respect. Specifically doctor’s information will only be disclosed to potential employing hospitals with their consent. At all times this Agency complies with the Data Protection Regulations that are in force.

This Agency deals with NHS hospitals working to standards set out in the NHS Executive Document “A Code of Practice in HCHS Locum Doctor Appointment and Employment” EL (97) 48.

The Agency offers it doctors employment with the benefits of brilliant rates, paid holiday pay and paid study leave. Its contractual terms are set out below.

CONTRACT
By accepting the offer of a placement through Acute Medical Limited conformation is given to acceptance of the following terms and conditions.
1. It is a term of this contract that doctors are currently registered with the General Medical Council, and that such registration is kept up to date. If you have Limited registration: Doctors with limited Registration are to be aware that locum appointments have to be within the terms of the Registration.
2. Doctors must provide an up to date curriculum vitae which includes all recent posts, and the names and addresses of two referees.
3. During a placement the supervision of the doctor’s work and the direction and control over them while working is the responsibility of the hospital, or other organization, of placement.
4. Doctors agree to the provision of their National Insurance Number to the Agency. For those doctors yet to receive a National Insurance Number agreement is given for the Agency to undertake the appropriate application for one.
5. The Doctor agrees for the deduction of Tax and National Insurance amounts as required by law under “Schedule E” regulations. Consultants, and other senior doctors not subject to professional supervision, in certain circumstances can obtain a letter from their local Inland Revenue Office giving them “Schedule D” status (“self employed status”), which will instruct this agency to make payments gross, without deductions. Further advice upon this matter is available upon request.
6. Payroll. The doctor pay is calculated on an hourly basis. The payroll is run weekly and payment is calculated by the total number of hours worked within that week. The doctor should evidence his hours with a completed time sheet, which should be faxed, emailed or posted. If part hours are to be claimed they should be rounded down to the last quarter of an hour.
7.

Every doctor is entitled to 4 weeks holiday pay per year pro rata. The payment for holiday pay is made by calculating a 1/13 th. of the total number of hours worked to the point of claim.

Example 10 weeks worked before holiday. Each week at 56 hours worked. Holiday pay entitlement is (10x56)/13= 560/13 = 43.07 hours pay. There is no qualifying period of time to be eligible for this benefit. All grades of doctors who are placed through this agency are eligible.

8. Study pay. This Agency contracts with the hospitals where it makes placements that its doctors receive a minimum of 10 days per year pro rata ( i.e. 5 days in 6 months etc.) for study leave, and that such leave receives the normal daily rate of pay. The cost of any course and incidental expenses is for negotiation between the doctor and the placement hospital, in which this agency is happy to assist and advise.
9. Ongoing Professional Development. Doctors placed through this agency agree to work constructively with placement hospitals on matters of Clinical Governance, Appraisal Processes, Audits of Clinical Activity, Professional Education and Professional Revalidation.
10. Pension Planning. This Agency advises its doctors to seek Professional Independent Advice in respect of pension planning. As required by law this agency makes available to its employees a Stakeholder Pension Plan. Further details are available upon request.
11. Injury. The Agency is not liable for any physical injury sustained by the doctor whilst travelling to or on a placement. This agency contracts with its client hospitals that injury sustained by a doctor during the performance of his or her duties that incapacitates from work will attract upon a) the regular evidencing procedures of the client hospital being followed and b) certification by an Occupational Health doctor or hospital Consultant relevant to the physical injury, result in a liability for the duration of the incapacity of two weeks pay at 40 hours per week and thereafter up to four further weeks pay at 20 hours per week. In the event of these circumstances occurring and being agreed by the client hospital such payments will be forwarded to the doctor. This term does not alter in any form the statutory and civil rights of the employed doctor.
12. Cancellation of Booking. In the unlikely event of this situation arising, the Agency specifically excludes liability for any losses doctors may incur due to any alterations or cancellation of a booking by a hospital.
13. Professional Indemnity. Doctors are strongly advised to obtain Professional Indemnity Insurance. If working in an NHS hospital Crown Indemnity covers the doctor’s actions. This however does not extend to cover all aspects of professional activity a Psychiatric Doctor is likely to encounter, such as Private Reports.
14. Allegations of Professional Negligence or Misconduct. The agency excludes liability in respect of the work done by the Locum during any placement. Any situation or alleged situation arising from professional negligence or misconduct will be directly investigated by the hospital of placement as per the regulations of its full time medical employees. The Agency in such a situation reserves the right to disclose any information that will assist the inquiry process.
15. Taking up a Permanent Post. Acute Medical Limited is focused to ensure the best employment package for its doctors. Any doctor that it has introduced to a hospital is free to take up a permanent post there. In these circumstances the Agency charges the hospital a fee to cover its administration costs. If a doctor takes up a post at a hospital, having been introduced there by this agency, within 6 months of the end of a placement they should inform the Agency of this fact.
16. Travel Expenses. The Agency is not responsible for travel expenses. If travel costs are to be claimed they are subject to the discretion and agreement of the placement hospital.
17. This agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of England and subject to the jurisdiction of the English Courts.