HSC Northern Ireland - Doctors' Pay Scales Explained
- May 22, 2023
Understanding your NHS job's salary is essential for overseas doctors new to the UK and Northern Ireland in particular.
Doctors are a fundamental part of delivering high quality patient care within HSC Northern Irelandand as such, they are rewarded with competitive pay rates and benefits.
NHS pay scales can be confusing, particularly for overseas doctors.Here we hope to provide some clarity to help you understand the NHS grades and how they fit on the various NHS pay scales in Northern Ireland.
In this article wewill take a look at the following topics:
- Typical NHS doctor’s salary in Northern Ireland
- Specialist Training (ST1 – ST8)
- Specialty Doctor
- Associate Specialist
- Consultants
- Where do I fit on the pay scale?
- Doctors in training pay scale
- Specialty Doctor Pay Scale
- Specialist Grade Pay Scale
- Consultant Pay Pcale
Skip ahead to the relevant section if you know what you're looking for.
Trust doctor jobs andIMGs' pay
It is important to note that the majority of overseas doctors will start their career in the UK in a fixed-term Trust doctor role (also known as a service post), before taking up a training position. Doctors across all grades can enter a service post, which is to say that they are not in training or entering specialty training.
As such, most of our adverts for fixed term or permanent posts will be service jobs, these are usually SAS doctor, consultant, SHO or Trust doctor posts at the equivalent of FY2, ST1/2, ST3+.These can be attractive due to the improved salaries that can be negotiated for fixed term contracts, based on experience and demand.
The pay scales that we have included in this article are to be used as a guide or starting point for negotiating your Trust doctor role (or service post).
Typical NHS doctor’s salary in Northern Ireland
FY1 & FY2
In the most junior hospital trainee post of Foundation Year 1 (FY1) your basic salary is £26,713. In year two this increases to £33,133.
As a doctor in training you will earn a basic salary for 40 hours per week, plus pay for additional hours worked, 37% enhancement for nights, weekend allowance for weekend work, on call allowance and other possible pay premiums.
SpecialistTraining (ST1 – ST8)
If you are a doctor starting your specialist training, your basic salary starts at £35,405 and can progress to £46,842.
As a doctor in training you will earn a basic salary for 40 hours per week, plus pay for additional hours worked, 37% enhancement for nights, weekend allowance for weekend work, on call allowance and other possible pay premiums.
Specialty Doctor
Specialty doctors currently earn from £51,000 to £80,000basic pay.
The basic contract is for 40 hours. As a specialty doctor you can be paid for additional duties, extra hours worked, weekend work and on calls.
Specialist Grade
A key element of recent SAS contract reform is the introduction of a new grade, called the Specialist grade oo Associate Specialist, which will provide an opportunity for career progression for highly experienced specialty doctors. Associate Specialistsdoctors can earn a basic of between £81,500 to £92,500.
Consultant
Consultants currently earn from £88,799 to £119,723 basic pay.
As a consultant you can be paid for additional duties and may be eligible for Clinical Excellence Awards, which reward outstanding performance. The basic contract is for 40 hours per week.
If you take on extra responsibilities (i.e. management or education) you can also expect to be paid additional supplements.
So where do I fit on the pay scale?
There are a few key points when considering where you fit on the pay scale:
- Job title
- Experience
- Hours worked
- Trusts can be different
Job title
The first thing to consider is your job title.
At the Consultant level, it is straight forward, you will be a consultant. However, at the Specialty Doctor level, you could be working as an SAS doctor, a Specialty Doctor or a Trust Grade doctor. As an ST or SHO you could also work across several levels.
Each could command a different pay scale depending on the level of work and experience required.
Take some time to check the job title that you are applying and interviewing for, and subsequently the pay scale that you can expect.
Experience within your chosen field
Next, consider the number of years of experience you have in your specialty, this is crucial to identifying your position on the pay scale.
This is important as an NHS Trust will calculate your pay for a Specialty Doctor in Medicine by deducting two of your years of experience to compensate for the Core Training years in the UK.Please note, for some specialties this does not apply, check with an IMG Consultant for more information.
Hours you will work
The second thing to consider is how many hours you will be working. For both SAS Doctors and Consultants, the hours are usually established using PAs (programmed activities). Each PA is worth 4 hrs of your week, and a standard week is 40 hrs. A standard salary is based on a full working week of 10 PAs (40 hours). If you work above 10 PAs, then you will gain additional salary on top of your basic pay.
NHS trusts can be different
The last thing to consider before we look at the pay scales, is that some NHS Trusts can interpret the pay scales and a doctor’s experience in different ways.All NHS Trusts should be following the same pay scale structures when recruiting and offering salaries to doctors, but this is not always the case!
This blog is a guideline, and if you are not sure of how to approach this discussion with an HR department, it can be very useful for an IMG Connect consultant to assist with the negotiations to ensure that your experience is always taken into account.
NHS Pay Scales in Northern Ireland
Doctors in Training
Service level jobs are in high demand at all levels of experience, each offering competitive rates of pay.It is also important to remember that once in the UK, you will have the option to apply for training, depending on your entry level.
The below pay scale reflects the pay at each level depending on the entry points to training, which are FY1/ F1, ST1/ CT1 and ST3/ 4.
The salary is based on a standard working week of 10PAs (40 hours), if you work additional hours, on calls or weekend work, then your take home pay will increase as a result.
As above, use the below as a salary guide for service level posts. It is worthwhile checking with your IMG Consultant the best pay opportunities for you, it is highly conceivable that you can earn more than the pay scales below depending on experience and demand.
Foundation Doctors & Specialty Registrars | |||||
Scale | Foundation Doctor1 M220 | Foundation Doctor 2 M230 | Specialty Registrar (fixed term) M240 | Specialty Registrar (core training) MN39 | Specialty Registrar (full) MN37 |
Min | £26,713 | £33,133 | £35,405 | £35,405 | £35,405 |
1 | £28,381 | £35,298 | £37,573 | £37,573 | £37,573 |
2 | £30,046 | £37,466 | £40,597 | £40,597 | £40,597 |
3 | £42,428 | £42,428 | £42,428 | ||
4 | £44,634 | £44,634 | £44,634 | ||
5 | £46,842 | £46,842 | £46,842 | ||
6 | £49,050 | ||||
| £51,256 | |||||
8 | £53,463 | ||||
9 | £55,670 | ||||
SAS Doctor Pay Scale
SAS stands for Staff Grade, Associate Specialist and Specialty Doctor. They will have at least four years of full-time postgraduate training, two of which have been in the relevant specialty. Specialist Grades and Specialty Doctors in Scotland have their own contracts in place for senior doctors these contracts are based in full-time work commitment of 10 programmed activities per week it has been timetabled value of four hours.The new pay structure will enable SAS doctors to access the top of the pay scale more quickly than the current system, increasing the career average earnings.
It is important to note that your pay will reflect your experience within your chosen field.
The pay code on the left-hand side of the table below correlates to the number of years’ experience that you qualify for in your chosen specialty, and the number of years that the HR department are going to attribute to you.
Remember to discount any years that you have worked in an internship. And if you are working in a medicine specialty, deduct any core training years.
In the first threshold, for every year of experience you gain, this entitles you to a pay rise. In the second threshold, you will receive an increase every two years, and in the third, every three years.
The salary is based on a standard working week of 10PAs (40 hours), if you work additional hours, on calls or weekend work, then your take home pay will increase as a result.
As above, use the below as a salary guide for service level posts in England. It is worthwhile checking with your IMG Consultant the best pay opportunities for you, it is highly conceivable that you can earn more than the pay scales below depending on experience and demand.
Specialty Doctor | ||
Years' Experience | Basic Salary | Pay Point |
£51,000 | 1 | |
1 | ||
2 | ||
3 | £58,756 | 2 |
4 | ||
5 | ||
6 | £65,500 | 3 |
7 | ||
8 | ||
9 | £72,500 | 4 |
10 | ||
11 | ||
12 | £80,000 | 5 - top |
13 | ||
14 | ||
15 | ||
16 | ||
17 | ||
Specialist Grade | ||
Years' Experience | Basic Salary | Pay Point |
1 | £81,500 | 1 |
2 | ||
3 | ||
4 | £87,000 | 2 |
6 | ||
7 | £92,500 | 3 (top) |
Consultant Pay Scale
Service level consultant doctor jobs are in high demand in Scotland at all levels of experience, each offering competitive rates of pay.
At the consultant grade, HR departments will look at your years of experience within your specialty, as a consultant.
On the table below, you can see that all you need to do is count up the total number of complete years of experience (12 months each) as a consultant, and then count down the rows to establish your salary position.
Like the above, the salary is based on a standard working week of 10 PAs (40 hours), if you work additional hours, on calls or weekend work, then your take home pay will increase as a result.
Remember, use the below as a salary guide for service level posts in England. It is worthwhile checking with your IMG Consultant the best pay opportunities for you, it is highly conceivable that you can earn more than the pay scales below depending on experience and demand.
Threshold | Years completed as a consultant | Basic Salary |
1 | 1 (starting salary) | £88,799 |
2 | 2 | £91,581 |
3 | 3 | £94,362 |
4 | 4 | £97,141 |
5 | 5 | £99,913 |
6 | ||
7 | ||
8 | ||
9 | ||
6 | 10 | £106,520 |
11 | ||
12 | ||
13 | ||
14 | ||
7 | 15 | £113,124 |
16 | ||
17 | ||
19 | ||
8 | 20+ | £119,723 |
The most recent full pay circular for Northern Ireland can be found here.
Additional pay, benefits, pensions and terms & conditions
Current national salary scales for medical and dental staff are published in pay and conditionscirculars on the NHS Employers website.
You may be eligible for additional pay on top of your basic salary if you work above the standard 10 PAs, work on call & weekends, or take on extra responsibilities. All doctors are eligible for NHS pensions and benefits.
Sources
https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/health/doh-hsc-tc8-03-2022.PDF
Getting started
NHS Trusts can interpret the NHS consultant pay scales above and an international doctor’s experience in different ways, so use this blog as a guideline for understanding what you may be eligible for when coming to work in the NHS.
Your IMG Consultant is happy to assist with any negotiations related to your job plan to ensure your experience is taken into account.
For more information on NHS doctor benefits and pay arrangements in the UK, take a look at our IMG Resources library.
Show All IMG Library
FAQs
How much does an NHS doctor earn in Northern Ireland? ›
As a doctor in training you will earn a basic salary for 40 hours per week, plus pay for additional hours worked, 37% enhancement for nights, weekend allowance for weekend work, on call allowance and other possible pay premiums. Specialty doctors currently earn from £51,000 to £80,000 basic pay.
What is a DR salary scale UK? ›Specialty doctors and specialist payscale
If you're working as a specialty doctor you'll earn a basic salary of £50,373 to £78,759. If you are a specialist grade doctor you'll earn a basic salary of £80,693 to £91,584.
Average £44,164 per year.
What is the pay scale of doctors in Ireland? ›A Doctor in Ireland earns an average of €134,131 gross per year, which is about €11,180 gross per month. The starting salary of a Doctor in Ireland is around €30,689 gross per year. The highest salary of a Doctor in Ireland can reach and exceed €200,000 gross per year.
Is NHS good in Northern Ireland? ›On almost every measure, Northern Ireland's health and care system performs worse than anywhere else in the UK. Waiting lists are proportionately much higher and rising – with more than half waiting more than a year even to get an outpatient appointment.
Who gets paid the most in the NHS? ›At NHS trusts, the best-paid was Dr Bruno Holthof, chief executive at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, on a package of between £295,000 to £300,000.
Do American doctors get paid more than UK? ›On average, physicians in the U.S. earned the most ($316,000) per year, followed by Germany ($183,000) and the U.K. ($138,000).
Are UK doctors paid well? ›Specialists earn less than €50,000 in many EU countries
GPs are paid less than specialists. For example, specialists earn 85 per cent more in the UK, where the average annual gross salary for GPs was €73,408 while specialists received €136,375 on average. In 2020, the difference was 45 per cent in the Netherlands.
- Medical director.
- Neurosurgeon.
- Anaesthetist.
- Plastic surgeon.
- Psychiatrist.
- Cardiologist.
- Director of nursing.
- Clinical director.
The highest earner was Dr Salgaonkar Vivek Mahadev who has a surgery in Mountmellick, Co Laois, who was paid more than €1.3 million.
What is a GP in Northern Ireland? ›
Local doctors are also known as general practitioners, GPs. They look after the health of people in their community and deal with patients' different health problems.
How much do GPs get paid per patient? ›GP practices were paid an average of £163.65 per registered patient in 2021/22, according to new data released by NHS Digital. The report NHS Payments to General Practice in England presents information on NHS payments made to general practices, walk-in centres and combined walk-in centres and out-of-hours practices.
What are ranks of doctors Ireland? ›- Intern — (post-graduate year 1)
- Senior house officer — (PGY ≥ 2)
- Registrar — (PGY ≥ 3)
- Specialist registrar — (PGY ≥ 4)
- Fellow (PGY variable)
How much does a Doctor make in Ireland? The average doctor salary in Ireland is € 79 463 per year or € 40.75 per hour. Entry-level positions start at € 60 833 per year, while most experienced workers make up to € 111 000 per year.
Is Ireland a good country to work as a doctor? ›Good career opportunities: Ireland has a strong healthcare system and a growing demand for medical professionals.. Competitive salaries: Doctors in Ireland are generally well-compensated with salaries that compete well with those in other developed countries.
Which country has the best NHS service? ›The Commonwealth Fund's report ranks the UK first overall and first for care process (prevention, safe care, coordination, and patient engagement) and equity (comparison of performance for higher- and lower-income individuals).
What is the NHS called in Northern Ireland? ›In Northern Ireland, the National Health Service (NHS) is referred to as Health and Social Care (HSC). Health and Social Care is free at the point of delivery.
Is NHS free in Northern Ireland? ›In Northern Ireland healthcare is provided through the National Health Service (NHS) and most NHS care is free.
Where is the best place to work as a doctor in the UK? ›The vast majority of doctor jobs, including all training jobs, are in NHS hospitals. The NHS has very structured teams and support systems in place which will help you adjust to UK practice. Because of this, we generally recommend starting your UK career in an NHS hospital.
Which doctor specialty makes the most money? ›Neurosurgeons are the highest paid physician specialists, earning an average of $788,313 annually, according to Doximity's "2023 Physician Compensation Report." The results were drawn from survey responses from 190,000 physicians over the last six years, including 31,000 in 2022.
What is the best job in the NHS? ›
- Nursing Assistant.
- Specialist Registrar.
- Brain Surgeon.
- Clerical Officer.
- Medical Secretary.
- Consultant Surgeon.
- Project Manager.
- Donor Carer.
Unless you are a British or Irish citizen or have pre-settled or settled status from the EU Settlement Scheme, it is likely you will need to meet the requirements of UK Visas and Immigration regulations to gain the right to enter and work in UK.
Is it harder to become a doctor in the US or UK? ›The US and the UK both have excellent medical school programs. While they differ a bit in structure, the time it takes to become a doctor is similar in either country.
Can you move to USA as a UK doctor? ›Can a UK doctor work in the USA? The simple answer is yes! UK doctors can work in the USA but the process can be arduous and the competition is high, especially for international medical graduates (IMGs), but it is not impossible!
Do doctors in UK live comfortably? ›While the cost of energy bills and food shops might be on the rise, doctors still earn a very competitive salary, so if you move to the UK to become an NHS doctor, you can expect to live very comfortably.
Which country pays doctors most? ›Small but the best; Luxembourg
Surprisingly, Luxembourg is considered the most lucrative country for doctors around the world. Luxembourg is a small country in Western Europe, its population is around 632000. Luxembourg is among the top 10 countries that offer high quality of life around the world.
Although salaries can vary depending on region, speciality and employer, the base salary for nurses is, on average, £29,532 per year. In contrast, physicians can expect a base salary of around £59,195 per year. Surgeons can expect an even higher annual base salary , with an average of around £75,139 per year.
Who gets paid more dentist or doctor UK? ›Just qualified
As a doctor, an F1 will earn in the mid £20Ks; even with on-call pay, this only increases to the early £30K mark. The dentist, meanwhile, is likely to be earning £40K plus. Of course, it's not all about the money; quality of life also comes into play.
These include cardiology, obstetrics and gynaecology, trauma and orthopaedics, general medicine, etc. The demand for doctors in the UK is growing constantly.
How much does a doctor earn in USA? ›Average Salary of a Doctor in the U.S.
According to Glassdoor, the average salary of a medical doctor in the U.S. is $1,65,347 (around INR 13 million) per year. The highest average annual wage was $208,000 (Around INR 17 million) which went up from the lowest of $126,470 (Around INR 10 million).
How much does a general surgeon make in Ireland? ›
Average €155,618 per year.
How much does the average GP earn in Ireland? ›The national average salary for a General Practitioner is €121,095 in Ireland. Filter by location to see General Practitioner salaries in your area.
How much does a GP nurse earn in Ireland? ›Average €34.25 per hour.
Can I see a GP privately in Northern Ireland? ›We offer a full range of private services to the general public. This includes but is not limited to: Private GP appointments. Private Home Visits.
How many GPs are there in Northern Ireland? ›' Government figures also show that while the number of GPs in Northern Ireland have gone up from 1,323 in December 2017 to 1,433 at the end of last year, around 20% of them are currently aged over 55.
How many patients per GP in Northern Ireland? ›The Northern Ireland average is 68.1 GPs per 100,000 registered population (or 1 GP for every 1,468 registered patients). This section contains basic summary statistics on GP Registered Patients including new patient registrations during 2019/20.
How much does a GP get per patient on the NHS? ›As per the five year deal, global sum will increase by 3% from £96.78 to £99.70 per weighted patients. The OOH (Out of Hours) adjustment remains at 4.75%, increasing the value from £4.59 to £4.73.
What is the average salary of a NHS GP? ›The typical NHS General Practitioner salary is £89,050 per year. General Practitioner salaries at NHS can range from £27,128 - £175,962 per year. This estimate is based upon 119 NHS General Practitioner salary report(s) provided by employees or estimated based upon statistical methods.
How are NHS GPs paid? ›How are GPs paid? GPs are independent contractors working for the NHS, and do not receive a salary. Each practice has individual funding, calculated through a complex process of national guidelines and local negotiations.
Can an American doctor practice in Ireland? ›You Will Need to Apply for Registration with the Irish Medical Council. As mentioned above, it's possible that you're going to need a work permit to work as a general practitioner in Ireland. It'll be your responsibility, though, to do the research and determine what application(s) you need to fill out.
What is the lowest ranking doctor? ›
In doctor ranks, the lowest level is general practitioner, and the highest rank is ordinary. 1- (Dr.) General Practitioner: The general practitioner's duties include examining patients, writing prescriptions and reports.
What are doctors called in Ireland? ›General Practitioners (family doctors)
A GP is often the first doctor people see about a health problem. You can find a GP in your area using the HSE Service Finder Map. Some GPs will also arrange home visits. GPs provide referrals to more specialised doctors called consultants.
They currently work an official week of 65 hours but regularly work 100 hours or more, including non-stop shifts of 72 hours.
Which doctors are in demand in Ireland? ›- General Practitioner. If you want to get work wherever you go and be able to run your own practice, your best bet is to become a general practitioner. ...
- Practice Nurse. ...
- Midwife. ...
- Triage Nurses. ...
- Healthcare Jobs in Ireland Keep The Country Healthy.
It is estimated that by 2025 the shortage of GPs could be as high as 1,380. Doctors are calling for urgent action to tackle Ireland's severe shortage of general practitioners, which is causing significant challenges when it comes to delivering timely and high-quality patient care.
Does Ireland have better healthcare than America? ›Ireland also has a lower avoidable mortality rate, diabetes rate, and rate of self-reported poor health among its citizens, according to a different OECD report. There are also 30.9 doctors per 10,000 people, placing Ireland above nations including Norway, the US, and the UK, which has 28 doctors per person.
Does Ireland accept foreign doctors? ›Make Sure That You Have a Visa or Work Permit
You may need to get permission to work as a doctor in Ireland. This is done by applying for a work permit or visa. The Atypical Working Visa allows GPs to work as locums for up to 90 days. It typically takes 8 weeks to receive the outcome of your visa application.
Unsustainable ways of working in Ireland also led them to decide to emigrate. They described Irish hospitals as understaffed and overstretched workplaces within which extreme ways of working had become normal.
Do doctors earn more in UK or Ireland? ›Annual gross salaries of specialists (2020)
They are Ireland (€172,882), the Netherlands (€160,869), Denmark (€156,061), and Iceland (€155,276). Germany (€146,200) and the UK (€136,375) followed closely.
An average salary is about £50,000 per year. But many will become a hospital consultant or GP partner with a salary in the range £90,000-£120,000 per year. They can be a senior doctor for 30-35 years. Also as seniors, they can supplement their NHS salaries considerably – two to four-fold – with private practice.
How much does the average NHS GP earn UK? ›
The typical NHS General Practitioner salary is £89,050 per year. General Practitioner salaries at NHS can range from £27,128 - £175,962 per year. This estimate is based upon 118 NHS General Practitioner salary report(s) provided by employees or estimated based upon statistical methods.