Doctors are on national pay scales. For medical graduates entering their first post as a national health service doctor, the average starting in each year since 1997 is shown in the following table.
£ 1997-98 15,230 1998-99 15,800 1999-2000 16,710 2000-01 17,260 2001-02 17,935 2002-03 18,585 2003-04 19,185 2004-05 19,703 2005-06 20,295 2007-08 21,052 2008-09 21,862 2009-10 22,190 Note: The starting salary quoted is for a new qualified doctor. Until 2006-07, this was known as a pre-registration house officer. This grade has since been replaced by a foundation house officer year 1.
The average starting salary of an NHS nurse since 1997 is shown in the following table. As nurses pay is set nationally this figure would have been the same in Jarrow constituency, South Tyneside, the North East and England.
Year1 Average starting salary (£)2, 3 1997 12,230 1998 12,630 1999 14,400 2000 14,890 2001 15,445 2002 16,005 2003 16,525 2004 17,060 2005 18,698 2006 19,166 2007 19,454 2008 20,225 2009 20,710 1 As at 1 April each year. 2 The average starting salary of a NHS nurse is normally the minimum of the grade applicable to basic grade qualified nurses. 3 All the areas requested are covered by national pay schemes.
Information on average starting salaries for national health service dentists is not collected centrally.
Whilst there are opportunities for dentists to work as salaried employees of NHS trusts in both primary and secondary care roles, the majority of dentists provide primary dental care services within independent dental practices which contract with a primary care trust to provide NHS services. The remuneration arrangements for dentists working within the practice, either as the main contract holder or as partners, associates or employees of the practice owner, are an internal matter for the practice.