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GP earnings: govt lies
David Roberts


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Editor's comment:
Readers may recall that less than one week ago there was a government orchestrated media campaign against GPs and their earnings which were said to be increasing from £115,000 a year   As intended by Johnson (Secretary of State) those figures were presented to the "red-tops" and the sycophantic BBC who were delighted to run with the story.  GPs and their BMA representatives were vigorously pilloried.

As the article below, from the NHS Information Centre, sets out, far from being £115,000 and increasing, GP earnings were £104,000 and falling.   There was no evidence for any increase.  Indeed, practice expenses have increased and continue to increase and they are settled from the GP's gross earnings.

Once again, this most untrustworthy of governments has been found guilty of deliberately lying for political ends.

Dispensing doctors' income is said to be £23,000 more than non-dispensing income but it is essential to understand that dispensing doctors perform the duties  and have the responsibilities of both GP and pharmacist.   The average income of a pharmacist is £48,000, so the government is getting dispensing services from GPs at a discount of £25,000 per annum.

In addition to this, there is a considerable saving in drug costs by dispensing doctors.

Yet still the government is set on abolishing the doctor dispensing service!

 
 
Contractor GP earnings dip to £107,667, says report from The NHS
Information Centre
 
The average earnings before tax of contractor GPs dipped to £107,667 during 2006/07, according to figures published today (15 October 2008) by The NHS Information Centre (The NHS IC).
 
An analysis of tax returns for contractor GPs – the majority of GPs in the UK - found that their gross income increased by one per cent to £247,362 during the year.
 
However, the rise was more than offset by the 3.5 per cent increase in the cost of running their practice, with their expenses rising to £139,694 during the year.
 
As a result, average income before tax fell by 2.1 per cent, from £110,004 the previous year.
 
The report presents the initial results of the 2006/07 GP Earnings and Expenses Enquiry and has been agreed by the Technical Steering Committee which includes representatives from the four UK health departments, NHS Employers and the British Medical Association.
 
Because it reflects earnings reported on tax returns, it includes private as well as NHS work and covers both full and part-time contractor GPs.
 
The report shows the average pre-tax income of contractor GPs in 2006/07 varied in the different countries of the UK:
 
£111,566 in England (a decrease of 1.8 per cent)
£93,316 in Northern Ireland (a decrease of 5.4 per cent)
£89,468 in Scotland (a decrease of 1.3 per cent)
£97,772 in Wales (a decrease of 4.3 per cent)
                                                      
Contractor GPs working in practices that dispense prescriptions had an average pre-tax income of £126,996 (a decrease of 0.1 per cent on 2005/06) while non-dispensing GPs had an average pre-tax income of £104,093 (a decrease of 2.4 per cent on 2005/06).
 
The report showed a wide distribution of pre-tax income among contractor GPs.
 
At the lowest end of the scale, six per cent of GPs earned less than £50,000, while at the highest end of the scale, 0.8 per cent earned more than £250,000.
 
 
Also published today is Investment in General Practice, 2003/04 to 2006/07, England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. It is at: www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/investgpreport03-07
 
 
A more detailed report containing information on earnings and expenses of contractor and salaried GPs by age of GP, practice size and location will be published in early 2009, together with final earnings figures for salaried GPs.
 
 
(15/10/08)