Rural NHS doctors are being paid up to £10,000 more than city doctors, new statistics have revealed.
Figures released by the NHS Information Centre showed rural GPs on average earned £115,309 before tax last year, compared with £105,970 for their urban colleagues – but overall doctors’ incomes were decreasing.
Those working in East England earned the most, with an average salary of £118,703. Doctors in the South West had the lowest salaries at £98,356.
A spokeswoman for the British Medical Association said: “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.
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“In general, GP partner income is falling and that’s because practice resources have been frozen for three years, yet expenses, which includes giving staff proper pay rises, have been steadily increasing.”
A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said the government had achieved dramatic improvements in GP services as well as getting better value for money for taxpayers.
