I read Ding, et al's1 paper regarding salaried GPs with interest. There are undoubtedly many salaried GPs happy in their posts, enjoying the lessened responsibility and increased flexibility. The noticeable area which the paper does not discuss, and indeed did not set out to discuss, is that of job satisfaction within salaried GPs. There is evidently a significant subset of salaried GPs who are far from satisfied, feel disempowered, and may feel like mere workhorses to their principals who earn more and may actually have more control over their own working lives.
The habit of replacing retiring partners with cheaper salaried GPs is in danger of creating a two-tiered workforce, with an understandably grumbling underclass.
- © British Journal of General Practice, 2008.
