How to invoice a pharmacy: what a locum pharmacist invoice must include

As a self-employed locum you are paid when you invoice, not before, so a clear invoice sent promptly is the quickest way to get paid. It also becomes part of your business records for HMRC.

What a locum pharmacist invoice should include

GOV.UK sets out what an invoice must show. For a sole trader locum that means:

• The word "Invoice" and a unique invoice number, in sequence
• Your name, and any business name you use (with an address for legal documents if you use one)
• Your contact details
• The pharmacy's name and address, and the person or department it is for
• The invoice date
• The date of each shift (the date of supply)
• What you are charging for: each shift with its times, hours and rate
• The amount for each line, and the total owed

And, so that you are paid without a chase:

• Your bank details: account name, sort code and account number
• Payment terms: the date it is due, for example 14 or 30 days from the invoice date
• Any booking or purchase order reference the pharmacy or agency gave you
• Your GPhC registration number, which some pharmacies ask for

Show the hours, not just a day rate

Pharmacies check invoices against their rotas. Setting out the times, any unpaid break and the hours avoids queries:

Numbering

Every invoice needs a unique number, and a simple unbroken sequence (001, 002, 003, or 2026-001) makes gaps and duplicates obvious. If you need to correct an invoice after sending it, issue a credit note against it and a new invoice, rather than editing and resending the old one.

When a pharmacy pays late

If you have not agreed payment terms, a business customer's payment is due 30 days after it receives your invoice. After that, the law lets you claim statutory interest of 8% plus the Bank of England base rate, and a fixed sum for the cost of recovering the debt: £40 on a debt under £1,000, £70 up to £9,999.99 and £100 on £10,000 or more. Usually a polite reminder is enough, but it helps to know where you stand.

Keep a record of what is owed

Track which invoices are sent and which are paid, so you notice when something is overdue. Locum Pharmacist raises invoices from the shifts you log, numbers them for you, and shows who still owes you money.