GPs offered £150k salary to fill posts on remote Scottish islands

Health officials are offering GPs a £150,000 salary – and a £10,000 golden hello – in a bid to fill staffing gaps on remote Scottish islands. 

NHS Western Isles has launched a campaign to attract at least five new GPs to Uist and Benbecula, a group of islands in the Outer Hebrides. 

Following a contract hand-back last year, the practice is moving to a salaried model run by the health board.

The salaried GP roles will include a 40% enhancement on the usual GP salary range of £69,993 to £104,469, as well as a distant island allowance of £1,279. 

This means the new GPs could be paid up to around £147,500 a year, as well as relocation expenses and a £10,000 ‘golden hello’. 

The post is based at a practice on Benbecula, but GPs are also expected to work at the local 17-bed community hospital.

Health officials have highlighted the island’s ‘shimmering beaches’ and ‘idyllic location’, and have targeted GPs looking to ‘improve their work-life balance’ with a role that includes 41 days of annual leave.

Benbecula Medical Practice has had ‘ongoing challenges’ recruiting GPs, and in October the health board announced it will take over the running of the practice from April this year after the retirement of one of the GP partners. 

The remaining two GP partners planned to continue working at the practice but in employed roles.

Announcing the new salaried roles with enhanced pay, NHS Western Isles medical director Dr Frank McAuley said they are offering at least five GPs a chance to ‘escape the rat race’. 

Dr McAuley added: ‘These roles will appeal to experienced GPs, but also those earlier in their careers looking for the challenge of widening their clinical skills and providing holistic care in a remote but supported environment. 

‘These are roles that present excellent opportunities for the development of skills and confidence, with the remote-island location providing an unrivalled extra sense of responsibility and reward.’

In 2022, Humza Yousaf, who was the Scottish health minister at the time, pledged to look at increased funding to attract more GPs to work in rural areas.

Pulse reported in the same year that NHS England had spent more than £21.5m on £20,000 ‘golden hello’ payments for new GP partners.

Last year, GPs in the South of England were being offered £15,000 as well as relocation expenses to join practices in deprived and understaffed areas.