Annual pay uplifts

The GPC recommends that all salaried GPs should ensure that they will receive an annual pay uplift (e.g.  in line with the Government's decision on the pay of general practitioners following the recommendation of the Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body as per the model contract or at least in line with inflation).

Salaried GPs may also want to ensure that they receive a separate annual pay increment to recognise and reward your experience. The details of how your annual pay uplift and any other increase will be calculated should be included in the written contract of employment.

Given that salaried GPs are generally regarded as adding to the quality of services provided by practices, this should be taken into consideration when negotiating salary and future uplifts.

Options for achieving this include a percentage increase or bonus payment in addition to the standard annual and incremental uplifts to reflect your contribution to the practice's achievement under the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QoF) and/or other added value that the salaried GP brings to the practice.

We are aware of some employers which have already committed to reward all their staff with a bonus payment in line with the practice's overall achieved or anticipated QOF points.

Note that salaried GPs are not eligible for seniority payments under the Statement of Financial Entitlements (SFE). Under the SFE seniority payments are only paid to GP contractors, not salaried GPs.

Factors to consider when negotiating salary

The following factors may influence your salary:

the length of your previous NHS service (this includes hospital-based work)

the length of your previous GP service (this includes work as a GP locum, GP principal, GP retainer, flexible career scheme GP, salaried GP, etc)

• your qualifications (eg MRCGP or specialist accreditation)
• the type of work which you have previously undertaken
• the type of work which you will be required to undertaken in the salaried GP post
• the hours of work and the composition of your job plan in the salaried GP post
• whether you will be required to work any additional hours or sessions, for example to cover absent colleagues, possible teaching sessions or to attend practice meetings if held outside your normal working hours
• whether you will be required to undertaken any out-of-hours work
• whether mileage incurred as part of duties is taken into account
• whether additional expenses incurred by you are taken into account, for example medical defence organisation subscriptions, BMA and/or Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) membership fees, use of mobile phone whilst working
• whether your employer contributes to the LMC levy. If so then you are an LMC member. If the employer does not contribute, then you may be required to make an individual membership payment to the LMC in order to be a member, and this should be taken into account when negotiating your salary.
• whether you will receive paid study leave
• whether you will receive protected and paid time for continuing professional development during normal working hours
• market forces (ie the demand for salaried GPs in the area, as well as the supply of potential salaried GPs)
• the cost of living in the area
• whether you will receive a bonus payment, and if so how much
• by what method your salary will be increased each year and the amount that you are likely to receive.

Given that every GP has different experience and every post has a different set of requirements and job specification, it is impossible for us to advise you on the exact salary that you can expect to achieve. Nonetheless we would strongly advise you not to undersell yourself and to weigh up different offers before making your final decision.

As stated above, the salary of full-time GPs employed by a GMS practice or a PCO must not be below, but can be above, the basic salary range. We recommend that PMS and APMS salaried GPs also do not accept less than this basic minimum salary.

Salaried GPs may be able to join the NHS superannuation scheme. Check that your employer is recognised by the Pensions Agency as an 'NHS Employer'.