Gender differences in pay and uptake of partnership roles – what can we do differently?

In this episode, we talk to Dr Laura Jefferson, who is a Research Fellow within the Department of Health Sciences at the University of York. Title of paper: ‘Exploring gender differences in uptake of GP partnership roles: a qualitative mixed methods study’. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3399/BJGP.2022.0544An unadjusted gender pay gap of 33.5% exists in general practice, reflecting partly the differential uptake of partnerships amongst women GPs, but evidence exploring gender differences in GPs’ career progression is sparse. Our mixed methods approach used interview data, social media analysis and asynchronous online focus groups to explore factors affecting uptake of partnership roles, focusing particularly on gender differences. Factors at individual, organisational and national levels influence partnership uptake and career decisions of both men and women GPs, though gender differences were apparent with women reporting greater challenges balancing work/family, negative working conditions including maternity and sickness pay and discriminatory practices perceived to favour men and full time GPs. The relative attractiveness of salaried, locum or private roles in general practice appears to discourage both men and women from partnerships presently. Promoting positive workplace cultures through strong role models, improved flexibility in roles and skills training could potentially encourage greater uptake amongst both men and women.