Practice managers work an average of 8.3 extra hours per week longer than they are contracted to, a survey of 1,030 respondents has found.
The Practice Manager Salary Survey 2017 has shown that around one in five practice managers works more than 10 hours longer than their contracted hours, which First Practice Management – which conducts the survey – says might be due to ‘GP practices now staying open longer and over the weekend’.
It also found that only 34.4% of the respondents said they are paid for working longer.
Despite practice managers are being required to work harder, the survey showed that pay rises and bonuses are in decline.
In fact, 77% of respondents said they had not received a bonus this year, while 53% of them did not receive a pay rise between 1 April 2016 and 31 March 2017.
The survey, which First Practice Management has conducted annually since 2004, collected responses from 14 September to 26 October 2017 and focused on the income received and work carried out between 1 April 2016 and 31 March 2017.
Participants included 204 of 210 CCGs in England, all health boards in Wales and Northern Ireland and 11 out of 12 health boards in Scotland.
One anonymous respondent said: ‘I think it is slightly underpaid for the size of the practice and the demands that I am faced with. I only get paid for 30 hours and yet the role requires more actual time.’
Another practice manager said: ‘Most PMs get paid for contractual hours only, however this does not reflect the scale and commitment most PM’s are putting into their work and it is common for some PM’s to work 50 hr weeks, without being paid for any over time or getting any bonuses.’
On the other hand, while practice managers are receiving little or no bonus, their average salary has increased by 5.1% in comparison with last year, and now stands at £39,334.17.
The lowest and highest salaries were both found in London, being £16,799.23 and £105,000 respectively.
