How to Become a Self-Employed Locum Optometrist in the UK: Your Step-by-Step Registration Guide (2025) The Optom Coach
How to Become a Self-Employed Locum Optometrist in the UK: Your Step-by-Step Registration Guide (2025) The Optom Coach
Are you a UK optometrist looking to take control of your income, time, and career? Transitioning to self-employed locum optometry offers significant benefits, including an average higher income (around £70,000 compared to the employed average of £55,000) and the freedom to choose when, where, and for how much you work.
However, the legal and financial setup is the biggest initial barrier. This guide provides a clear, step-by-step checklist to help GOC-registered optometrists navigate the essential registration process to become a self-employed locum optometrist.
Phase 1: Choosing Your Legal & Financial Structure
The first decision determines how you interact with HMRC (His Majesty's Revenue and Customs).
1. Decide on Your Self-Employed Status (Sole Trader vs. LTD Company)
As a locum, you must register as one of two self-employed types if you expect to earn more than £1,000/year.
Sole Trader
Expected income under £50,000/year from locuming.
Easier and faster setup.
Limited (LTD) Company
Expected income over £50,000/year from locuming.
Offers lower taxes for full-time locums and the business is a separate legal entity from you.
Action: Register with HMRC You are legally required to register as self-employed with HMRC if you intend to perform locum optometry.
• If opting for a Sole Trader status, you must follow the self-registration process (which typically takes a few weeks to be legally recognized). You will need your National Insurance (NI) number and personal details.
• If opting for a Limited Company, you legally require an accountant to set you up with HMRC, obtain your Companies House number, and establish your business.
2. Hire an Accountant
An accountant is highly advised for all locums and legally mandatory for LTD companies. They help you save money by ensuring you claim all legitimate business expenses (like travel costs, professional fees, and equipment) on your tax returns, thereby reducing your taxable income.
3. Set Up Your Dedicated Bank Account
For a Limited Company, setting up a separate business bank account is a legal mandate, as funds must flow into the company's account, not your personal one.
For a Sole Trader, a separate bank account, while not legally mandatory, is highly advised to clearly track and categorize all locum income and expenses for tax returns.
Phase 2: Essential Legal & Clinical Documentation
Before applying to agencies or practices, you must gather critical documents and certifications.
4. Secure Professional Indemnity (PI) Insurance
You must hold Independent Professional Indemnity (PI) Insurance, as it is a mandatory requirement of the General Optical Council (GOC) for all registered optometrists. As a locum, you are self-employed, meaning the practice assumes minimal liability for your negligence; your PI acts as your safety net against patient lawsuits relating to misdiagnosis, prescription errors, or negligence.
Some professionals prefer organizations using the claims-occurring model for PI, such as FODO, over the claims-made model used by others, due to the difference in coverage security.
5. Obtain and Maintain Your Enhanced DBS Check
Optometrists require an Enhanced DBS check to work with vulnerable adults and children. Individuals cannot directly apply for this check; it must be requested by an employer or a registered body.
Crucially, locums should join the DBS Update Service for £16 per year. This subscription allows unlimited requests of your DBS information, meaning you can avoid the costly process of applying for a new DBS certificate every time a locum agency requests verification.
6. Organize Core Professional Documents
Organize the following documents, ideally storing digital copies (PDFs) in a structured cloud storage system (like Google Drive, utilizing a separate locum email account) for quick access during registration:
• GOC registration certificate
• Up-to-date CV
• Professional References: Secure consent from two optometrist referees (ideally friends you speak to often) to use their details, listing their legal name, GOC number, and contact information.
• Degree certificate and Right to Work documents (e.g., passport/visa)
• Safeguarding Certificates (Adult & Children Level 2, obtained within the last 2 years via DOCET).
7. Fulfil Regional Requirements (SOL/WGOS)
If you plan to work outside of England (e.g., in Wales or Scotland), additional registration is required. For locum optometry in Wales, you must acquire:
• SOL Number: The Welsh equivalent of the Ophthalmic List (OL) number. You apply for this via the NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership (NWSSP) website, selecting "Locum Optician/OMP" under the Supplementary List.
• WGOS Certificate: Completion of mandatory training (e.g., the digital course on WGOS, peer-review discussion, and foreign body workshop) is required to attain this certificate, which is needed to book Welsh locum shifts. This accreditation is vital as Wales handles more urgent/pathology cases in primary care (WGOS 2.1).
Phase 3: Getting Shift-Ready
Once your legal foundations and documentation are complete, the next step is connecting with the market.
8. Find Work via Locum Agencies and Direct Contact
There are three primary ways to secure locum optometry shifts:
1. Locum Agency Apps: The most modern and widespread method. Major apps to sign up with include LocateALocum (covers Specsavers, Boots, Asda, Independents), Locumotive, and TeamLocum. When signing up for these platforms, the documents compiled in Phase 2 are crucial for compliance.
2. Direct Contact: Contact Independent Opticians directly via email or post with your CV. This method is essential as many independents do not use locum apps.
3. Recruiter Agencies: Use traditional agencies (like TeamLocum or ZestOptical) who send out shift mailshots and negotiate rates on your behalf.
By completing these steps, you transition from an employed professional to a legally compliant, financially organized, and shift-ready self-employed locum optometrist in the UK, gaining the ability to control your work schedule and maximize your income potential.
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