How to Choose a Locum Agency in Australia | Guide for Doctors & Nurses

What doctors and nurses should look for in a locum agency in Australia, from pay and hospital access to support and reliability

If you’ve spent any time exploring locum work in Australia, you’ve probably noticed how similar many agencies can sound at first.

Most will talk about flexibility, strong networks, competitive rates, and support. On the surface, it can feel like you’re choosing between identical options.

Where the differences tend to emerge is in how those promises are delivered day to day. Speak to doctors and nurses who have done locum work for any meaningful period of time, and you’ll hear a very different perspective.

The differences between agencies are real, and they tend to show up in the details rather than the headlines. Often, it’s not something that’s immediately obvious upfront, but something you come to understand once you’ve worked a few placements.

Choosing a locum agency isn’t just about who helps you secure your next role. It’s about who supports everything around it, coordinating placements, managing logistics, helping you stay compliant, and stepping in when things need attention. Over time, that overall level of support is what shapes your experience.

First, a Reality Check: Most Agencies Offer Similar Pay

One of the first things most doctors and nurses look at is the rate. That’s completely understandable.

What’s less obvious at the start is that, for most locum roles across Australia, especially in the public system, pay rates are largely set or influenced by the hospital or health service. Agencies are generally working within the same frameworks.

That doesn’t mean there are never differences, but they’re usually marginal.

What actually separates agencies isn’t the headline rate. It’s everything around it -

• How organised they are
• How well they communicate
• The quality of the roles they suggest for your preferences
• How they handle credentialing, logistics and support
• How they respond when things don’t go to plan

In other words, the experience. Over time, most clinicians realise that a slightly higher rate doesn’t mean much if the experience around it is difficult.

Access to Public Hospitals: Why Panel Agreements Matter

You’ll often hear agencies mention panel agreements, but it’s worth understanding why they matter.

Public hospitals across Australia typically work with a set list of approved agencies. These agencies have already been vetted and are trusted to supply clinicians.

For you, that usually means smoother access to roles and fewer delays in getting placed. It also reflects how established the agency is within the system. Agencies with broader panel coverage, especially across multiple states, tend to have more consistent access to opportunities.

If you’re considering working across different regions, or even just keeping your options open, this becomes more important over time.

What Is the Agency Actually Known For?

Every agency has a reputation within the healthcare community, whether it’s obvious online or not.

Some are known for filling a high volume of roles quickly. Others are known for being more selective and focusing on long-term relationships with clinicians.

It’s worth taking the time to build a clearer picture of how an agency is perceived, not just through what they say about themselves, but through what you can observe more broadly. This might include reading Google reviews, looking at how they present themselves on LinkedIn, or spending a bit of time on their website to understand what they actually focus on.

Over time, patterns tend to emerge. You might start to notice:

• what other doctors and nurses say about working with them
• whether clinicians tend to return to them
• whether they are known for reliability or simply for being active in the market
• what their point of difference (or USP) really is, beyond general offerings



In locum work, reputation isn’t something that’s built through messaging alone. It’s built through repeated experiences, both from clinicians and from the hospitals they work with.

The Difference Between Being Managed and Being Known

One of the clearer distinctions between agencies is how they work with clinicians over time.

Larger agencies often operate at scale. They may have more roles, but the interaction can feel more process-driven. You might deal with different people depending on the placement.

Smaller agencies tend to work more closely with their clinicians. The communication is more direct, and over time, they develop a clearer understanding of your preferences, what you’re comfortable with, where you like working, and what you’d rather avoid.

Neither model is inherently better, but they create very different experiences.

For clinicians who value consistency, communication, and having someone who understands their situation, the smaller, more relationship-focused model often becomes more appealing over time. For especially those doing locum work regularly, that familiarity becomes one of the most valuable parts of the relationship.

Admin Doesn’t Disappear, But It Should Feel Manageable

There’s no way around it, locum work involves paperwork.

Every hospital has its own processes, its own forms, and its own requirements. Even if you’ve done similar placements before, you’ll often need to submit the same information again in slightly different formats.

Timesheets are another part of this. In most cases, you record your hours, someone within the department signs off, and the agency processes payment from there. It’s not something the agency controls directly, but it’s something they work around.

Where good agencies make a difference is in how they manage all of this in the background and reduce friction.

Instead of leaving you to chase things, they tend to:

• Provide simple online systems and straightforward ways to upload and submit documents, timesheets
• Keep your records organised so you’re not constantly starting from scratch
• Have a dedicated person who follows up on missing items so things don’t stall
• Prompt you when something like references, police checks, AHPRA, or vaccinations need to be updated or renewed

It doesn’t remove the admin entirely, but it makes it feel contained rather than a constant interruption.

Technology in Practice: Keeping Things Simple and Trackable

In the context of locum work, 'Tech' isn’t complex.

It’s about practical things that make life easier for doctors and nurses who already have enough to focus on clinically.

That usually means:

• Being able to upload documents quickly and smoothly without too many emails back and forth
• Knowing what’s outstanding without chasing updates
• Submitting timesheets easily after a shift
• Having fewer repeated requests for the same information

When those small pieces work well, the overall experience feels smoother. When they don’t, it creates unnecessary back-and-forth that adds up over time.

Usually, the best experience comes from a combination of simple systems and process. When combined with a candidate manager who actually keeps track of your file, it makes a noticeable difference over time.

Travel, Accommodation and Logistics: Where the Experience Really Shows

Locum work often takes you away from your usual environment, especially for doctors and nurses working in regional or rural settings.

This is where logistics start to matter more than people expect.

Travel, accommodation, arrival details, who to report to, and what the first day looks like all shape your experience from the moment you arrive. If these aren’t handled properly, it can affect not just your first day, but your confidence stepping into a new environment. These details can either be managed smoothly in the background or become a source of unnecessary stress.

Before the start of your placement, a good agency will typically coordinate the key practical elements, including:

• travel arrangements
• accommodation bookings
• confirming start times, key contacts, and arrival details with the hospital

These aren’t small details. When they’re handled well, everything feels organised, and you’re able to focus on your role from day one.

Thinking Beyond the Next Placement

When you first start locum work, the focus is usually on getting your next role sorted.

But it’s worth thinking a little further ahead.

Does the agency operate nationally? Are they building networks beyond public hospitals into private care? Do they work with both doctors and nurses?



Agencies that are growing in a considered way tend to be better positioned to support you over time, not just for one contract, but as your preferences change.

Ethics and Transparency: Something You Notice Over Time

Not every agency operates in the same way, and this tends to become more obvious the longer you’re in the space.

Sometimes roles are presented before they’re fully confirmed. Sometimes timelines are overly optimistic. Occasionally, there’s pressure to make a quick decision.

On the other hand, some agencies take a more measured approach. They’re clear about what’s confirmed and what isn’t, set clear expectations, and focus on getting the right fit rather than just filling your dates. These agencies prioritise building ongoing relationships rather than quick profit.

It’s not always obvious at the beginning, but over time, it becomes one of the biggest differences in how comfortable you feel working with an agency.

In summary, What Actually Matters?

If you strip it back, a few things tend to make the biggest difference:

• What other clinicians say about the agency
• Whether they are a trusted network and have access to roles across the country
• Whether they prioritise your preferences while filling roles
• How organised they are with admin and communication
• How well they manage travel and logistics
• Whether they are ethical and transparent in how they operate

Those are the factors that shape your experience far more than small differences in pay.

Where Jon & Jon Consulting Fits Into This

At Jon & Jon Consulting, a lot of our approach has been shaped by these realities.

We currently hold panel agreements with public health services across all Australian states, which allows us to provide consistent access to roles nationwide.

As a smaller, specialised agency, we’ve focused on building ongoing relationships rather than just filling individual placements. That means more direct communication, a clearer understanding of each clinician’s preferences, and a more consistent experience over time.

A significant part of the work also sits behind the scenes, coordinating travel and accommodation, keeping track of documentation, and making sure processes like submissions and payments move as smoothly as possible.

We’re also continuing to expand our network across private healthcare and nursing, so we can support clinicians as their careers evolve.

The aim isn’t to overcomplicate things. It’s to make locum work feel organised, predictable, and well-supported.

What Our Doctors, Nurses, and Clients Say

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

Do all locum agencies in Australia offer the same pay?

In many cases, yes. Pay rates are often set by hospitals or health services. The main difference between agencies is how the overall experience is managed.

Can a locum agency reduce paperwork?

They can’t remove it completely, as each hospital has its own requirements. However, good agencies make it easier to manage by keeping things organised and following up where needed.

Do agencies organise travel and accommodation?

Yes, in most cases, where the hospital/health service covers the costs. The level of coordination and support can vary, which is why it’s worth clarifying upfront.

How do I know if an agency is reliable?

The most useful indicators are feedback from other clinicians and being empaneled across health services in all states. This trust is built over time. Consistent experiences around communication, organisation, and support are usually a strong sign.

Have A Question?

If you’re exploring locum work or simply want to understand what options are available, it can be helpful to have a conversation early on.

At Jon & Jon Consulting, we’re always happy to talk through your preferences, answer questions, and give you a clear picture of what’s currently available, with no pressure to commit.

👉 Feel free to reach out to our team to start the conversation.