GP practices will see global sum rise ‘by at least 6%’, NHS England said in a primary care bulletin today.
The bulletin also said work is ‘taking place’ in order to update the Statement of Financial Entitlements (SFE) ‘so that the uplift can be passed on to practices as soon as possible’.
It also reiterated the expectation that whatever the final uplift is, it is for pay rises for partners and salaried GPs as well as ‘practice nurses, reception, management and other practice staff’.
The bulletin did not mention ARRS staff as part of the calculations.
It said: ‘Government has accepted the recommendations of the DDRB in full to uplift the pay elements of the practice contract by 6% (a further 4% in addition to the 2% already included in contract funding at the start of 2024/25), which will be backdated to 1 April 2024. The calculations mean global sum will be uplifted by at least 6% in 24/25.
‘The uplift to the global sum is calculated to cover all practice staff – not just GP partners and salaried GPs, which includes practice nurses, reception, management and other practice staff and it is expected that GP partners will honour the intent of this uplift and award the full pay rises to all their staff. Detailed information explaining the calculations of the uplift will be issued to practices shortly.
‘Work is now taking place to update the Statement of Financial Entitlements (SFE), so that the uplift can be passed on to practices as soon as possible.’
A letter from NHSE primary care director, Dr Amanda Doyle, and medical director for primary care, Dr Claire Fuller, had confirmed funding will be given via the global sum last week, however had spoken of the ‘pay element’ rather than overall global sum.
Last year, the DDRB made the same recommendation of 6%, but only to salaried GPs and other practice staff. The final calculation by the Government – criticised by some GPs – was that the pay element excluding partners amounted to 44% of the global sum.
But accountants have indicated that a higher-than-6% uplift to the total global sum will be required to also include partners.
Medical accountant Andy Pow warned using the global sum ‘risks getting it wrong’, especially for partner pay, as it does not take into account all the other practice income streams.
He told Pulse: ‘If you’re going to apply 6% across the board for the year, you have to either up the global sum by more than 6% to counterbalance the income streams you’re not uplifting, or probably more sensibly uplift all income streams by 6% to try and get as close to an uplift of 6% across the board.’
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Not sure that all the current problems in General Practice are down to GP partner take home pay? Average income in 2021/22 was £153,400 for full time contractor GPs – 50% of full time GP partners were earning less than £153,000 but equally half of full time GP partners were earning more than £153,000. a 6% increase in profits will translate into a £9,200 pay increase for average full time GP or average annual income (before tax) of £162,604. Once the GP bashing Daily Wail and Daily Torygraph get hold of those eye watering sums not sure Jo public is going to be particularly sympathetic given the various cuts to benefits and publically funded services that are happening shortly. Torygraph today was calling for an end to public sector including “gold plated” NHS pensions saying they were unaffordable etc etc. Making it harder for patients to see their GPs in time of need is pointing the gun in the wrong direction. The time to have imposed industrial action was when the Tories were in power over the last 14 years – why didn’t the BMA take action then? Too many Tory boys on the GPC? Makes you wonder?
Even during the years of plenty courtesy the Blair government, We never even came close to the above quoted average GP income figures.
Dr Doom, figures are from NHS England website today:
“GP Earnings and Expenses Estimates, 2021/22 presents earnings and expenses information for full and part-time GPs working in the UK as either a contractor or salaried GP during the 2021/22 financial year.
The findings in this report are based upon anonymised tax data from HM Revenue and Customs’ Self Assessment tax records and cover both NHS/Health Service and private income.”
6% increase in global sum does not equate to a 6% increase in income. The global sum forms approximately 2/3rds of the practice income. As all practice expenses over the past year have significantly increased, this global sum increase may, just about, cover a 6% increase for all staff but it is highly unlikely to result in a increase to overall practice profit and therefore partners profit shares.