Locum GPs are being asked to pay a voluntary contribution of £100 a year to help support an LMC’s finances.
Devon LMC medical secretary Dr Mark Sanford-Wood said it was fair to ask for funding from locums because they benefit from multiple LMC services, including pastoral support.
The LMC plans to contact every locum on its database to ask for the contribution every April.
Dr Sanford-Wood said: ‘It is entirely reasonable for Devon LMC to ask locum GPs to make some contribution to the running of these services. There are no statutory mechanisms to achieve this and it is perfectly possible for a locum doctor to ignore the funding questions that are raised.
As a locum myself, I recognise the vast amount of work done by the LMC that directly benefits me in my role of working in practices and out of hours, and I believe I have an obligation to make a small contribution.’
He added: ‘While it is fair that the needs of the profession are funded from the county’s GMS and PMS contracts, it must also be recognised that many of our services exist for the personal benefit of individual doctors.’
