Let’s settle this once and for all. Who actually earns the most in UK healthcare? We’ve crunched the numbers across NHS salaries, private practice earnings, locum rates and industry roles to bring you the definitive top 10 highest paying healthcare jobs in the UK (ranked by actual earning potential, not just job titles). From steady six-figure consultants to high-flying medical directors, here’s how the best-paid roles in the sector stack up.
10. Consultant Cardiologist
Cardiologists specialise in diagnosing and treating heart conditions – anything from managing high blood pressure to performing life-saving procedures like angioplasty or pacemaker insertions. It’s a fast-paced, high-responsibility field that touches every corner of medicine.
Average UK Salary:
£130,000 – £180,000 (with private practice pushing this higher).
Why it Pays So Well:
The demand is constant and the stakes are high. Cardiology involves complex procedures, specialist knowledge, and often urgent care – a combination that attracts both respect and generous compensation, especially for those doing private work alongside NHS lists.
Career Path:
Medical degree → Foundation training → Internal medicine training → Cardiology specialty training (around 5 years) → Consultant. Expect the whole journey to take about 10 years from graduation.
9. Consultant Neurosurgeon
Neurosurgeons operate on the brain, spine and nervous system, handling everything from tumours and aneurysms to complex spinal injuries. It’s one of the most specialised and technically demanding roles in medicine, often dealing with life‑altering conditions.
Average UK Salary:
£110,000 – £300,000+ (especially with private work in major centres).
Why it Pays So Well:
This is as high-risk as it gets. The training is long, the procedures are intricate, and the margin for error is razor-thin. As a result, neurosurgeons command some of the highest fees (particularly those who split their time between NHS and private theatres).
Career Path:
Medical degree → Foundation training → Core surgical training → Neurosurgery specialty training (8+ years) → Consultant. It’s a long road, but one that leads to elite-level practice and pay.
8. Consultant Psychiatrist (CAMHS / Forensic / Locum)
Psychiatrists specialise in mental health, diagnosing and treating conditions like psychosis, bipolar disorder, and severe anxiety. In CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) or forensic settings, they often work with vulnerable or high-risk individuals in hospitals, secure units, or the community.
Average UK Salary:
£130,000 – £175,000 (with locum roles sometimes pushing higher).
Why it Pays So Well:
Psychiatrists are in short supply across the UK, and the demand keeps climbing. Forensic and CAMHS roles are particularly hard to fill, so many posts come with added incentives, recruitment bonuses or enhanced locum rates to tempt consultants into the field.
Career Path:
Medical degree → Foundation training → Core psychiatry training → Higher specialty training (usually 6+ years in total) → Consultant. Some roles may also require additional forensic or CAMHS subspecialty training.
7. GP Partner / Urgent Care Locum GP
GPs are the frontline of UK healthcare, diagnosing and managing everything from coughs and chronic conditions to mental health and safeguarding. While salaried GPs have capped earnings, partners share in practice profits, and locums (especially in urgent care) often work at premium rates.
Average UK Salary:
£120,000 – £180,000+ (some locums earn more depending on shifts and location).
Why it Pays So Well:
As a partner, you’re effectively running a business and your earnings reflect that. Meanwhile, high-demand locum shifts in out-of-hours or remote areas often command £100–£150/hour, giving experienced GPs the option to work flexibly and earn handsomely.
Career Path:
Medical degree → Foundation training → GP specialty training (3 years) → Salaried GP → Partner or locum. Some GPs become partners early on; others go freelance for more control over their schedule and income.
6. Consultant Radiologist (incl. Teleradiology)
Radiologists are the behind-the-scenes specialists interpreting scans like X-rays, CTs and MRIs to help diagnose illness and guide treatment. Increasingly, much of the work is done remotely through secure digital platforms known as teleradiology.
Average UK Salary:
£135,000 – £200,000+ (especially when combining NHS and private/teleradiology work).
Why it Pays So Well:
There’s a national shortage of radiologists, and demand is only growing. Add in long NHS imaging backlogs and the rise of private scan providers, and it’s no surprise this is one of the most in-demand and best-paid specialties out there.
Career Path:
Medical degree → Foundation training → Clinical radiology specialty training (usually 5 years) → Consultant. Many go on to supplement NHS work with teleradiology shifts or private sector contracts.
5. Consultant Anaesthetist (NHS + Private)
Anaesthetists play a vital role in surgery, keeping patients unconscious, pain-free, and stable throughout procedures. They also manage intensive care, trauma responses, and pain services across hospitals. Quietly, they’re one of the most essential and relied-upon specialties in the system.
Average UK Salary:
£140,000 – £200,000+ (with private sessions boosting earnings significantly).
Why it Pays So Well:
Operating theatres don’t run without them. With a growing number of procedures and not enough anaesthetists to cover them, demand is sky-high. The private sector leans heavily on consultant cover, especially evenings and weekends which drives rates up fast.
Career Path:
Medical degree → Foundation training → Core anaesthetics training → Higher specialty training (total of around 7–8 years) → Consultant. Many also take on additional roles in ICU or pain medicine.
4. Locum Consultant (Any Specialty)
Locum consultants provide short-term cover in hospitals, filling gaps in rotas caused by staff shortages, leave, or recruitment delays. They do the same clinical work as permanent consultants but work on a freelance or agency basis, often moving between trusts.
Average UK Salary:
£160,000 – £250,000+ (depending on specialty, shift type and frequency).
Why it Pays So Well:
Locums offer flexibility, and the NHS pays a premium for it, especially in understaffed specialties, unsociable hours, or urgent cover during strikes or peak winter pressure. Rates can range from £110 to £150+ per hour, and the most in-demand locums can pick and choose the best-paying gigs.
Career Path:
CCT (Certificate of Completion of Training) → Full consultant status → Locum work via agency or direct contract. Ideal for doctors who want flexibility, variety, or time between longer-term roles – though benefits like pensions and study leave often aren’t included.
3. Pharma Medical Director / Industry Medic
Medical directors in pharma, biotech or medtech lead clinical strategy, oversee regulatory compliance, support drug trials, and act as the bridge between science, business and marketing. No patients – just data, boardrooms, and global teams.
Average UK Salary:
£180,000 – £300,000+ (often with performance bonuses, stock options and private healthcare).
Why it Pays So Well:
This isn’t the NHS, it’s big business. Industry roles reward medical expertise with commercial acumen, and companies are willing to pay top-tier salaries to have clinicians guiding product development, safety, and compliance on a global scale.
Career Path:
Medical degree → NHS clinical experience (typically 4–8 years) → Entry-level pharma role (e.g. Medical Advisor) → Progression to Senior Medical Advisor, then Medical Director. Some doctors make the jump earlier; others bring consultant-level experience with them.
2. NHS Trust CEO / Chief Medical Officer
These senior leaders are responsible for running entire NHS organisations – from major hospital trusts to regional health systems. They oversee clinical strategy, workforce planning, budgets (often in the billions), patient safety, and the day-to-day running of complex health services.
Average UK Salary:
£200,000 – £422,000 (depending on trust size and scope of the role).
Why it Pays So Well:
It’s one of the most demanding jobs in public healthcare, balancing political pressure, operational targets, clinical governance, and financial responsibility. With thousands of staff and huge populations under their care, the pay reflects the scale and complexity of the job.
Career Path:
Most come from senior clinical or managerial backgrounds, often former consultants or medical directors. From there, they complete leadership development (like the NHS Nye Bevan programme) and work up through exec-level posts to CEO or Chief Medical Officer roles.
1. Private Consultant Surgeon (Ortho / Plastics / Cardiac)
Private consultant surgeons perform high-value, often elective procedures from knee replacements and hip resurfacing to cosmetic surgery and complex cardiac operations. While many still hold NHS consultant posts, their main income comes from private hospitals and self-pay patients.
Average UK Salary:
£250,000 – £600,000+ (with some top earners going well beyond).
Why it Pays So Well:
This is where skill meets scale. Private surgical work is in constant demand, especially in orthopaedics, plastics and cardiac – and patients are willing to pay a premium for faster treatment and consultant-led care. Surgeons often charge per case, and in the right setup, income can far exceed standard NHS salaries.
Career Path:
Medical degree → Foundation training → Core surgical training → Specialty training (8+ years) → NHS Consultant → Build up private practice via hospital links or own clinic. Many combine the two until their private caseload can stand alone.
So there you have it, the UK’s best-paying medical roles. While medicine has never been considered the quickest route to riches, certain specialties and roles do offer the potential for significant earnings – especially when private work, locum shifts, or industry positions come into play.
It’s worth noting, though, that the upper end of the salary ranges mentioned here are ambitious. They’re not unachievable, but they typically reflect healthcare professionals who combine full-time NHS commitments with private practice, out-of-hours work, or leadership roles in industry. For many, the base NHS salary remains the core and it’s the extras that push the total package into six-figure territory.
That said, the demand for doctors in key areas like radiology, psychiatry, anaesthetics, and surgery continues to rise, and for those willing to build a diverse or flexible portfolio, the financial rewards can be substantial.
If you’re early in your career, let this serve as a reminder that medicine isn’t a one-size-fits-all path and that opportunities to shape your working life (and income) will grow with time, experience, and a bit of strategic thinking.
Looking to begin a career in healthcare? Send us your CV and we’ll get in contact with you.
