GPs earn 14 per cent LESS than they did in 2008, reveals study

LONDON Oct 9: GPs now earn 14 per cent less than they did in 2008, a study has revealed amid the nationwide shortage of family doctors.
Dwindling numbers have seen the average waiting time for an appointment breach the two-week mark across Britain.

Health leaders have repeatedly blamed the shortage on increasing work pressures, hefty tax bills and an ageing workforce.

But now researchers say the growing workforce crisis is only being worsened by a drop in income across the profession.

GPs earned £115,900 a decade ago, on average. This dropped to £98,300 in 2017, after adjusting for inflation and the fewer number of sessions worked.
The NHS has lost almost 700 GPs in the past three years, figures from NHS Digital show.

A team from University of Manchester analysed surveys taken by doctors between 2007 and 2017.

Up to 1,300 doctors filled in the questionnaire each year. Almost all respondents (96 per cent) reported their income.

National statistics show the average GP income has been fairly stable over the last decade, despite changes to the economy.

Study author Rose Atkins and colleagues found that, after adjusting for inflation, the average GPs income decreased by 12.5 per cent.

The biggest drops in income were recorded by partnered GPs, who are the highest earners because they are a ‘partner’ in their GP practice.

They saw a drop of 15.1 per cent over the decade, from £115,911 in 2008 to £98,373 in 2017.