Why the Locum Zone means so much to me. Molly’s personal take.
){kind=logo}
I became a locum in 2017, just six months after qualifying as a veterinary nurse. It wasn’t part of some grand plan — it was driven by circumstance. A family illness and a long-distance relationship meant I needed the freedom to travel.
I told myself, Well, how hard can it be? It’s only temporary.
Eight years later, here I am — still locuming, but now surrounded by a huge, supportive locum community that I’m proud to be part of.
I’ll never forget my first shift. I stepped into a clinic where I didn’t know a soul. I had to figure out where everything was, adapt to new systems instantly, and slot myself into a team that had been working together for years.
I knew what locum work meant, but I didn’t truly realise how isolating it could feel. The missed team meetings. The lack of access to resources. The sense that no one really understood — or cared about — the challenges we faced.
Back then, locuming was often seen as a stopgap until someone “got a real job” again. You were the temporary fix, not a long-term colleague.
Before COVID, there was so much work available I could have booked myself three times over every single day of the year. But when the pandemic hit, practices went to skeleton staff. Permanent team members were furloughed. And locums?
We were left with no work. No income. No safety net.
This isn’t a sob story every locum knows the lack of job security that comes with the territory. But no one prepares you for what to actually do when the work disappears. We’re trained to treat patients and support clients not to protect our own financial stability. Income insurance, savings buffers, business planning… none of this was on the syllabus when we qualified.
After COVID, everything changed. Flexible working exploded. Locum life began to be recognised as a genuine career choice, not just a temporary fix.
But while the number of locums grew, and the demand for flexibility increased, no one was building the infrastructure to make locum work truly sustainable.
Now in 2025, there’s more competition for work, yet practices still call me asking for urgent cover. It’s baffling — locums struggle to find shifts, and practices struggle to find locums. Something in the system is broken.
Why the Locum Zone MattersFor too long, there’s been no physical space for locums at big industry events.
No meeting point. No tailored talks. No chance to connect with others who truly get it.
Yet locums are some of the most adaptable, resourceful, and dedicated professionals in our industry. We step into unknown environments and keep practices running. We support teams when they need it most. We bring fresh knowledge from every clinic we work in.
The Locum Zone is here to change the game.
It’s:
- A hub for learning – With workshops and workbooks for locums, future locums, and those who work with locums.
- A place to connect – Meet fellow locums, swap stories, and build professional relationships that go beyond the event.
- A resource centre – Take away templates, guides, and checklists you can use straight away to improve your locum career.
- A safe space – Ask questions you might not feel comfortable raising elsewhere. Share the wins and the challenges with people who get it.
- A statement – Locums aren’t an afterthought. We are a vital part of the veterinary profession, and we deserve to be recognised, supported, and celebrated.
When I started out, I would have loved a space like this. Somewhere to learn how to protect my income, how to negotiate rates, how to avoid burnout. Somewhere to meet others who understood exactly what I was juggling. Somewhere I didn’t have to explain what a locum was before I could start the conversation.
The Locum Zone is more than just a stand at the London Vet Show. It’s the place to put our shared challenges on the table, find solutions together, and feel part of something bigger.
It’s where we can stop feeling like the “outsiders” of the profession and instead celebrate the unique strengths locum life gives us.
It’s where we can swap stories, share laughs, and walk away knowing we have a network to lean on.
Most of all, it’s where we can stand together and say: We belong here.
📍 London Vet Show, ExCeL London
📅 20-21st November 2025
🎯 Find us in: The Locum Zone
If you’re a locum, thinking about becoming one, or simply curious about what this career path really looks like — I’d love to see you there.
Let’s make history together.
Book your ticket here . Use DISCOUNT code LOCUM25
){kind=logo}
){kind=logo}
){kind=logo}
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=logo}
)
)
){kind=logo}
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=logo}
){kind=logo}