Female doctors earn £40,000 less than male colleagues due to ‘two-tier’ GP pay gap

Women GPs earn an average of £40,000 a year less than their male colleagues – one of the worst gender pay gaps for any profession.

Researchers largely blame the 35 per cent pay gap on a two-tier system in which more men choose to operate as private contractors with the NHS, running their practice as a business.

The pay disparity can affect GPs of all ages and grades, according to the study by the Institute for Public Policy Research, which was shared with The Independent.

Senior GP Dr Farah Jameel said: “The gender pay gap in this day and age is something that we as a society should be ashamed of, and we need to work harder to examine more closely and address the issues that lead to this in the medical profession.”

On average, a male GP earns an estimated £110,000 a year while their female colleagues earn an estimated £70,000, meaning women earn just 65p for every £1 earned by their male counterparts. For all NHS doctors, not just GPs, the gender pay gap is 17 per cent. The UK average is 16.2.

According to the IPPR report, published today, one major cause is the development of the two-tier model.

A partner GP can earn around £109,000 a year on average, whilst a salaried GP earns on average £58,000 a year. The unequal distribution of men and women in partner and salaried contracts is a clear driver of unequal pay, the IPPR claimed.

Researchers said almost 80 per cent of male GPs are partners, compared with 50 per cent of women.

Dr Jameel, a senior member of the GP committee at the British Medical Association trade union, added: “For many female doctors – many of whom will have family or caring responsibilities – working flexibly is the right thing for them, and salaried roles at present are able to provide a greater control over work-life balance.

“However, partnerships too can offer a great opportunity for flexible ways of working, which could be positive for the recruitment and retention of women, but action must first be taken to reduce the risks that put off GPs of all genders from currently taking on this role.”

GPs have the fifth largest pay gap of any profession in the country and, while more women work part-time, women working full-time are still paid 17 per cent less than men doing the equivalent role.

The IPPR has called on the government to take action to tackle the two-tier system.

Chris Thomas, IPPR research fellow and lead author of the study, said: “The GP pay gap is a shocking indictment of the inequality in medicine, and society more widely. As it stands, the general practice pay gap is the equivalent of a woman GP working for free between the August bank holiday weekend and Christmas. The onus is on government to use their majority to make sure general practice works, fairly, for all our hard-working medical professionals.”

Professor Martin Marshall, chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: “It is vital that women are not limited by glass ceilings and barriers – gender equality must be reflected across the entire profession, including within management and leadership positions, such as practice partnersips, and if such barriers are identified then they must be addressed.”