Whalley, et al1 report that GP job satisfaction and income have risen. Of their 2005 sample, 0.9% were salaried doctors, a group who make up 17% of the general practice workforce.2 I doubt whether the same level of satisfaction would be found among this group of GPs. Anecdotally, many feel underpaid and undervalued. Prospects for becoming a more autonomous partner are often poor or non-existent. There is a high staff turnover in these positions, which removes much of the continuity of care that for generations has meant so much to doctors and patients alike. This change in workforce composition may come to pose a threat to the nature of British general practice. Many unhappy salaried doctors may come to prefer working for Tesco or United Health rather than serve their more fortunate and more wealthy peers.
- © British Journal of General Practice, 2008.
