Accountants for Healthcare in Pembroke

The work is similar in principle to general accounting but shaped around healthcare income and rules. In practice it usually includes preparing and filing Self Assessment returns for sole traders, partners and locums, preparing annual accounts and Corporation Tax computations for incorporated practices and clinics, running bookkeeping and digital records, processing payroll for clinical and administrative staff, handling VAT returns and advising on which supplies are exempt, and providing management accounts or tax planning where useful. It also includes the less visible work: checking that expenses claimed are properly allowable, reconciling NHS and private income, watching deadlines, and answering questions when your circumstances change, such as taking on a partner or incorporating the practice.

It suits almost anyone earning money from healthcare work. That includes GPs and GP practice partnerships, consultants with private practice income, locum doctors and surgeons, dentists and dental practices, pharmacists and pharmacy owners, nurses and advanced nurse practitioners, physiotherapists and other allied health professionals, private clinics, aesthetic and cosmetic practitioners, therapists, care providers and healthcare consultancies. It is also relevant if you are employed by the NHS but have a side income from private work, teaching, writing, expert witness work or a small clinic, because that often pushes you into Self Assessment and changes your tax position.

Yes, and it is one of the most common situations we deal with. NHS salary is normally taxed through PAYE, while private fees, locum payments and some other income need to be reported through Self Assessment, and possibly through a limited company if you contract that way. The two have to be reconciled carefully so that tax already paid through PAYE is properly credited and so that any overlap or gap is identified. We keep the income streams separately recorded, which also matters for VAT where exempt medical services are mixed with standard-rated work, and where the practice needs to demonstrate how costs have been shared between partners.

Common claims include professional registration and indemnity insurance, continuing professional development, medical equipment and instruments, specialist clothing such as scrubs where required, professional subscriptions, relevant books and journals, medicals and required health checks, and a proportion of home running costs where a genuine business space is used. Travel between sites, mileage for home visits and locum travel can also qualify in the right circumstances. The rules differ between employment and self-employment, and some costs are specifically not allowable, so it is worth checking rather than assuming. Good records make the difference: a clear note of what was bought and why it was necessary is far more useful than a bank statement alone.

There is no single answer, because it depends on your income level, how profits are shared, your attitude to risk and whether you have partners or employees. A limited company can offer tax planning flexibility and limited liability, but it adds administrative and filing duties, and for locums working for NHS bodies the off-payroll working rules need to be considered carefully. Partnerships and sole trader arrangements are simpler and often appropriate for smaller practices, but they leave profits taxed under Self Assessment in full. We review the numbers and the practical implications, then explain the trade-offs so you can make an informed decision rather than a default one.

Medical care provided by recognised healthcare professionals is generally exempt from VAT, which is why many practices are not registered at all. Problems tend to arise where a business supplies a mix of things - for example cosmetic or purely aesthetic treatments, retail products, non-medical services, equipment sales or room hire. Those supplies are often standard-rated, which can trigger a registration requirement and create partial exemption calculations affecting how much input VAT can be reclaimed. We look at your actual services and income, confirm the correct treatment, and manage registration, returns and partial exemption records where they are needed.

Yes. Practice payroll often includes salaried GPs, nurses, reception and administration staff, part-time and variable-hours workers, and directors taking a salary. Each has to be processed with the right tax code, National Insurance treatment and pension contribution, and auto-enrolment duties need to be monitored as staff join, change hours or leave. Where locums are engaged, the correct status matters too - whether they are genuinely self-employed, employed, or engaged through an intermediary. We run payroll on a regular cycle, provide payslips and reports, and keep an eye on the deadlines so that submissions and payments are not missed.

It begins with a short initial conversation about your role, how you are structured and what you need help with. From there we look at your recent returns, accounts, bookkeeping, payroll and VAT position to see where things stand and what needs attention first, including any deadlines coming up. Once the scope is agreed, we set out what information you will provide and when, take over the relevant filings, and give you a clear contact for questions. If you are changing accountant, we can handle the handover with your previous adviser. Many healthcare clients work with us remotely, sharing records digitally, so location is rarely a barrier.