Primary Care is funded very differently to Secondary Care. GP Practices are businesses owned by a group of GPs who are Partners. GP Practices are not part of Agenda for Change and do not have the same pay structures and salary scales as Secondary Care in the NHS.

New staff can join the NHS Pension scheme, and staff moving from Secondary Care may continue with their NHS Pension. However there is no other continuity of service offered to those from Secondary Care.

GP Practices are contracted to provide a service to the public and have to ensure that the service is properly staffed for all the hours the Practice is open.

Non-clinical staff

Full time working hours are 37 hours per week. The salary for non-clinical staff is nonincremental but the Partners usually award an annual Cost of Living rise in April.

The Practice offers a generous annual leave allowance for non-clinical staff which is 27 days plus all the Bank Holidays within a calendar year (pro rata). The Practice Annual Leave year runs from April to March. After 5 years’ service the annual leave entitlement rises to 29 days plus BHs (pro rata) and after 10 years’ service to 33 days plus BH (pro rata).

Clinical staff

Full time working hours are 37.5 hours per week. The salary for most clinical staff is
incremental and the Partners usually award an annual Cost of Living rise in April. For clinical staff the Annual Leave entitlement is 33 days plus all the Bank Holidays in a calendar year (pro rata). The Practice Annual Leave year runs from April to March.

All staff

The Partners pay for all staff tea and coffee.