Other bloggers out there have commented on the media tendency to doctor bashing, and the usual inaccuracy involved. Well the Independent is joining in today having a go at NHS Consultants. Apparently the average salary of an NHS Consultant is £120,900 pa. That is news to me and all the colleagues I have shown this article to today. Now I know we have a pretty good rate of pay but none of those I asked gets more than the top increment of £100,446, and many of them do not even get that. Still we would not want accuracy to get in the way of a good story now would we?
Two weeks to go
3 hours ago
I think they are getting confused between hospital consultants and GP's, they are all the same to journalists. When GP's earn £250,000 - £500,000 it skews the figures. Isn't that right Jobbing Doctor.........?
ReplyDeleteSorry JD, couldn't resist.
Happy New Year to you Dr. Z and all your readers.
Perhaps they've added in the private earnings? And then averaged so that the entrepreneurial consultants who double their NHS wage by doing a lot of private work are averaged in with those who do none?
ReplyDeleteAs you say, the figure does seem a bit unbelievable - rather like the ones that regularly appear about "the average GP" trousering £ 120 K annually.