How do you reference-check locums at short notice?
Locums start fast, but the checks are the same as for permanent staff. Here is how to keep up without cutting corners.
How do you do locum reference checks quickly?
For locum reference checks at short notice, send requests the moment a locum registers, not when a shift is booked, and use a system that chases automatically. NHS standards expect the same checks as for permanent staff, with references validating three years of employment or training. RefAssure sends requests in minutes and chases by email and text; half of references come back within 24 hours.
What the standards expect for locums
In England, the NHS Employment Check Standards apply to all NHS appointments, including locum, agency and bank workers. The employment history and reference checks standard asks for references that validate three consecutive years of employment or training before the application. The number of references depends on the person's history.
Agencies supplying locums to NHS trusts through approved frameworks are audited against these standards. CQC-registered independent providers and GP practices must also be satisfied that every locum is fit and proper under Regulation 19.
Who should give a locum reference?
- A consultant, clinical supervisor or medical director who saw the locum work, for doctors
- A ward manager or senior nurse, for locum and agency nurses
- A practice manager or GP partner, for locum GPs at practices they covered regularly
Locums often work short placements in many places. Aim for referees who saw enough of their practice to comment, not the most recent booking alone. For a locum with a long gap or a career break, ask about it early and get a reference from the last substantive role.
Where short notice goes wrong
The usual problems are referee emails that bounce, referees on leave, and references requested by phone that never make it onto the file. Collecting the referee's mobile number as well as a work email, and keeping every reference in one place, cuts a lot of the delay.
A short-notice process that holds up.
Start at registration
Request references when the locum joins your books, before the first booking.
Consent and send
The locum gives consent online. RefAssure emails each referee, plus a text if you add a mobile.
Let it chase
Reminders on days 2, 5, 8 and 12, stopping the moment a referee submits.
Share the evidence
File the signed PDF and share it with the hiring organisation when asked.
Built for same-day pressure.
Across 229 completed references, the median was about 23 hours and half came back within 24 hours.
- Referees complete a secure link on any device, no login
- Bounced emails flagged, usually within minutes, so you can fix the address
- Replies sent by email instead of the form are captured and forwarded
- Unlimited team members, so the whole desk can send
Chased for you, day by day.
5 emails and up to 2 texts over 12 days, stopping the moment the referee replies.
Locum reference questions
More in the full FAQs.
Do locums need the same references as permanent staff?
Yes. NHS Employers says the Employment Check Standards apply to all appointments, including locum and agency workers. CQC Regulation 19 also applies to anyone working in a registered service.
How many years of references does a locum doctor need?
For NHS roles, references should validate three consecutive years of employment or training before the application. See NHS reference requirements.
Can a locum start before references come back?
The standards expect checks to be done before someone starts. Starting references at registration, rather than at booking, is the practical fix.
Does RefAssure check the GMC or NMC register?
No. RefAssure collects references and employment history. Check registration with the regulator directly. See GMC checks and NMC checks.
What does it cost an agency?
Your first reference is free. Credits run from 99p to 80p each, with no monthly fee and credits that never expire. See agency reference checking cost.
Can an agency share references with the hiring trust or practice?
Yes, with the locum's consent. Many agencies share the reference evidence when a client asks, and a signed PDF with an audit trail makes that simple.
How often should locum references be refreshed?
There is no single national rule. Many agencies and frameworks refresh checks at set intervals, so follow your framework or client requirements and keep each set of references dated.
Related guides
Locums referenced before the shift.
Your first reference is free. Two minutes to send, and RefAssure does the chasing.