Doctors’ salaries in the United Kingdom are among the most generous in the world, and they are set to increase in 2020. This is great news for medical professionals and their families, who can enjoy a comfortable lifestyle without having to worry about money. However, it’s important for doctors to keep an eye on their expenses, as well as their income.
According to a recent study conducted by Glassdoor, in which they surveyed 400 doctors from across the UK, the average annual salary for a doctor is £77,000 (approximately US$102,000). This includes bonuses and overtime pay.
The average hourly wage for a doctor is £40 ($55) per hour. Doctors working in primary care earn an average of £40 per hour while those working in secondary care earn an average of £42 per hour. Those working as specialists earn an average of £44 per hour.
Medical Doctors Salary In Uk
Average Doctor Salary in the United Kingdom
Doctor salary in the UK ranges from 61,300 GBP, being the lowest salary to 282,000 GBP, being the highest salary. An average doctor’s salary in the UK is around 76,300 GBP per year. This average annual salary includes transport, housing, and other benefits. A doctor’s salary in the United Kingdom also varies with the speciality and role in the career in the UK.
An experienced doctor in the UK can earn up to 121,300 GBP per year. Doctors with experience of about 20 years or more can earn up to 143,200 GBP. An MBBS doctor’s salary in the UK per month can range from 2,560 GBP, being the lowest salary to 9,750, being the highest.
Pay Banding
The given salaries in the article are the base salaries that can vary depending on the number of extra hours the doctors work or the additional responsibilities they take up. Pay Banding is a way of calculating the pay for overtime. If a doctor has worked more than their designated 40 hours per week, they are eligible to receive a pay supplement or additional pay on their pay scale in addition to basic income.
Doctor Salary Distribution in the United Kingdom
The median salary of doctors in the United Kingdom is around 160,000 GBP per year. This means 50 per cent of the people working as doctors in the UK earn less than 160,000 while the remaining 50 per cent of the people earn more than 160,000 GBP.
- Over 25% of people working as a doctor in the UK earn less than 99,600 GBP while 75% of the doctors earn more than 99,600 GBP.
- Over 25% of people working as a doctor in the UK earn more than 212,000 GBP.
- The average doctor’s salary in the UK per month is around 4,400 GBP.
Doctor Salary in the UK as Per the Speciality
Doctor Salary in the UK also varies with their speciality which includes General practitioners (GP), doctors in training, consultant, and speciality doctors. The difference in the salary of a doctor in the UK based on their speciality is as follows:
- Advanced Nutrition Aide – Average 104,000 GBP per year
- Advanced Practice Provider – Average 101,000 GBP per year
- Allergist – Average 130,000 GBP per year
- Behavioral Health Specialist – Average 80,200 GBP per year
- Chiropractor – Average 88,000 GBP per year
- Clinical Psychologist – Average 222,000 GBP per year
- Correctional Treatment Specialist – Average 129,000 GBP per year
- Counselling Psychologist – Average 177,000 GBP per year
- Dermatologist – Average 223,000 GBP per year
- Dietitian – Average 134,000 GBP per year
- Doctor – Average 180,000 GBP per year
- Emergency Department Physician – Average 154,000 GBP per year
- Exercise Physiologist – Average 167,000 GBP per year
- Forensic Pathologist – Average 198,000 GBP per year
- General Medical Practitioner – Average 138,000 GBP per year
- Genetic Counselor – Average 119,000 GBP per year
- Internist – Average 225,000 GBP per year
- Interventionist – Average 222,000 GBP per year
- Invasive Cardiologist – Average 276,000 GBP per year
- Paediatrician – Average 175,000 GBP per year
- Physical Therapist – Average 118,000 GBP per year
- Physical Therapy Director – Average 140,000 GBP per year
- Physician – Anesthesiology – Average 242,000 GBP per year
- Physician – Cardiology – Average 267,000 GBP per year
- Mental Health Therapist – Average 131,000 GBP per year
- Obstetrician / Gynecologist – Average 190,000 GBP per year
- Ophthalmologist – Average 156,000 GBP per year
- Optometrist – Average 153,000 GBP per year
- Naturopathic Physician – Average 222,000 GBP per year
- Neurologist – Average 214,000 GBP per year
- Neurophysiology Technologist – Average 61,800 GBP per year
- Occupational Health Safety Specialist – Average 102,000 GBP per year
- Nuclear Medicine Physician – Average 184,000 GBP per year
- Vision Rehabilitation Therapist – Average 120,000 GBP per year
- Urologist – Average 255,000 GBP per year
- Skin Care Specialist – Average 109,000 GBP per year
- Registered Respiratory Therapist – Average 115,000 GBP per year
- Psychologist – Average 193,000 GBP per year
- Psychiatrist – Average 183,000 GBP per year
Most overseas doctors start their medical career in the UK in a trust doctor role for a fixed term before they take up the training position. It is also referred to as the service post. The service posts include consultant, SAS doctor, or Trust doctor posts that are equivalent to ST1/2, FY2, and ST3+. As per the NHS Trust, the average salaries of doctors for the progression posts given on the NHS Employers Website are:
Doctors in Training
As a doctor in training, an individual can earn a basic salary by working up to 40 hours per week and is also paid for the additional working hours or overtime. 37% more on basic pay is provided for nights; a weekend allowance is given for the weekend work. Doctors in training include doctors in F1 and F2 and the doctors in specialist training.
- FY1 and FY2 – In the post of the most junior trainee or junior doctor in a hospital of Foundation Year 1 (F1), the average annual salary can be 29,384 GBP which can increase to 34,012 GBP in the second year (F2).
- Specialty Registrar or Specialty Doctor (StR) (Core Training) – A speciality registrar or a doctor in speciality training can earn a basic salary of 40,257 GBP to 58,398 GBP.
Consultants
Consultants in UK can earn from 84,559 GBP to 114,003 GBP per year. They are also compensated for additional duties and are eligible for clinical excellence awards. Consultants can also do private practice in addition to their work.
MBBS Doctor Salary in the UK Per Month
An MBBS doctor in the UK can earn a monthly salary as follows:
- A trainee doctor can make up to 1,820 GBP per month.
- An experienced MBBS doctor’s salary in the UK per month can be 6,640 GBP.
- The average MBBS doctor’s salary in the UK per month is about 4,400 GBP.
Doctor Salary in the UK by Years of Experience
The number of years of experience is an important factor in determining a person’s salary. Naturally, the more years of work or job experience you have, the higher your wage will be as you will be more eligible for higher-level roles in an organisation.
- Doctors with less than two years of experience can earn about 56,700 USD per year.
- A doctor with an experience level of two to five years can earn about 32% more than the juniors and freshers across all disciplines and industries.
- An experience level ranging from five to ten years can make a doctor eligible to earn about 36% more than one with 2 to 5 years of experience.
- Doctors with ten years of work experience see a 21% salary hike and a 14% hike for the ones with around 15 years of work experience.
Top Companies for Doctors in the UK
Some of the top companies, hospitals, or organisations for doctors in the UK are as follows:
- Ryminster Medical Services – 117,285 GBP
- Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust – 93,058 GBP
- Cygnet Health Care – 81,893 GBP
- King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust – 80,511 GBP
- St Andrew’s Healthcare – 80,000 GBP
Highest Paying Cities for Doctors in the UK
Some of the highest paying cities for doctors in the United Kingdom are:
- London – Average 203,000 GBP per year
- Leeds – Average 201,000 GBP per year
- Sheffield – Average 200,000 GBP per year
- Birmingham – Average 200,000 GBP per year
- Bristol – Average 197,000 GBP per year
- Leicester – Average 194,000 GBP per year
- Kingston upon Hull – Average 190,000 GBP per year
- Coventry – Average 190,000 GBP per year
- Bradford – Average 189,000 GBP per year
- Glasgow – Average 186,000 GBP per year
- Derby – Average 185,000 GBP per year
- Brighton – Average 184,000 GBP per year
- Cardiff – Average 182,000 GBP per year
- Edinburgh – Average 181,000 GBP per year
- Belfast – Average 176,000 GBP per year
- Liverpool – Average 165,833 GBP per month
- Exeter – Average 143,333 GBP per month
Doctor Salary in the UK by State
The average salary of a doctor in the United Kingdom-based on the state they are practising in is as follows:
- England – 317,000 GBP per year
- Scotland – 234,000 GBP per year
- Wales – 159,000 GBP per year
- Northern Ireland – 152,000 GBP per year
Career Paths for a Doctor in the UK
The career pathway for a doctor in the UK is as follows:
1. After graduating from medical school, a doctor in the UK has to undergo two years of foundation year training, known as FY1 and FY2.
2. After the foundation training, the doctors have to complete core training which generally takes 2 to 3 years.
3. Then they have to do registrar training or speciality training, which is an additional training of 3 to 4 years based on the chosen speciality.
4. After all this training, the doctors can become consultants.
Most common Benefits for Doctors in the UK
Some of the most common benefits guaranteed to UK doctors are:
- Paid annual leave + 8 days of bank holidays
- Paid study leave
- Study budget
- Part-time training
- Health insurance
- Pension scheme
- Dental and optical insurance
Conclusion
The average doctor’s salary in the UK is about 57 per cent more than other jobs in the Health and Medical sector. The doctors working in the public sector can earn approximately 4 per cent more than those in the private sector. In addition to the fixed-job hours, doctors can also take up extra shifts and hours, mostly known as locum shifts or duties, to earn more supplement income on top of your basic pay.
General practitioners in the UK can work as independent consultants, who run their businesses working as a partner GP, or they can work in primary care organisations. The average salary for GP partners is £103,800. You can also opt for an advanced doctorate degree or PhD in medicine in a specialised field to advance your career and get a boost in terms of benefits and salaries.
