Mobile locum system shows early promise

A new locum service, which utilises mobile phone texts to alert employers of registered optical professionals, has taken off, its founder has claimed.
Launched last month by two former Vision Express franchisees (News, August 13), LocumRx allows employers with vacancies to cross-reference the job details against available practitioners, who then automatically receive information by SMS to their mobile phones.
Co-founder of LocumRx Gordon Greig told optician this week that a month since launching the business 400 registered locum optometrists had joined. In addition, the scheme has attracted 40 dispensers, 25 technicians and the company has responded to over 100 cover requests messages.
'Employer uptake has been fantastic, with the independents very quick to take advantage. Our system has returned over 90 per cent success for filling vacancies,' he claimed, 'and already saved a lot of money and time for the practices who have used it.'
He said the average cost to employers for using the