29/09/2026
Specialist Accountants for GPs, Consultants & Locum Doctors
Accountants for Doctors in Mayfield
Medical careers rarely follow a single, tidy income stream. NHS salary, private fees, locum shifts, consultancy work and practice profits can all land in the same financial year, each with its own tax treatment. As specialist Accountants for Doctors in Mayfield, we help you bring those threads together — accurate bookkeeping, Self Assessment returns that reflect your full position, and tax planning shaped around the way you actually work. Whether you are salaried, self-employed or somewhere in between, the aim is straightforward: organised records, no unnecessary surprises, and advice you can act on.
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Which Doctors Do We Support?
Doctors are not a single tax category, and the accounting support that suits one clinician can be a poor fit for another. We work with the breadth of medical careers that pass through Mayfield and beyond. That includes GPs in partnerships or salaried roles, hospital doctors and consultants combining NHS employment with private practice, locum doctors moving between short-term contracts, and doctors who run their own private clinics or consultancy arrangements. A salaried doctor may only need help with a Self Assessment return covering modest private income or professional expenses. A GP partner needs partnership accounts, profit allocation and a clear view of how practice drawings interact with personal tax. A locum with irregular income and frequent travel faces different questions about allowable expenses and payment on account. Where a doctor combines several of these at once, the priority shifts to keeping each income stream properly separated and every deadline in view. The structure question matters too — sole trader, partnership or limited company can change how income is taxed, what records are required and how much flexibility exists around profit extraction.
GPs
Accounting and tax support for GPs with NHS income, private work, practice interests or additional professional earnings.
Hospital Doctors
Support with Self Assessment, professional expenses and tax matters alongside employment income and other professional earnings.
Consultants
Accounting support for consultants managing NHS employment, private practice income, professional expenses and tax obligations.
Locum Doctors
Support with Self Assessment, locum income, allowable expenses, bookkeeping and relevant business structure considerations.
Salaried Doctors
Tax and accounting support for salaried doctors with additional professional income or expenses requiring reporting.
Private Practitioners
Accounting support for doctors providing private medical services through individual practices, partnerships or companies.
Accounting and Tax Services Built Around Medical Careers
Our work with doctors centres on the practicalities of earning from more than one source. Self Assessment sits at the heart of it for most self-employed medics — locums, private practitioners and those with consultancy or media income alongside an NHS post. We prepare and file returns that properly account for NHS income, private medical fees, locum earnings and any other professional income, and we make sure the right expenses are claimed rather than guessed at. Alongside that, we handle bookkeeping and record keeping designed for medical work, including the split between practice or private income and employed income, expense tracking and mileage records. Annual accounts and financial reporting support sole traders, partnerships and limited companies, with Corporation Tax and statutory filing where a company structure is in place. Payroll services cover practice staff and, where relevant, a doctor taking a salary from their own company. VAT advice is available where private medical services, cosmetic work or other activities bring a practice over the registration threshold — although most purely medical services are exempt, the position depends on exactly what is being provided. We also provide management accounts, business structure reviews and partnership accounts, plus tax planning around profit extraction, pension contributions and the timing of income where your circumstances make that worthwhile.
Self Assessment Tax Returns
Preparation and support for doctors with employment, locum, private practice or other taxable income.
NHS & Private Income
Help organising accounting records where income comes from NHS work, private services, locum assignments or other professional activities.
Accurate records built around the way GP practices, partnerships and locum doctors actually work, with cloud software set up for you.
Tax Planning for Doctors & Consultants
Incorporation reviews for private practice, profit extraction, capital allowances and timing of income to keep your effective tax rate down.
Locum Tax & IR35 Support
Contract and IR35 status reviews, limited company versus sole trader comparisons and expense claims for locums working across multiple trusts.
The Accounting and Tax Challenges Doctors Commonly Face
Much of the difficulty doctors encounter is not about one complicated rule — it is about keeping several straightforward obligations under control at the same time. These are the areas that most often need attention.
- Blending NHS and private income. Employed NHS income is taxed through PAYE, while private fees, locum work and consultancy income usually need reporting through Self Assessment. Getting the interaction right matters, because HMRC expects a single, complete picture of your income even when it arrives from several places.
- Record keeping across a busy clinical week. Receipts, mileage logs and private fee records are easy to set aside when clinics run late. Poor records tend to mean under-claimed expenses, avoidable queries from HMRC, and a scramble at filing time rather than a calm, accurate return.
- Claiming the right professional expenses. Medical indemnity cover, GMC and royal college subscriptions, specialist equipment, training and professional development, and travel between sites can all be relevant — but only where the expense genuinely relates to your professional work and the rules for that type of cost are met.
- Managing payments on account and deadlines. Self-employed doctors and those with untaxed income often pay tax in advance instalments based on the previous year. When income falls or rises sharply, those fixed amounts can create cash flow pressure, and adjusting them requires early action rather than waiting until the filing deadline.
- Choosing and reviewing a business structure. Whether to work as a sole trader, join a partnership, or operate through a limited company depends on income levels, how you work, IR35 considerations for some contracts, and how you want to take money out. There is no single answer that suits every doctor.
- Pension complexity. NHS pension contributions, annual allowance questions and any personal or company pension contributions interact with your overall tax position. This is an area where the treatment depends heavily on individual circumstances, and where professional input is usually worthwhile.
- Practice and partnership finances. For GP partners and doctors running a practice, partnership accounts, profit shares, staff payroll, practice expenses and the difference between practice profit and personal drawings all need careful handling to avoid a mismatch between what the business earns and what you owe personally.
Why Doctors Choose CruseBurke for Their Accounting
Doctors tend to want the same things from an accountant: someone who understands how medical income actually works, who explains things without jargon, and who keeps the compliance side moving so it does not become a distraction. That is where we focus. We take the time to understand how you earn — NHS post, private practice, locum contracts, consultancy, partnership profit or a combination — and build the accounting around that reality rather than fitting you into a template. You get support with Self Assessment, bookkeeping, annual accounts, payroll and tax planning from people used to the terminology and quirks of medical work, including indemnity cover, professional subscriptions, training costs and irregular locum income. Communication is practical: clear explanations of what a figure means, what is required and when, and what options exist if your circumstances change mid-year. Where your position involves a partnership, a limited company or both employed and self-employed work, we help keep the records, filings and tax payments consistent with one another. And if your affairs are currently behind or simply disorganised, we can help you get back on an even footing.
Healthcare Focus
We support GPs, locum doctors, consultants and other medical professionals with accounting and tax matters tailored to their individual circumstances.
Every Allowable Expense Claimed
GMC and indemnity fees, royal college subscriptions, exams, courses, equipment and mileage — nothing left on the table.
NHS Pension Specialists
We calculate your pension input amount, check tapering and advise on Scheme Pays before a charge becomes a problem.
IR35 & Locum Confidence
Status reviews on your engagements and a clear answer on limited company versus sole trader for your circumstances.
Deadlines Handled for You
Returns, accounts and payroll filed on time, with reminders well in advance so penalties never happen.
Fair, Fixed Fees
One agreed monthly fee, quoted up front, with no hourly billing and no surprise invoices.
Our Simple 3-Step Process for Getting Started
Getting proper accounting support in place should not add another complicated task to your week. The first step is a conversation about how you work — your NHS post, private fees, locum assignments, consultancy income, partnership share or any mix of these, along with how you currently keep records and what is already filed. From there we review your accounting and tax position: which returns and deadlines apply to you, whether your current structure still fits, what expenses you may be entitled to claim, and where the gaps or risks are. The third step is putting the support in place — agreeing what we will handle, such as bookkeeping, Self Assessment, annual accounts, payroll or VAT, setting up a sensible way to share information through the year, and confirming the timetable for each filing obligation. If you are moving from another accountant or handling everything yourself, we can manage the handover as part of that process.
1. Initial Consultation (It’s Free):
We begin by getting to know your practice and understanding your unique needs. This step ensures we have a clear picture of your operations and your goals.
2. Customised Plan:
Based on our initial discussion, we create a personalised plan designed specifically for you. The aim is to keep everything organised and easy to follow. You can rest assured that your numbers are being handled with expert precision.
3. Ongoing Support & Updates:
From there, we take care of the ongoing work and keep you updated with reports. You’ll always know what’s happening, and we’re always here to answer your questions, ensuring you have a clear picture of your financial health at all times.
What Makes CruseBurke Different for Doctors
The difference comes down to how we approach the detail. Rather than treating a doctor as a generic self-employed client, we look at the structure of your income and ask the questions that actually change the numbers: is this income employment or self-employment, which expenses are genuinely allowable, does the practice arrangement create a partnership, would a company structure improve or complicate matters, and how do pension contributions interact with the rest? That analysis feeds directly into the compliance work — Self Assessment returns, annual accounts, Corporation Tax filings, VAT returns where relevant, and payroll — so the figures reported to HMRC reflect the full picture across every income source. Just as importantly, we keep the advice usable. Doctors do not need a lecture on tax law; they need to know what to record, what to claim, what to set aside for a tax bill and when each deadline falls. Where your circumstances are unusual — a mix of NHS and private work, a short-term contract, several locum roles in one year, or a new private practice — we work through it with you and explain the reasoning behind the treatment. And because accounting requirements change as careers develop, we treat the arrangement as something to review, not something to set and forget.
Technology Driven
We use Xero, Quickbooks, Sage & many other online software.
Dedicated Medical Accountant
Meet, call or email the same qualified accountant who knows your practice and your pension position.
Unlimited Support
Free telephone & email support
throughout the year.
Experienced Team
Our team have over 100 years of combined experienced.
Free - Email Reminders
Never Miss any deadline with our automated email reminders.
Yes, We Are Chartered!
We’re an ICAEW, ACCA & AAT accredited Firm.
How to Switch to Our Doctor Accountants
Take a back seat and let our specialist healthcare accountants handle everything. Switching part way through the year is straightforward and you never need to speak to your old accountant:
Get in touch
Reach out to us, and we’ll discuss your needs and how we can help your healthcare practice thrive.
Letter of Engagement
We’ll send over a simple letter to formalise our partnership and get everything in motion.
Previous Accountants
If you're switching, we’ll take care of contacting your previous accountants to make the transition smooth.
We Do the Rest
From there, sit back and relax. We’ll manage your accounts, taxes, and everything in between, keeping your practice running smoothly.
FAQs
It depends on your circumstances. A doctor with only employed NHS income taxed through PAYE may have a relatively simple position, although even then high earnings, pension contributions or small amounts of private income can bring a Self Assessment requirement. Once you add private fees, locum shifts, consultancy work, partnership profit or a limited company, the position becomes considerably more involved. An accountant helps ensure all income is reported correctly, that allowable expenses are claimed properly, and that deadlines and payments on account are managed rather than discovered late.
Your NHS salary is normally taxed through PAYE, with tax deducted at source. Private fees, locum income and consultancy earnings are generally reported through Self Assessment, and the tax already paid through PAYE is taken into account when your overall liability is calculated. In practice this means your private income can be taxed at your marginal rate, and additional tax may be due on it. The exact outcome depends on your total income, pension position and any reliefs you are entitled to.
Medical indemnity cover and subscriptions to professional bodies such as the GMC and relevant royal colleges are commonly claimed by doctors where they are required for the work you do. Relief is generally available because these costs are incurred wholly and exclusively for the purposes of your profession, but the position can differ depending on whether you are employed, self-employed or both, and on what the payment covers. Keeping evidence of each payment makes the claim straightforward.
Locum work is usually treated as self-employment, which means registering with HMRC, keeping records of your earnings and expenses, and filing a Self Assessment return. Regular travel between hospitals or practices, agency fees, equipment and indemnity cover may all be relevant to your expenses, though each claim has to meet the rules rather than being assumed. Because locum income is often irregular, payments on account can be difficult to plan for — reviewing the position during the year rather than at the deadline usually helps.
There is no universal answer. A limited company can suit some private practitioners, consultants and doctors with substantial non-NHS income, particularly where profits are retained in the business or where flexibility over profit extraction is valuable. For others, the additional administration, payroll requirements and compliance costs outweigh the benefits. Contracts with NHS bodies can also raise IR35 and off-payroll questions that need to be considered before deciding. The right structure depends on your income level, how you work and your wider financial plans.
Many medical services provided by registered health professionals are exempt from VAT, but the position is not automatic for every activity. Cosmetic treatments, certain advisory services, retail sales and some mixed offerings can fall outside the exemption, and the VAT treatment of a private practice may differ from that of NHS-facing work. If your private or practice income is growing, it is worth reviewing registration and record keeping before the question becomes urgent.
As a general rule you should keep records of all income — private fees, locum earnings, consultancy invoices and any untaxed income — along with evidence of expenses you intend to claim, such as indemnity premiums, professional subscriptions, training costs, equipment and business mileage. Bank statements, invoices and receipts should be stored in a way that makes them easy to retrieve. Records normally need to be kept for several years after the relevant tax year, so a consistent system matters more than a complicated one.
Yes. Changing accountants is generally straightforward. We can contact your existing adviser, obtain the professional clearance and handover information needed, and pick up your records at the right point in the cycle. It helps to have your most recent accounts, tax returns and a note of any outstanding filings when we begin, but we can work through that with you as part of the handover.
Speak to an Expert
Multiple Income Streams, One Clear Tax Position — Accountants for Doctors in Mayfield
If your income arrives from an NHS post, private patients, locum contracts or a practice partnership, keeping track of what is taxable, what is claimable and what is due can quickly become a second job. CruseBurke works with doctors on exactly this — bringing Self Assessment, bookkeeping and annual accounts together so your tax position reflects the whole picture and your records are ready when deadlines arrive. If your current setup feels disorganised or you are simply unsure whether you are claiming what you should, a conversation about where things stand is a sensible place to start.