These are similar to 'official' associates but the posts are created especially for that scheme and so terms and conditions of service will vary. See the section on Associates. A Deputy is really any doctor who is acting for a principal. For general medical services a principal is under no obligation to give treatment personally if reasonable steps are taken to ensure continuity of treatment by another doctor, be that a partner, assistant or locum. In this respect most non-principals are deputies.
Principals are responsible for the acts and omissions of any doctor who acts as their deputy.
However, they are not responsible for the acts and omissions of a deputy who is on the list of the same or some other health authority or board. Health authorities have to be told of standing deputising arrangements unless the deputy is an assistant. In general the term deputy has come to mean those doctors to whom out of hours responsibility is transferred. In 1996 principals were able to transfer all or part of their responsibility for out of hours and many have done so. Healthcall is the largest commercial provider of deputies.