How to Guarantee a Steady Income from GP Billings – Australia

Australia GP Billings

When considering your relocation to Australia, you will be thinking about better opportunities for your family, better weather and lifestyle.

You must also consider your professional interests and decide what is important to you in choosing a practice. There are many great options, and it may feel difficult to narrow down which practice is best.

Australian General Practice

Australian and UK general practice is very different in terms of health system and practice model. Working as a GP in Australia is varied and challenging and will provide professional satisfaction. It is however, a very different way of working.

Working as an Independent Contractor

In Australia, rather than being salaried or earning a fixed session rate, GPs get paid a percentage of the total amount they bill in the practice. Most practices offer GPs 65% – 70% of billings. Your income will therefore depend not only on the number of patients you see but also on the complexity of the consultations.

GPs in Australia generally earn a good income and can afford a comfortable lifestyle. In the majority of cases, relocating from the UK, you will earn at least the same for doing fewer hours per week.

‘Life in Australia – people are friendly, you see fewer patients and have longer appointment times for more pay.’ (Dr Emma, Brisbane)

Established GPs earn a very good income, an average of $300K per annum is reasonable allowing for 6 weeks leave and working 4 or 5 days per week. Some doctors earn much more than this. Figures from a 2024 industry report stated that GPs average around $360 – $380K per year. This figure reflects a full time working week.

The RACGP provide an Australia GP Billings calculator on their website

Will I Make Enough Money As a GP In Australia?

Australia GP practice is not like the NHS, where there the demand is always there and GPs are guaranteed an income irrespective of the number of patients seen.

To be successful and build a good income, GPs must understand Australian general practice and Australia GP Billings. Initially, you build up your patient base by making yourself available when patients are, this can potentially mean initially doing a weekend shift or working earlier or later in the day to catch commuters.

Ensuring you give a good service to encourage patients and their families to come back to you and gaining an understanding of the billings is crucial. It is essentially your own business and your patient base must be built up.

How Can The Practice Support Me?

In order to achieve this, a practice must have enough patients. There should either be a waiting list of patients or enough demand in the local area that, with advertising of a new GP, you should be up and running fairly quickly.

The interview process gives you the opportunity to probe these questions and to be reassured that there are enough patients to allow you to be booked up.

How will you promote me as a new GP in the practice?
Has the practice closed their books?
Has a recently GP left / retired?
Is there growth in the local population which will increase patient demand?
Or simply, does the current patient demand outstrip the number of current GPs?

Bookings are quite different from the UK where there is usually quite a wait to see a GP. That’s not always the case in Australia and patients book on the same day. I discussed this recently with a practice in Brisbane. He has quite a large number of ’empty slots’ during the week however he said in reality, he rarely has empty time and bills incredibly well.

Practices spend a lot of money in recruiting a GP from overseas. There are sponsorship fees, professional fees (agency, immigration advisor etc), relocation assistance, plus the time involved with recruiting and supervising a new doctor within the practice. It is not in a practice’s interest to have a GP in a room not earning money. This is lost income, not only for the GP, but the practice also.

How Transition Medical Can Help

We spend time getting to know the clinic, so we can as best possible, match you up with your perfect practice.

We don’t work with every practice in Australia! If we feel that the practice cannot offer enough patient numbers or support in making the transition from UK to Australia GP then we won’t work with them. We want to ensure you have a long and happy career within the practice. Our support is available throughout your relocation process and thereafter.

That being said, it’s so important for you to get to get to know the practice and make sure it’s the right fit for you. The only way to do this is to have a face to face online chat and find out more.

If you want to talk about any of our current jobs or have any questions please do get in touch. We’re here to help!