RX-78 said:
I rather fear that the previous government perceived doctors to be a powerful body and thence a potential threat. Reducing public repect for us was simply a part of the process of systematically undermining our profession. I remember clearly the front page headline about UK GPs receiving £250K pa from the poor old British tax payer. The detail of the article omitted to mention there were only three UK GPs receiving this salary, and all had multiple areas of additional skills and interests leading to their increased income (minor ops, etc).
Nonetheless, the remuneration per hour actually worked for a GP who has just completed GP training is certainly far greater than that of a hospital-based trainee who graduated on the same day. Similarly, when comparing the number of hours worked each week by my university class mates who are GPs with those that I actually work, there is a significant difference. However, I could have chosen to be a GP, just as I could have chosen to pursue a career as a banker. I am a surgeon because I love the work I do, and entered higher surgical training with clear knowledge of the work ethos and pay structure. One day in the distant future, insurance companies and government waiting lists permitting, I might be able to enter the dog-fight of private practice and earn just enough dosh for a supercharger
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