GP locum late payments: a calm, evidence-led chasing process

Before accepting the session, establish the rate, what is included, any reimbursable costs, the pension position, the legal entity that should be invoiced, the accounts contact and the payment timetable. Ask whether the practice needs a purchase-order number, timesheet or internal approval. Missing one local requirement can leave a correct invoice outside the payment run.

Invoice promptly after the agreed period. A monthly invoice sent several weeks into the next month has already consumed part of your own cash-flow tolerance before the practice starts processing it. Use consistent practice naming and a unique invoice reference so an accounts team can locate it.

Fourteen-day and 30-day terms are common commercial choices, but the correct term is the one agreed for the engagement. Do not place “14 days” on the invoice after informally accepting a practice's 30-day process and expect the document alone to change the agreement.

Write both the terms and calculated due date where possible: “Payment due within 14 calendar days, by 14 July 2026.” This removes disagreements about when the count starts. If a practice only runs payments on set dates, understand that timetable before deciding whether the work suits your cash flow.

Count from the agreed due date, not from the session date. The sequence below is a starting administrative rhythm, not a legal timetable. Adjust it when the practice has acknowledged an error, supplied a payment date or raised a genuine query. Repeated automated messages after a useful response can damage an otherwise good working relationship.

At each stage, attach the invoice, keep the same reference and ask for one specific outcome: confirmation of receipt, a payment date, or the exact issue preventing approval. Keep a dated note of calls and follow them with a short email so both sides have the same understanding.

Start with the accounts or finance contact named by the practice. If there is no response, the practice manager is usually better placed than a general reception inbox to identify a missing approval, purchase-order requirement or payment-run date. The clinician who arranged the session may be able to confirm the work but may not control payment.

Use the minimum necessary information. An invoice reminder should identify the business transaction, not contain confidential patient details. If a federation, PCN, agency or other entity made the booking, confirm which legal entity owes the amount before escalating to the practice.

An undisputed invoice has been accepted in substance but has not yet been paid. The useful question is where it sits in approval and when the transfer will be made. Keep reminders brief and ask for a date. A disputed invoice needs a different process: identify the exact line, session, rate or expense in question and respond with the underlying agreement.

Do not continue sending generic reminders while ignoring a stated dispute. Ask whether the undisputed part can be paid, record any credit or corrected invoice transparently and obtain advice before accepting a material reduction. Preserve the original invoice and the reason for every change rather than overwriting the history.

Send the first message to the known accounts contact and copy the relevant practice contact only where appropriate. Assume an administrative delay, attach the invoice again, and ask for confirmation of the payment date.

If the first reminder receives no useful response, refer to it and request a concrete update. Keep the wording factual. A precise chronology is more effective than a long account of inconvenience.

A final internal reminder should state what is outstanding, summarise previous contact and set a reasonable response deadline. UK rules can permit statutory interest and fixed recovery costs for some late commercial debts, but whether those rules apply and whether to use them depends on the contract and circumstances. Do not add interest automatically or threaten a step you have not assessed. Read the current GOV.UK guidance and seek professional advice before making a formal claim.

Preserve the booking or agreement, the individual session records, rate, expense agreement, final invoice PDF, recipient, sent date, due date, reminders, replies, bank entries and eventual paid date. If the practice disputes a session, keep the clinical scheduling evidence appropriate to the dispute without placing confidential patient data in an invoice file.

Record part-payment explicitly rather than marking the whole invoice paid. Where one bank transfer covers several invoices, create a reconciliation note that identifies the allocation. The objective is for another person—such as your accountant or adviser—to reconstruct what happened without guessing.

airGP can keep generated invoices separated by unpaid, paid and cancelled status. From an invoice record, you can send a payment reminder and review invoice email logs. Once the bank receipt is confirmed, mark the invoice paid with its paid date. This makes a weekly overdue review more reliable than searching an inbox for practice names.

The tools provide evidence and organisation, not debt recovery. airGP does not know whether a practice has a valid contractual dispute, cannot guarantee payment and does not provide legal advice. Use professional support when routine reminders do not resolve the issue.