Running a private medical practice is like managing any other business—it requires thoughtful investment to ensure efficiency, profitability, and a smooth patient experience.
A skilled medical secretary, aka medical PA (personal assistant), is an invaluable asset to this process, but what does it cost to hire one? And what factors influence these costs?
Here, we'll break down the key considerations for hiring a medical PA, what affects the price, and why investing in the right support is essential for a thriving private practice.
What can lower the cost of hiring a medical secretary?
When starting out, some Consultants choose to hire family members or regular secretaries to save on costs. A regular PA with no medical experience could expect to earn an annual salary of around £22,000.
While this approach may seem economical, an ordinary PA will likely lack the expertise required for the high-stakes world of private medical practice.
Unlike an experienced medical PA, they may not be able to:
• Understand medical terminology and complex administrative workflows.
• Navigate private healthcare systems, including hospitals and insurance processes.
• Provide exceptional patient relationship management.
Hiring an inexperienced or generalist secretary may save money upfront, but inefficiencies, miscommunications, and poor patient handling can result in costly setbacks down the line. It can also potentially lead to a loss of reputation – which is difficult to recover from. You may think that patients will 'rate' your care based on your skills alone, but the reality is that they equally 'rate' the administrative care they experience along their patient journey.
A medical secretary who has just qualified could expect to earn around £25,000 - approximately £14 per hour.
Inexperienced medical secretaries are likely to be less successful than experienced medical PAs in converting 'browsing' patients into 'booking' patients, because they will need more depth of knowledge and experience to know how you can help the potential patient. You may be totally unaware of such patients are 'slipping through the net', and how that ultimately impacts your bottom line.
What about hiring an overseas medical PA?
Your medical PA is the first person a patient encounters on their medical journey with your practice. Excellent communication, including a deep understanding of all those little nuances during conversations, is critical to running a successful practice.
Nothing upsets a patient more than feeling they're not sure the person on the end of the phone truly understands what they're saying and having to make themselves feel understood. Many overseas services aren't GDPR compliant (a legal requirement in any UK business), and excellent patient service starts the moment they pick up the phone.
What about hiring an NHS secretary to support your practice?
NHS secretaries may have experience in their field, but experience varies. You'll need to consider that your NHS secretary must always prioritise their NHS work (and working for you during their NHS hours is deemed to be fraud), and so they will be unable to truly be available for your patients, leaving phone calls and emails potentially unanswered for some time.
NHS secretaries are typically not experienced at working in the private sector. There is a big difference here, and whilst you may value your NHS secretary when she or he helps to shield you from the burden of NHS patient enquiries, in the private sector, a 'steely' demeanour can be very counter-productive.
What factors increase the cost of hiring a medical secretary?
Experienced medical PAs are highly trained professionals who bring immense value to your practice. Their expertise goes far beyond administrative tasks—they are adept at managing clinical workflows, patient engagement, and practice growth. Here's why their services command higher fees:
1. Expertise and Training
Medical PAs are proficient in using practice management systems, handling sensitive patient data securely, and ensuring GDPR compliance. For example, at Medical Practice Management, Gillie who heads our administration team, has over 35 years of experience in medical admin, and Annabel and Nancy are also extensively experienced medical PAs. In other words, we know how to run a great practice!
2. Enhanced Patient Care
Practices such as psychiatry often require additional patient support. A skilled medical PA ensures patients feel cared for, addresses potential issues proactively, and enhances your reputation as a consultant.
3. Practice Growth Support
Experienced PAs adapt as your practice grows. They can handle increased clinical hours and ensure smooth operations as your patient list expands.
4. Tailored Matching
At Medical Practice Management, we match consultants with PAs who align with their practice style and patient needs. This tailored approach fosters productive and lasting working relationships.
Why choose Medical Practice Management?
At Medical Practice Management, we go beyond basic administration to provide comprehensive, proactive support. Here's what sets us apart:
• Seamless Continuity
Our PA network ensures there's no disruption to your practice during holidays, sick leave, or emergencies. Handovers are seamless, so your patients and operations remain unaffected.
• Flexible Capacity for Growth
As your practice scales, so does our support. Our PAs grow with you, providing consistent, high-quality service as your needs evolve.
• Proactive Patient Engagement
Our PAs take the initiative to schedule follow-ups, flag potential issues, and maintain excellent patient communication—all of which contribute to smooth practice operations and enhanced patient satisfaction.
• Additional Services
We offer a unique service called LifeSort, which provides dedicated PA assistance for business and personal tasks, such as travel bookings, insurance, and paperwork. This allows your medical PA to focus solely on high-priority clinical tasks with the support from a skilled life admin who can support your business and life tasks in a blended way. Life and business often overlap in administrative tasks, so why not have a team that can support you in your practice, and all life's admin tasks you'd like to out-source?
The value of investing in a skilled medical PA
While cost is always a consideration, hiring the cheapest PA may not be the best choice for your high-stakes work. Skilled medical PAs are an investment in the long-term success of your practice. They elevate efficiency, enhance patient experiences, and safeguard your professional reputation.
At Medical Practice Management, we believe in delivering exceptional value for money. Our PAs aren't just administrators—they are partners in the success of your practice, ensuring it runs like clockwork while giving you the freedom to focus on what you do best: providing outstanding patient care.
Our pricing structure
Our clients tell us that we deliver an excellent service for their investment, and we have a highly experienced team.
Our pricing structure is on a sliding scale. The most you would expect to pay is £30 per hour for a very minimal number of hours, and the least you could expect to pay is £22.50 per hour, if you have a very busy practice utilising our services for many hours per week. For example:
For 1-5 hours per week, the fee is £30 per hour.
For 5-7.5 hours per week, the fee is £29 per hour.
For 7.5-12.5 hours per week, the fee is £27.50 per hour.
This scale continues all the way down to £22.50 per hour for our busiest Clinicians.
We believe this is a great way to support Clinicians who are just starting out, enabling them to have a 'slice' of our expert administrative support without the worry or overheads of employing part-time medic. With even modest growth in your practice and admin needs, our service becomes even more cost-effective.
Whilst you have the option to request an exclusive PA, it's important to note that this comes at a significantly higher cost. At MPM, we strive to keep costs down for our clients by ensuring you only pay for what you truly need. Many of our skilled PAs seamlessly manage two roles, all carefully coordinated and overseen by Gillie to ensure smooth operations. With well-matched roles—for example, pairing an admin-heavy practice with one that's more phone-based—our PAs can efficiently manage dual responsibilities, such as handling two inboxes simultaneously.
This tailored approach maximises efficiency and ensures your PA remains balanced and happy, which directly translates to the exceptional service you and your patients deserve. Ultimately, it's about finding the perfect fit for your needs and budget without compromising on quality.
In other words, why pay for a full-time equivalent PA role when we can ensure the smooth running of your practice at less cost?
Ready to Find the Right Medical PA for Your Practice?
Let us match you with a highly skilled PA who understands your practice, patients, and goals. Get in touch with Medical Practice Management today and take the first step towards a smoother, more profitable private practice.
