Should GPs give up their independent contractor status?

In a recent article in the British Journal of General Practice, I give the academic perspective on the question of whether GPs give up their independent contractor status. An increasing proportion of GPs are salaried (around 28% in England in 2014), and currently employed on contracts that can vary considerably in salary and employment rights. Medical students and junior doctors who want to pursue a career in specialist medicine know under what terms they are likely to be employed when they become consultants. The same is not true for people who would like to pursue a career in primary care. This uncertainty is one of the factors deterring junior doctors from applying for GP training schemes and for these schemes not meeting their recruitment targets.

You can read the full article in the British Journal of General Practice.

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