NHS doctor criticised for revealing how much he really earns

A former NHS doctor sparked online debate after publicly sharing his earnings from a part-time GP role. Dr Harry Musson, who helps international medical graduates become doctors in the United States, disclosed how much he took home while working three days a week as a GP in Britain. The remarks drew immediate attention to the realities of general practice, where many clinicians balance clinical duties with training, supervision and administrative tasks.

Musson said the payslip showed a gross monthly salary of £6,000 for a part-time GP, with take-home pay of £3,603.64 after deductions such as income tax and national insurance. He clarified that the figures referred to earlier in the year when he was employed as a salaried GP in Britain, and he used the example to illustrate how pay can look different once deductions are applied. The disclosure comes amid ongoing discussion of GP pay, with official estimates for 2025/2026 showing the average GP salary range from £76,038 to £114,743 per year, depending on experience and contract type.

The post prompted a broad range of reactions online. Some readers criticized the transparency, arguing that many doctors work longer hours for less pay and suggesting that the public might misinterpret the earnings picture. Others acknowledged the difficulty of balancing workload with pay and said that earnings should be understood in the context of training, on-call duties, and the high level of responsibility resting with GPs.

Supporters noted that three days of work per week for a GP can equate to roughly 40 hours of patient contact when scheduling, and that salaries reflect not only hours but the scope of clinical responsibility and the lengthy training path. They argued that pay figures should be weighed against the emotional and physical demands of frontline care and the NHS's broader funding pressures. Analysts say the issue highlights a broader debate about recruitment, retention and pay transparency in health care, and how part-time roles affect annual earnings and long-term career planning.

The episode underscores the ongoing public interest in how NHS clinicians are compensated, alongside debates about recruitment, workload, and the sustainability of primary care in Britain. It also illustrates how online platforms influence perceptions of medical pay, with supporters urging a more nuanced conversation about what salaries signify in the context of public service and patient care.