I'm a doctor, qualified 10 years (6 years at med school before that), but not massively high up the 'ladder' due to a slightly unconventional direction around training. I get £19.30 per clinical hour. I say clinical because we have quite a few things that we do in our own time that we're not paid for; audits, quality improvement projects, preparing presentations for doctor teaching/case presentations for MNM meetings, teaching med students, maintaining portfolio, additional simulation training for operative techniques in the skills lab, exam prep, supervisor meetings, reading quidelines, attending conferences, creating patient information leaflets. If you included all of the time doing these the 'hourly rate' would be less.
I also get an annual percentage increase based on working weekends/nights but this is much less than it used to be, since the new contract.
I pay £420 per year to the GMC, £618 per year royal college membership, £79 indemnity fees, £479 BMA (I'm doubting retaining this), £55 per month for a parking space in the multi-story that's often not available. Recently paid £400 to renew my advanced life support training. Will be sitting an exam for £500 in Jan (1 of 3 each is more expensive than the last with a low pass rate). I currently commute 1-2hours each way to work as I was recently rotated to the hospital that's furthest away from me in my deanery.
Light at the end of the tunnel - I'll be paid more eventually when I'm a consultant, if I get there.
DH gets paid considerably more than I do for much less time and effort. I however, have a more interesting and enjoyable job and I wouldn't swap with him to spend my days in front of a computer screen.
I'm not sure it's helpful making comparisons between professions, rather to compare the fact that as nurses, you've had a real terms paycut over the decades despite increasing skills and pressures. I will be fully supporting my nursing colleagues when they strike.