How to use AuraLocum as a dental practice

1. 1

   Create your account

   Register with your work email and UK phone number. Choose the practice admin role during sign-up.

2. 2

   Add your practice

   Enter your practice name, address, and postcode. Location is used to match nurses within their travel radius.

3. 3

   Set up billing

   Add a payment card under Billing so you can pay approved timesheets. You are only charged after you approve hours.

4. 4

   Check practice settings

   Under Settings, confirm your practice name and billing address. These details appear on tax invoices when timesheets are paid.

1. 1

   Choose date and times

   Pick the cover date, start and end times (15-minute intervals), and lunch break. Shifts must be at least 4.5 hours.

   • You cannot post cover for dates in the past.
   • Matching uses location and availability — not the exact start time.
2. 2

   Search for cover

   Click “Search for cover”. Matched nurses appear on your results page ranked by distance, with skills, compliance status, reviews, and an all-in cost estimate.

3. 3

   Track on Home

   Recent searches appear below the search panel. Cover status cards (Ready to notify, Awaiting response, Booked) only show when there is something to act on — they stay hidden when counts are zero.

1. 1

   Filter and compare

   Use filters for distance, rating, software fluency, clinical skills, and compliance. Each card shows an all-in hourly rate and estimated shift total; tap for a full cost breakdown including mileage where applicable.

   • VAT in estimates follows your platform billing settings — when VAT is not configured, it is omitted from the breakdown.
2. 2

   Select nurses and send

   Tick the nurses you want to reach — or use “Select all shown” — then click “Send request”. Nurses receive the offer instantly on their mobile feed.

   • You cannot send requests after the shift date has passed.
   • The first nurse to accept fills the shift; other pending offers close automatically.

• Active — searches ready to notify or waiting for a nurse response.
• Filled — upcoming cover already accepted by a locum.
• History — past cover that was completed, unfilled, or cancelled.

Use Requests sent (Outreach) to see every notification you have sent, filter by status (Pending, Accepted, Declined, Expired), and open a nurse’s profile.

1. 1

   Favourites and recent

   Browse Favourites, Recent (nurses who completed shifts with you), or All. Search by name or GDC number.

2. 2

   One-click rebook

   Open the rebook modal, set date and times, and click “Post & notify”. The shift is posted and sent directly to that nurse — no manual selection needed.

• Awaiting review — submitted hours waiting for your decision (24-hour review window before auto-approval).
• Disputed — needs your attention before payment can proceed.
• Ready to pay — approved with a locked payment sheet. Tap Pay, review the confirmation note, then Confirm pay to charge your saved card.
• Paid — completed payments for your records.

Keep your payment card up to date under Billing. A banner appears on Timesheets when approved pay is waiting and your card needs attention.

• Open search — cancel anytime before the date passes.
• Booked shift — you can cancel, but not within the platform’s notice period before start time (typically 18 hours). The assigned nurse is notified in their feed.
• Nurse cancellation request — if a nurse asks to cancel, acknowledge it on the shift detail page so they can book another shift that day.

Late nurse cancellations (within the notice period) are flagged for reliability tracking.