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• General practice doctor: Salary and conditions

General practice doctor: Salary and conditions

• Junior doctors in their first year of postgraduate foundation training earn a basic salary and are also usually paid a supplement or banding according to the rotation. This is based on the intensity of work and the hours worked over 40 per week. This may amount to an average salary of £33,000 in the first year. In their second year, they can earn up to £41,000, including the supplement.
• Doctors in GP training earn between £43,000 and £68,000.
• Salaried GPs earn between £53,000 and £80,000.
• GPs who are self-employed and hold NHS contracts can expect to earn between £80,000 and £120,000, depending on the services they provide and how they choose to provide them (all salary data collected Sep 09 from NHS Careers ).
• Typically, a GP should be available to hold morning, afternoon and/or evening surgeries (usually eight surgeries a week) between 8.00am and around 6.30pm. Recent government initiatives have seen GPs agree to open surgeries on two extra out-of-hours sessions per week. This may mean the surgery is open until 8.00pm on certain evenings or on a Saturday morning.
• GPs also make home visits when patients are unable to attend the surgery.
• Some GPs work 'out of hours' (on-call work) and during weekends and/or public holidays.
• The majority of GPs are independent contractors, so the European Time Directive limiting the number of hours employed staff (particularly junior doctors) can work does not apply, although the Directive does apply to other practice staff.
• Many GP practices offer opportunities for part-time work or flexible working schedules. There is also a national scheme, the Flexible Careers Scheme (FCS) for Doctors , part of the Improving Working Lives for Doctors initiative and managed by NHS Professionals , which aims to help doctors maintain their careers through the creation of centrally-funded part-time posts. 
• Career breaks are possible, with return facilitated by ‘retainer’ or ‘returner’ schemes.
• More than half of GPs are women and the Medical Women's Federation  works for the provision of needs particularly felt by women in the profession.
• GPs are recognised and respected members of the community.
• Travel during the day within the locality to visit patients is a common feature of the work.

AGCAS

Written by Christine Waddelove, The University of Liverpool

Last updated:

October 2009

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