How much do you think doctors actually get paid?

[Hayley37888]

I find it ridiculous for their level of skills. No wonder they’re leaving for Australia / New Zealand

My friend is the same and he tops it up with bank holiday work as it pays so well (he worked Christmas morning for triple time or something).
He’s a lovely guy but he has no real concept of what is like for others I think though.

How many years training do you think they do before they start work? Do you even know how long they are junior doctors for? I suspect not given that you can barely string a sentence together.

The average salary GPs at my GP practice is 38560. I presume the majority of GPs are part time but it's not great! I have a few GPs in my family none are making 80k for 4 short days unless they are partners.

@Aphrathestorm fo you really not think consultant are deserving of six figure salaries? If we reduce the pay of consultants then I imagine many wouldn't stay in the NHS. It is an incredible amount of stress and responsibility, I certainly wouldn't do it for less than 100k.
I think more and more those bright students will choose careers where you can get too 100k quicker and with less responsibility and stress.

I wonder who those drs working weekends, evenings and nights are then?
Junior drs can do particularly shitty shift patterns.
DH is now a consultant so hours are better although still long and still include nights and weekends as his is an acute specialty. There is a reduction of ridiculous hours as you get more senior however the stresses can multiply especially if you end up with more management responsibilities.

How long do you think a hospital doctor is a junior doctor?

To be fair it doesn't really matter what the public think, if those qualified however aren't happy to do the job for the salary then that's an issue because they will walk away, work privately, move abroad- and it will affect us all.

I think the pay is outrageously low for a JD, especially when you have fees, training, exams, parking, potentionally moving regularly when you rotate- both compared to elsewhere in the world and against people with a similar level of education, let alone taking into account the unique demands and level of responsibility.

Sure as a consultant, which takes many years and many hoops to reach pay compared to others in this country is decent, but compared to many other countries globally its crap. And that's not even mentioning the ridiculous pension changes and whatever else.

The shortages speak for themselves and are only going to get worse. The government instead of addressing it have just been creating the PA role (which is unregulated, no one really knows the scope and of whom get paid more than a qualified doctor at the start of their career which is ridiculous) and employing doctors from abroad.

Lots say about saving the NHS and whatever else, but the most important part are the staff and they're not easily replaceable. Until they are paid fairly we will all suffer if we need to access healthcare. We need to be moving on from the days of simply saying its a vocation, it's a job and these professionals who are highly qualified, have high levels of autonomy and responsibility and work in challenging roles should be paid more. Of course includes other NHS staff too.

The average GP is paid north of £90k and mine drives a Maserati!.

@endofthelinefinally

How long is a piece of string? Personally I was 38 but I had 2 kids during that time. I was later than all of my colleagues who went into hospitals. The GPs were a lot quicker! And now at 43 I’d consider myself well paid. I also do some private work to top up in my specialist area.

It's still 5 years absolute minimum for a GP, doesn't seem overly quick? Let's not even get onto those who go on to anaesthetics.

@Bippetyboppityboob

But most jobs have career progression that allow for salary increases.

I agree that the hours for junior doctors need looking at but Medicine is not a poorly paid career choice overall.

My friend is mid thirties and a consultant. They never work past 5pm. And earn 85k. They are happy with the pay and hours.

This is gross pay: pre-tax, pre deductions such as student loan, pension contribution, parking permit etc. Actual take home pay is a lot less.

www.bma.org.uk/pay-and-contracts/pay/junior-doctors-pay-scales/pay-scales-for-junior-doctors-in-england

Depending on the specialty, once you finish medical school (5-6 years) you’ll be a junior doctor for a minimum of a further 5 years, up to 10 years for certain surgical specialties. Longer if you are “less than full time” (which is often still more than most people’s full time hours). Longer if you take time out for further training, or research (this is mandatory for progression in some specialties) or for maternity/paternity leave. We’re not talking about 23 years olds here, a lot of “junior” doctors will be in their thirties with a mortgage and kids in nursery.

Starting salary for a consultant working a standard, 40 hour week is £88000. It will actually take 9 years for them to edge into a six figure salary, unless they take on extra work or extra responsibilities.

www.bma.org.uk/pay-and-contracts/pay/consultants-pay-scales/pay-scales-for-consultants-in-england

The GPS at my local practice all work part time as its not worth their while working full time due to the amount of tax they would pay. Heard that directly from the practice manager. Not sure how much they are earning. Doctors are perceived to be high earners not sure of the reality.

I don't really feel like that's a true representation tbh. My husbands a Paramedic and gets a far better pay that is talked about plus great pension, increased night pay and overtime opportunities etc etc. A GP friends works about 8am-3:30pm three days office, one day phone and gets around £85k plus pension etc. while we all want more money ultimately it's very limited and the higher you pay people the higher cost of living will become.

I wasn't aware some weren't as well paid. I'd have imagined £80-100k was what a fully qualified, experienced GP would get paid. I know junior doctors aren't paid well but I'd have thought after training they would be!

Wow! 90k AND a Maserati?

This guy/gal must LITERALLY bathe in caviar.

(Brand new Maseratis start at under 60k by the way, which is why your post is even more tragic).

Bullshit! Bullshit! lots and lots of Bullshit!!!!
🤣

In a way it doesn’t really matter if the public think doctors are paid enough. If the game isn’t worth the candle doctors will find other options. And we can see that is what’s happening.

Exactly, it’s supply and demand.

I know junior doctors aren't paid well but I'd have thought after training they would be!

The term junior doctor is very misleading - we aren't talking about 23 year olds just out of university, we are talking about anyone who isn't a consultant (or GP presumably).

It's even worse for vets - everyone thinks vets are paid masses but they are really not, they work long hours and are leaving the profession in droves. We are dreadfully short of vets in the UK and people having to wait weeks for a routine appointment is becoming the norm. And at least doctors don't have patients ranting at them about the costs of healthcare!

Not to mention, Christmas day, Easter day, any holiday you can think of. Extremely common to have to miss important family life events- and even having to actually move from one part of the country to another during training posts- this splits up families, often who have young children- increases their childcare costs and means they have to pay an additional rent on a property in a different part of the country!
As well as paying their GMC costs and paying for their own exams!
No wonder we are in crisis! I wouldn't do it!