Income for GPs - OOH

GPs can earn extra money through many different means. One of the most popular ways is to work in Out Of Hours (OOH) or UCC in your local area. These are usually run by groups of GPs or private healthcare companies (Care UK). Most new GP trainees will have done an OOH shift when training but here I'll try breakdown what working life is like for OOH/UCC.

OOH is operational when the GP surgeries close (usually 1830) until they reopen again on 08:00 on a weekday. Over the weekend that is 18:30 Friday until 08:00 Monday. Patient's call 111 and if they get triaged for a GP call, they will put onto a central list on the GP's computer screen. They are then called back by the GP who will then try manage the patient - either on the phone, bring them down for face-to-face consultation, schedule a home visit or refer them to A+E. The GP may be the one who is doing the face-to-face consultation or do the home visit.

GPs working OOH may be done in a section of a hospital or a specially built building or GP surgery. A lot more are done at home now through home triage though obviously cannot do face-to-face consults or home visits. This can be good for those with a home office or for those who don't like to travel.

GPs are usually paid hourly and rate will depend on area and time of day. Usually weekday evenings can be around £60-£80 per hour, weekday overnight can be £80-£100, weekends around £80-£100 and bank holidays usually more. Emergency on the day bookings can be more and very remote areas also can demand a premium and possibly accommodation and travel thrown in. Several years ago, there are articles of foreign GPs who would come over to the UK just to work a long weekend shift and then go home back to their country - earning more than their normal job (link).

A lot of GPs will have done this work at some point in their life. It is normally readily available as there are always shortages (link) and it is relatively well paid. Normally NHS pension is paid though some areas allow you to opt out. Previously medical indemnity for this work was very high however state indemnity has been brought it which means there is effectively no extra cost doing it. Downsides include the increased stress of the work as sometimes it can get very busy trying to get through all the patients. Also there is an increased clinical risk as you will not have the normal GP medical notes. Overall though, if you need to earn extra money (at short notice) with very little setup/paperwork needed, OOH work is good one for GPs.

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