Rural doctors earn more

Rural GPs earned an average of over £115,000 before tax last year –around £10,000 more overall than those working in towns and cities, according to new figures from the NHS Information Centre.

GPs earning the most in the country hailed from the East of England, closely followed by those in the East Midlands who both earned over £4,000 more than their London equivalents. Those who earned the least in England comparatively hailed from the South West Strategic Health Authority region. GPs working in rural areas earn an average of £115,309 before tax compared with £105,970 for urban GPs.

The statistics were drawn from an analysis of the tax returns for the contractor general practitioners who make up the majority of all GPs working in the United Kingdom.

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The areas in question are certainly more remote than their urban equals, and the injuries and call-out hours perhaps more diverse when applied to the many branches of farming and animal husbandry. Doctors’ leaders credited the necessity for the extra money to the additional work needed by rural practices to act as dispensaries as well as surgeries.

‘The difference in the earnings between rural and urban GPs is mainly because a greater proportion of rural GP practices also have a dispensary. This essentially means they’re running two businesses,’ said a representative from the British Medical Association (BMA).

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