Partnerships thrive on teamwork and sometimes, partners, like all of us, need to take some time off. Whether it’s welcoming a new baby or recovering from illness, someone has to keep the practice running smoothly.
And that’s when the practical questions come up:
“Who’s paying for the locum?”
"Do I keep my profit share?”
“How long does this cover last?”
Let’s break it down, accurately, clearly, and with a little bit of fun.
For parental leave, sickness, or other covered absences, the practice can claim NHS locum reimbursement. This helps cover the cost of hiring locums, making it easier for everyone to keep the practice running while a partner is away.
The key is agreeing in your Partnership Agreement how locum costs and any reimbursement are applied, so everyone knows what to expect.
For maternity and adoption leave, the NHS will reimburse locum costs for up to 26 weeks. After that, it’s over to the partnership to decide who pays what.
Most practices let the partner keep their profit share for a reasonable period, sometimes up to a year, but the key question is: who covers the locum beyond week 26?
Options include:
the partner paying the extra locum costs out of their share, or
the practice sharing the load (literally and financially).
Either way, this one needs to be written down clearly before anyone’s packing a hospital bag.
Usually shorter and simpler. Locum costs are minimal, and partners often just keep their normal profit share. The goodwill test here? What would you want if you were the one on night feeds.
Yes, there’s NHS sickness locum reimbursement, but it’s capped and doesn’t last forever.
Some practices also have sickness insurance, but whose policy is it?
If it’s a practice policy, make sure you all agree how payouts are used.
If it’s individual, your agreement should say whether the partner keeps the money or contributes it to the practice.
And if your partnership agreement still says a partner must retire after six months’ illness? You might want to update it before someone shouts “disability discrimination!” louder than your last Care Quality Commission inspection.
Some partners dream of a year off to recharge, travel, or finally finish that course.
Here’s the usual setup:
The partner pays for their own locum.
They still get their profit share.
Everyone else tries not to glare when they send beach photos to the WhatsApp group.
Again, write it down. Specify how long they can go for, and how often. Otherwise, “just a few months away” might become “see you in 2027.”
Because training benefits everyone, most partnerships cover reasonable study leave, sometimes with a cap on locum costs or days per year.
The partner keeps their profit share (and ideally brings back something more useful than a nice conference pen).
For the shorter, unexpected absences, whether it’s bereavement, jury duty, or a family emergency, goodwill and fairness should guide the decision. A clear clause helps keep compassion consistent.
Agree who pays for cover, and for how long.
Be clear on profit share during leave.
Decide how NHS reimbursement and insurance are used.
Update old clauses that force retirement after illness.
Keep things fair, because one day it’ll be your turn to need the goodwill.
Leave happens. Babies arrive, people get ill, courses come up, and sometimes everyone just needs a break. The trick isn’t avoiding those things; it’s planning for them.
A watertight Partnership Agreement keeps goodwill intact, the practice running, and friendships surviving beyond the rota.
Contact our Primary Care team on care@porterdodson.co.uk for any advice on this topic.