Locum

LOH-kuhm /ˈləʊkəm/
Neutral Neutral

What it really means

A temporary doctor (or pharmacist) covering for the usual one. Seeing "a locum GP" is completely normal — they are fully qualified.

Chinese explanation
代班医生（或药剂师），临时顶替常驻人员。看到"locum GP"很正常，他们都是有正式资质的医生。

Example conversation

A: Dr Patel is away, so you'll see a locum today. Is that OK? B: That's fine, thank you.
A：Patel医生休假了，今天由代班医生接诊，可以吗？ B：没问题，谢谢。

What you could say back

“That's fine, thank you.”

Related phrases

GP

Official sources

Rules and amounts change — confirm important details with the official source.

Go deeper

Dentists and Opticians in the UK: Costs, NHS Bands and How to Get Seen How the NHS Works: Where to Go When You Are Ill in England Mental Health Support in the UK: Where to Turn and How It Works
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Reviewed by the UK Decoded editorial team · Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake