The average GP earnings decreased by 1.2% in 2015/16 compared to the previous year, according to the latest report published by NHS Digital.
The analysis includes earning and expense data for both full and part-time GPs who were practicing in the UK as either contractors or salaried GPs on that period.
It reveals that the average taxable income of contractors or salaried GPs working in either General Medical Services (GMS) or Primary Medical Services (PMS) practices was £90,100 in 2015/16 compared to £91,200 in 2014/15.
Daniel Vincent, Managing Partner at Ryals Park Medical Centre, said: ‘The report demonstrates that GPs are being asked to dip into their own income in order to deliver the service that their patients need.
‘This is a very disappointing situation that I hope this report will help move this very important issue up the agenda.’
The report showed that contractor GPs earned in average £101,300, a slight drop of 0.5% from 2014/15, compared to £55,800 for salaried GPs, a significant decrease of 1.5% from the same years.
However, GMS contractor GPs had their salary of £99,500 increased by 1.8% in 2015/16 whereas GP working in PMS practices saw theirs, £106,000, fall by 1.9%.
Commenting on the figures, Dr Richard Vautrey, BMA GP committee chair, said: ‘The figures continue a near decade long financial squeeze on GP practices which is leaving many with a demotivated, understaffed workforce that is constantly struggling to deliver safe patient care on inadequate levels of funding.
‘At a time when there is justified and rising anger at the government’s prolonged 1% pay cap policy, GPs have been given a further 1.2% pay cut. It’s no wonder young doctors are not choosing to become GPs, further impacting the workforce crisis in general practice.
In 2016, 92 general practices were forced to close, according to an investigation led by our sister publication Pulse.
‘As the cost of running a local GP service continues to rise well beyond the funding increases provided by the government, it leaves many practices with insufficient funding to cover staffing and building costs, which now account for almost two thirds of most GP practices’ budgets.
‘This situation is exacerbating the wider workforce and workload problems that are undermining general practice throughout England.
‘The government needs to understand it cannot continue down this path and it must immediately implement a wide-ranging plan of investment in general practice before this vital part of the NHS falls further into crisis,’ said Dr Vautrey.
The full report from NHS Digital can be accessed here.
