GENERAL PRACTITIONERS
Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average annual salary of a general practitioner was in each of the last 15 years for which figures are available. [201957]
Dr Poulter, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health: The requested information is contained in the following table. When interpreting the figures, it is important to note that the nature of general practitioner (GP) contracts and their work has also changed over time. Since the start of the new General Medical Services contract in 2004-05, there have been some major changes to income, workstreams and investment in general practice.
The table is presented in cash terms of income before tax of contractor GPs across all contract types. This excludes expenses. Taxable income before pension contributions are deducted, made up of gross earnings less total expenses, also known as net income.
| Contractor GPs: mean average income before tax in cash terms | |||
| Income by contract type (£) | |||
| General Medical Services | Personal Medical Services GPMS | (combined GMS and PMS) | |
| 1997-981,2 | 51,623 | — | — |
| 1998-993 | 51,455 | — | — |
| 1999-2000 | 57,620 | — | — |
| 2000-01 | 64,040 | — | — |
| 2001-02 | 66,114 | — | — |
| 2002-03 | 69,771 | — | — |
| 2003-04 GB | 77,597 | — | — |
| 2003-04 UK | 77,152 | — | — |
| 2004-054,5,6 | 96,322 | 110,164 | 100,170 |
| 2005-06 | 106,312 | 120,272 | 110,004 |
| 2006-077 | 103,530 | 118,499 | 107,667 |
| 2007-08 | 100,324 | 116,059 | 106,072 |
| 2008-098 | 99,200 | 116,300 | 105,300 |
| 2009-10 | 100,400 | 115,300 | 105,700 |
| 2010-11 | 99,000 | 113,400 | 104,100 |
| 2011-12 | 98,300 | 111,600 | 103,000 |
| 1 There was no enquiry in 1997, due to the change to self assessment of tax liability. Income tax for the self-employed changed from assessment on prior year earnings to current year earnings. Estimates of earnings and expenses were therefore taken together in 1995-96 and 1996-97. 2 The Inland Revenue changed the treatment of capital allowances in calculating tax liability for 1996-97 as part of the move from tax assessment based on prior year earnings to current year earnings. Figures relating to years between 1995-96 and 1997-98 have been adjusted to put them on a comparable basis with previous years. 3 Figures from 1998-99 onwards are not adjusted in respect of the changed treatment of capital allowances in calculating tax liability in 1996-97. Therefore they are not on a comparable basis with previous years. 4 From 2004-05 onwards, results are at UK (England, Scotland Wales, Northern Ireland) level. Prior to this, they were published at GB (England, Scotland, Wales) level. 2003-04 results are given at both GB and UK level to illustrate the small effect of this transition on the figures in that year. 5 The first wave of PMS pilots started in April 1998 beginning a downward trend in the numbers of GMS GPs, and corresponding upward trend in PMS GPs. 6 Data from 2004-05 onwards exclude an estimate of employer’s superannuation contributions for the tax year, to make the figures comparable with previous years. 7 Due to a data quality issue regarding the GMS/PMS markers in 2006-07 comparisons of income and expenses between contracts in this year should be made with a degree of caution. 8 Figures from 2008-09 onwards are rounded to the nearest £100 9 Data is for Contractor GPs only. Notes: 1. Information from the Health and Social Care Information Centre GP Earnings and Expenses Report 2011-12 tables 36, 37 and 38 which also include real term equivalent amounts, expenses and gross earnings. 2. Definitions: General Medical Services (GMS): A GMS practice is one that has a standard, nationally negotiated contract. Within this, there is some local flexibility for GPs to 'opt out' of certain services or 'opt in' to the provision of other services. Personal Medical Services (PMS): The PMS contract was introduced in 1998 in England and Scotland (as in the Section 17c agreement) as a local alternative to the national GMS contract. PMS contracts are voluntary, locally negotiated contracts between PCOs and the PMS Provider, enabling, for example, flexible provision of services in accordance with specific local circumstances. New GMS contract (nGMS): The new General Medical Service contract was designed to improve the way that Primary Medical Care services (GMS, PMS, APMS and PCTMS) were funded and to allow practices greater flexibility to determine the range of services they wish to provide, including through opting out of additional services and out-of-hours care. The nGMS contract was fully in place in 2004-05. 3. GPMS: GPMS results are those of GMS and PMS GPs put together. 4. Income before tax: Taxable income before pension contributions are deducted, made up of gross earnings less total expenses, also known as net income. | |||
Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average age of a general practitioner was in each of the last 15 years for which figures are available. [201958]
Dr Poulter: The requested information is contained in the following table.
| Total general practitioner (GPs) (excluding retainers and registrars) | Average age of GPs (excluding retainers and registrars) | |
| 1999 | 28,467 | 45.1 |
| 2000 | 28,593 | 45.5 |
| 2001 | 28,802 | 45.7 |
| 2002 | 29,202 | 45.8 |
| 2003 | 30,358 | 45.9 |
| 2004 | 31,523 | 46.0 |
| 2005 | 32,738 | 46.2 |
| 2006 | 33,091 | 46.3 |
| 2007 | 33,364 | 46.4 |
| 2008 | 34,010 | 46.7 |
| 2009 | 35,917 | 46.5 |
| 20101 | 35,120 | 46.6 |
| 20111 | 35,415 | 46.7 |
| 20121 | 35,527 | 46.7 |
| 20131 | 35,561 | 46.6 |
| 1 The new headcount methodology is not fully comparable with data for years prior to 2010, due to improvements that make it a more stringent count of absolute staff numbers. Headcount totals are unlikely to equal the sum of components. Further information on the headcount methodology is available in the Census publication. Note: GP data as at 30 September for each year except in 1999 when GP figures as at 1 October. | ||
Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the number of general practitioners per 1,000 head of population was in each of the last 15 years for which figures are available. [201959]
Dr Poulter: The requested information is contained in the following table.
| General practitioners (GPs) per head of population in England 1999-2013 | ||||
| All GPs-hadcount1 | Per 1,000 head of population-headcount | All GPs-full time equivalent1 | Per 1,000 head of population-full time equivalent | |
| 1999 | 30,959 | 0.634 | 28,354 | 0.581 |
| 2000 | 31,369 | 0.640 | 28,544 | 0.582 |
| 2001 | 31,835 | 0.647 | 28,854 | 0.586 |
| 2002 | 32,292 | 0.653 | 29,155 | 0.590 |
| 2003 | 33,564 | 0.676 | 30,084 | 0.606 |
| 2004 | 34,855 | 0.698 | 31,021 | 0.621 |
| 2005 | 35,944 | 0.716 | 31,901 | 0.636 |
| 2006 | 36,008 | 0.712 | 33,384 | 0.660 |
| 2007 | 36,420 | 0.715 | 33,731 | 0.662 |
| 2008 | 37,720 | 0.734 | 34,043 | 0.663 |
| 2009 | 40,269 | 0.777 | 36,085 | 0.696 |
| 20102 | 39,409 | 0.755 | 35,243 | 0.675 |
| 20112 | 39,780 | 0.756 | 35,319 | 0.671 |
| 20122 | 40,265 | 0.758 | 35,871 | 0.675 |
| 20132 | 40,236 | 0.752 | 36,294 | 0.678 |
| 1 All GPs includes GP providers, salaried/other GPs, GP Registrars (trainers) and GP retainers. 2 The new headcount methodology is not fully comparable with data for years prior to 2010, due to improvements that make it a more stringent count of absolute staff numbers. Headcount totals are unlikely to equal the sum of components. Further information on the headcount methodology is available in the Census publication. Notes: 1. GP data as at 30 September for each year except in 1999 when GP figures as at 1 October. 2. Office for National Statistics mid-year population estimates used are the latest available at the time of the relevant GP Census, and are always a year behind the GP figures. So, 2013 GP figures use mid-year 2012 population estimates, 2012 GP figures use mid-year 2011 population estimates etc. Sources: The Health and Social Care Information Centre General and Personal Medical Services Statistics Office for National Statistics: Mid-Year Population Estimates | ||||
Nicholas Soames: ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average weekly hours worked by each full-time general practitioner was in each of the last 15 years for which figures are available. [201961]
Dr Poulter: The requested information is not collected centrally.
Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to introduce charges for general practitioner appointments; and if he will make a statement. [201962]
Dr Poulter: The Government believes that the national health service should be free at the point of use and there are no plans to introduce charges for general practitioner appointments.
Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to improve the service provided by general practitioners; and if he will make a statement. [201964]
Dr Poulter: The Department has recently set out its ambitions for primary care in publishing Transforming Primary Care. A copy has been placed in the Library. The changes to the general practitioner (GP) contract for this year will help ensure that patients aged over 75 and those with the most complex needs receive more personalised and proactive care.
The Government has also invested £50 million, through the Prime Minister’s Challenge Fund, to develop new ways of improving access to GP services.
The Department has recognised the need to increase the GP work force and between September 2010 and September 2013, the number of full time equivalent GPs has risen by 1,051. Additionally, the Department has included in the Health Education England (HEE) mandate a requirement that
“HEE will ensure that 50% of trainees completing foundation level training enter GP training programmes by 2016”.
Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average number of daily patient consultations per general practitioner was in each of the last 15 years for which figures are available. [201967]
Dr Poulter: Data are not held centrally on the average number of daily patient consultations per general practitioner (GP) for each of the last 15 years.
However, some information about trends in consultation rates in general practice was published in 2009 (‘Trends in Consultations Rates in General Practice—1995-2009’). More recent data than these are not available.
The data includes consultations by nurses and other clinicians, as well as GPs.
| Estimated numbers of consultations for a typical practice in England, 1995-96 to 2008-09 | ||||
| Financial year | Crude estimated number of consultations for a typical practice in England | Median practice estimates | Lower quartile | Upper quartile |
| 1995-96 | 21,300 | 22,000 | 17,900 | 25,700 |
| 1996-97 | 21,600 | 22,600 | 17,800 | 25,900 |
| 1997-98 | 22,600 | 23,300 | 18,800 | 27,400 |
| 1998-99 | 22,600 | 23,300 | 18,400 | 27,600 |
| 1999-2000 | 22,900 | 23,500 | 18,800 | 27,800 |
| 2000-01 | 24,500 | 25,100 | 20,200 | 29,900 |
| 2001-02 | 25,400 | 25,900 | 21,200 | 30,600 |
| 2002-03 | 26,500 | 26,900 | 22,700 | 31,500 |
| 2003-04 | 28,200 | 28,400 | 23,900 | 32,900 |
| 2004-05 | 30,400 | 30,000 | 26,100 | 35,000 |
| 2005-06 | 32,200 | 31,900 | 27,500 | 37,100 |
| 2006-07 | 33,000 | 32,700 | 28,400 | 38,200 |
| 2007-08 | 33,400 | 32,900 | 28,400 | 38,300 |
| 2008-09 | 34,600 | 34,100 | 29,600 | 39,300 |
| Source: Table 8, Trends in Consultation Rates in General Practice—1995-2009, QResearch and Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) | ||||
| Estimated proportion of patients seen by GPs, nurses and by other clinicians, 1995-96 to 2008-09 | |||
| Percentage | |||
| Financial year | GPs | Nurses | Other clinicians |
| 1995-96 | 75 | 21 | 3 |
| 1996-97 | 74 | 22 | 4 |
| 1997-98 | 72 | 23 | 4 |
| 1998-99 | 71 | 24 | 5 |
| 1999-2000 | 70 | 26 | 5 |
| 2000-01 | 68 | 27 | 5 |
| 2001-02 | 67 | 29 | 5 |
| 2002-03 | 66 | 30 | 4 |
| 2003-04 | 65 | 31 | 4 |
| 2004-05 | 63 | 33 | 4 |
| 2005-06 | 62 | 34 | 4 |
| 2006-07 | 62 | 34 | 4 |
| 2007-08 | 62 | 34 | 4 |
| 2008-09 | 62 | 34 | 4 |
| Source: Table 4, Trends in Consultation Rates in General Practice—1995-2009, QResearch and Health and Social Care Information Centre | |||