Queensland Psychiatry Locum Rates Have Changed — What Does It Mean for Your Next Contract?
If you’re considering psychiatry locum work in Queensland this year, the market has changed — and looking at the daily rate alone may not tell you where the best opportunities are.
Queensland Health’s B45 framework influences how contracted locum medical practitioners are engaged, including maximum daily rates, specialist registration loadings, regional loadings and other conditions.
For some psychiatrists, this has made opportunities interstate look more financially attractive.
But there’s another side to the changing market.
As some doctors look outside Queensland for higher rates, competition for certain Queensland locum positions may also change — potentially creating opportunities to access hospitals, locations and contracts that were previously much harder to secure.
That makes understanding what’s happening now particularly important before deciding where to take your next locum.
What is happening to Queensland locum rates?
Under the published Queensland Health B45 framework, Senior Medical Officer locum rates can include a base daily rate of up to $1,980 + GST, with additional loadings potentially applying depending on specialist registration and location.
Regional loadings can vary significantly according to the Modified Monash Model classification, with the published framework providing loadings ranging from 0% for metropolitan MM1 locations through to 30% for very remote MM7 locations.
However, the advertised or published maximum isn't necessarily what an individual doctor will receive.
Qualifications, specialist registration, experience, location, assignment length and the requirements of the hospital can all influence the actual offer.
That’s why comparing two locum opportunities based purely on the headline daily rate can be misleading.
Lower rates could also change competition
This is where the Queensland market becomes more interesting.
When rates change, doctor behaviour changes with them.
Some established locum psychiatrists may decide to pursue higher-paying opportunities interstate.
If fewer doctors are competing for particular Queensland contracts, hospitals or health services that were previously difficult to access may become more achievable for other psychiatrists.
For the right doctor, that could provide an opportunity to establish themselves with a new hospital, build relationships with another clinical team, gain Queensland experience or potentially position themselves for future contracts and extensions.
In other words,
the highest-paying contract today isn't automatically the opportunity with the greatest long-term value.
Look beyond the daily rate
There are several other factors worth considering before accepting or rejecting a Queensland locum.
Travel and accommodation can materially affect the overall value of an assignment. Contract length, roster requirements, location, specialist and regional loadings and the potential for extensions can also change how attractive one opportunity is compared with another.
There can also be exceptions to the standard B45 maximums in certain circumstances.
So instead of simply asking:
“Which state is paying the most?”
It may be more useful to ask:
“Which opportunity makes the most sense for me right now?”
Before you rule Queensland out, get the full picture
If you’re a psychiatrist currently working locum, considering Queensland, or comparing a Queensland opportunity with an interstate contract, now is a particularly important time to understand the market behind the rate.
CC Medical has put together a new
2026 Queensland Psychiatry Locum Market Update covering:
- Current published B45 rates and specialist loadings
- Regional loadings from MM1 through to MM7
- Why changing rates could affect competition for Queensland roles
- Travel and accommodation considerations
- Circumstances where rates may exceed published maximums
- Eight questions to ask before accepting your next contract
- How to assess the total value of a locum rather than the daily rate alone
Download the full Queensland Psychiatry Locum Market Update
If your next psychiatry locum could be affected by the Queensland B45 framework, changing rates or shifting interstate demand, get the latest information before deciding where you work next.
The full visual market update gives you the key information to help you compare opportunities and have a more informed conversation about your next move.
→ DOWNLOAD THE FREE 2026 QUEENSLAND PSYCHIATRY LOCUM MARKET UPDATE
For more information about current psychiatry locum opportunities, contact Olga at olgak@ccjobs.com.au.
This article provides general market information only and should not be relied upon as financial, legal, taxation or employment advice. Rates and contract conditions can change. Always confirm the current terms of an assignment before accepting a position.
Source: Queensland Health,
Contracted locum medical practitioners — Arrangements and conditions, Human Resources Policy B45.
