June 2005
It has long been
argued that the guidance on pay for salaried GPs has undervalued what salaried
GPs should be earning. Over the past few years partners have seen huge
increases in their earnings, perhaps in the order of 30% over three years. The
DDRB, on the other hand, has recommended a pay rise of 3.225% in each of the
last three years, and it is the DDRB figures to which most salaried GP
contracts seem to be locked. While we all understand that partners should have
the opportunity to earn more than their salaried GP colleagues, we can see no
justification for this gap to widen.
The GPC is currently
collating data on the increase in the superannuable pay of GP partners for the
April 04-05 financial year, and their current conservative estimate is 10.5%.
Based on this figure, the LMC, DDOC and many locums have increased their fees
by 10.5 for this financial year, and are moving away from using DDRB
recommendations as the basis for increases in fees.
We believe that
salaried GP contracts should move away from locking GPs into pay rises as
recommended by the DDRB, and incorporate a mechanism that sees their pay rise
in proportion with their partner colleagues. The Exeter Sessional GP Group will
take a very dim view of practices that fail to demonstrate they value their
salaried GPs, as a result of not paying them adequately.
Below is a direct
quote from the CEO of the National Association of Sessional GPs:
“The
bottom line is, as with any form of salaried post in any profession, that
whilst there are people prepared to sign these contracts that lock them
into feeble pay and conditions then employers will continue to offer these
contracts. No one has ever forced a GP to sign something that they don't want
to sign. I think the main issue here is allowing those GPs who are looking for
salaried posts to have access to as much info as possible about signing a
contract so that they don't go for such posts. We've got an area at www.nasgp.org.uk/salaried which is designed to help.”
I would thus urge GPs
thinking of signing a contract, or those already in post, to think about what
they feel their value is, and whether or not they are being paid adequately. We
will continue to raise awareness about this issue and campaign on behalf of
Sessional GPs to try and ensure equity for all General Practitioners.
Dr
Dr
Dr
Dr Peter
Kennerley (LMC Representative) ...................................................... Email: peter.kennerley1@btopenworld.com
Dr Liam Kinsella ........................................................................................... Email:
lkinsella@doctors.org.uk