Emergency Locum Service

Raven’s Recruitment manages and operates the Emergency Locum Service on behalf of the PPA.

Please visit www.emergencylocumservice.com.au for more information.

The Emergency Locum Service Program provides support to Pharmacy owners in rural and remote areas through direct access to pharmacist locums in emergency situations such as illness, bereavement, or family emergencies. The service aims to place a locum in any location in Australia within 24 hours, for a maximum of seven days.

The Emergency Locum Service provides support to Pharmacists in rural and remote areas through direct access to Pharmacist locums in emergency situations such as illness, bereavement, or family emergencies.

The service provides up to $2,500 (GST exclusive) to fund the travel costs of Pharmacist locums to attend a rural or remote Pharmacy, as well as 24-hour/seven-day access to emergency locum telephone services. The service aims to place a locum in any location in Australia within 24 hours, for a maximum of seven days.

This service is only available to rural Pharmacy owners in true emergencies; for example, the death of a Pharmacist, spouse or family member, or personal emergencies such as sickness or accident. The service is not available for holidays or other non-essential absences. For more information on participation and eligibility requirements, please refer to the Program Rules in the section below.

To be eligible, Pharmacies must be located in a rural or remote location, defined as a Modified Monash Category MM3 – MM7, according to the Modified Monash Model (MMM). Your pharmacy’s MM Category can be viewed on the Australian Government’s Health Workforce Locator website.

Applicants can apply for funding under the Emergency Locum Service Program via the online form located here or by contacting the Emergency Locum Service on 1800 991 541.

The Emergency Locum Service provides up to $2,500 (GST exclusive) to cover all travel costs between the locum’s home and the location of the locum placement. The Pharmacy is responsible for the locum’s accommodation and wages.

Emergency Locum Service FAQ

  1. You can make an application for an emergency locum at the ELS Provider website (http://www.emergencylocumservice.com.au) or by telephone on 1800 991 541

  2. A Pharmacy must be:

    – A Community Pharmacy

    – Located in a rural or remote location

    – Unable to undertake dispensing duties or to fully and effectively operate the Pharmacy due to an emergency situation.

  3. Eligible locations are classified as having a MM Category of MM3 – MM7. Your pharmacy’s MM Category can be viewed on the Australian Government’s Health Workforce Locator website.

  4. An emergency situation is defined as any situation that means the Pharmacist is unable to undertake dispensing duties or fully operate the Pharmacy, with little or no notice, that arises due to:

    – Illness or injury

    – The need to seek urgent medical care or treatment

    – A family emergency involving:
    ~Illness or injury of an immediate family member or dependent relative.
    ~Bereavement due to a death of a member of immediate family.

  5. No, the ELS can only be used where there is little or no notice of your required absence and is only designed to cover circumstances where you require urgent medical care or treatment.

  6. Valid forms of supporting documentation include:

    – A medical certificate, preferred in emergency situations due to unforeseen illness;

    – A Death certificate; or

    – A Commonwealth statutory declaration for all other emergency situations. Please note a statutory declaration must not be made before a Pharmacist employed by the applicant’s Pharmacy.

    Note: A Pharmacist will have 30 days in which to provide valid supporting documentation. If a Pharmacist fails to provide this documentation with 30 days of the emergency situation, the Pharmacist will be responsible for repaying the full amount that was provided to assist with the travel costs of the locum pharmacist.

  7. Funding is available up to $2,500 (GST exclusive) each time you use the ELS program. There is no limit to the amount of times you can access the Program each year. However, the ELS Program is limited on the basis of available funds. Lodging an application does not guarantee access to the ELS Program. Consequently, Community Pharmacies satisfying the Eligibility Criteria will not necessarily receive access to the ELS Program.

  8. ELS placements are for a minimum of one day and a maximum of seven days. 

  9. ELS can be contacted anytime 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

  10. ELS funding is only intended to be used to contribute to the travel costs between the locum’s home and the Pharmacy location. Other costs such as locum wages, accommodation, meals etc. will not be covered.

  11. No, locum placements are organised by the current ELS provider and the Program Rules stipulate that applicants must accept the locum provided to them.

  12. Accommodation needs to be of a reasonable standard, e.g. a self-contained unit or hotel/motel/guesthouse.

  13. Your pharmacy’s MM category can be viewed on the Australian Government’s Health Workforce Locator website: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/apps-and-tools/health-workforce-locator/health-workforce-locator.

    Click on the MMM 2019 tickbox in the Classification Filter, type in your Pharmacy’s address and click Search Location.  Your MM category will be displayed underneath your address and also on the map.

  14. No. A pharmacy’s MM category cannot be changed.

  15. The MMM is updated after each Census. The 2015 MMM was derived from 2011 ABS Census data.

    The current MMM was updated in 2019 using 2016 ABS Census data and geography information.

    The last ABS Census occurred in August 2021. The MMM will therefore be updated sometime in the near future. A specific date cannot be provided at this stage.

Emergency Locum Service Program Resources


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