GP Earnings and Expenses Estimates, 2020/21

Arrangements in place between April 2020 and March 2021 

The Quality Assurance & Improvement Framework (QAIF) payment was provided in full to practices at 31^st Dec 2020.

Certain Enhanced Services (ES) were suspended (other than Care Homes DES and Immunisations) which saw practices paid whichever is higher of a) claim submitted for relevant quarter of financial year 2019/20 or b) payment received for that ES during the financial year 2019/20.

In Wales, Health Boards were formally responsible for delivery of the COVID-19 vaccination programme. Welsh Government official data,  at 16 March 2021, shows that the majority (368) of the 392 active practices in Wales as of 30 June 21 were delivering COVID-19 vaccinations under a PCCIS from their local health board. Although approaches varied by Heath Boards, GP practices were usually vaccinating priority groups 1-5; with the rollout to others being at HB operated Mass Vaccination Centres.

Differences in vaccination programmes account for part of the differences we see particularly between England and Wales – as whilst Welsh practices were heavily involved under the Primary Care Covid Immunisation Scheme, Health Boards were ultimately responsible for the vaccination programme and approaches to the rollout varied between areas, with certain cohorts being vaccinated in non-primary care settings.

A time limited specific Bank Holiday enhanced service set out a model for the provision of General Medical Services during the pandemic, on bank holidays, Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday. Health Boards also had the option to offer the May/August bank holiday periods.

On 6 April 2020, the Welsh Government allocated £20m funding to the 64 primary care clusters. As primary care clusters are composed of all local health and care service providers, this spending was not necessarily allocated towards general practice exclusively. Individual clusters determined how their share of the funding would be used (subject to evidence/spending plans).

The Welsh Government funded the supply of Covid-related PPE to all health and social care settings, including GPs, from the start of the pandemic – this was facilitated by the NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership (SSP).

Expenses for salaried GPs in Wales may have dropped due to reduced travel during 2020-21 (for example because they were consulting remotely) and potentially also as a result of a reduction in personal indemnity fees due to the Welsh state-backed scheme (GMPI)

Table 3.1: GMS contractor GPs - average earnings, expenses and income before tax by dispensing status, Wales, 2019/20 and 2020/21

^Notes:

^{1.Statistical significance relates only to the fact of a year-on-year change in income before tax. See 'Statistical significance explained'.}

^{2. No PMS contracts exist in Wales, so all results shown relate to GMS GPs only.}

^{3. Income before tax estimates have increased each year since 2014/15, while average total expenses have been increasing since the time series began in 2002/03.}

^{4. Results for dispensing GPs are based on a small sample and so should be treated with caution.}

^{5. Average total expenses for non-dispensing GPs are considerably lower than those of dispensing GPs, which is to be expected since the costs for drugs are included in the total expenses estimates.}

Median gross earnings, total expenses and income before tax

Table 3.2: GPMS contractor GPs - median earnings, expenses and income before tax, Wales, 2019/20 and 2020/21

^Note:

^{1. The median figures are all lower than the mean figures in Table 3.1 which indicates that there is a relatively small number of contractor GPs with high earnings increasing the mean figures.}

Breakdown of expenses for contractor GPs

Table 3.3: GMS contractor GPs - breakdown of mean expenses by dispensing status, Wales, 2020/21

^Note:

^{1. Further expenses breakdowns are published in the Excel Time Series, available under Resources on the Overview page.}

Table 3.4: GMS salaried GPs - average earnings, expenses and income before tax, Wales, 2019/20 and 2020/21

^Notes:

^{1. Statistical significance relates only to the fact of a year-on-year change in income before tax. See 'Statistical significance explained'.}

^{2.Though the percentage increases appear large, they are based on a small sample and so should be treated with caution and, in the case of total expenses, equate to a relatively small cash amount.}

Median gross earnings, total expenses and income before tax of salaried GPs

Table 3.5: GMS salaried GPs - median earnings, expenses and income before tax, Wales, 2019/20 and 2020/21

^Note: 

^{1. The median figures are all lower than the mean figures in Table 3.4, indicating that a small number of salaried GPs on high earnings are increasing the mean estimates.}

Table 3.6: GMS combined GPs - mean earnings, expenses and income before tax, Wales, 2019/20 and 2020/21

^Note:

^{1. Statistical significance relates only to the fact of a year-on-year change in income before tax. See 'Statistical significance explained'.}

Median income before tax

Table 3.7: GMS combined GPs - median income before tax, Wales, 2019/20 and 2020/21

^Note:

^{1. As was the case for contractor and salaried GPs separately, the median income before tax estimates are lower than the mean for both years for combined GPs in Wales.}