Balancing NHS and Private GP Work: A Modern Portfolio Approach

I’m fortunate to have a fulfilling portfolio career — balancing NHS general practice, private GP services, and forensic medical work. Increasingly, this kind of professional blend is becoming the norm rather than the exception for many GPs and healthcare professionals.

Doctors, nurses, paramedics, and other clinicians are expanding their roles, not because of disloyalty to one sector, but because working across sectors can enhance skills, provide flexibility, and preserve long-term career satisfaction. 

Why Portfolio Work Makes Sense

At first, it might seem surprising to see an NHS nurse offering aesthetics or a GP working in private clinics. But the more I speak with colleagues doing this, the more it’s clear: a portfolio career strengthens clinical breadth and builds resilience. 

The skills used in busy NHS settings — like A&E or general practice — often differ from those in private clinics. But there’s real and valuable overlap. One environment sharpens emergency decision-making and public service insight; the other offers continuity, autonomy, and often, the time and space to go deeper with patients.

Protecting Against Burnout — And Monotony

For some clinicians, staying in a single role can lead to fatigue or stagnation. On the other hand, a mixed clinical portfolio helps preserve motivation and purpose.

Personally, if I worked exclusively in private practice, I’d worry about losing contact with patients who can’t afford private care. If I only worked in the NHS, I’d miss the flexibility and agency that private work brings. Having a hand in both worlds feels not just balanced — it feels right.

Portfolio careers can also protect against burnout. The fast pace of NHS work, while deeply rewarding, can be exhausting. A private clinic or specialist setting can offer space to recharge without stepping away from clinical care.

Private Work Doesn’t Mean Turning Away

Some feel that working privately is incompatible with NHS values. I disagree. The choice to offer paid services doesn't mean abandoning public duty. In fact, many clinicians I know use income from private work to sustain their ability to work part-time or flexibly in the NHS. That’s not greed — it’s strategy for longevity.

We live in a world where the public sector can’t meet every need, all the time. For patients who can afford it, choosing to pay for timely or specialist services may ease pressure on the NHS — freeing up appointments and resources for others.

Autonomy, Flexibility, and Future-Proofing the Profession

We already see this balance in other professions: lawyers, accountants, and educators often blend public and private work. Healthcare should be no different.

Clinicians need the freedom to shape their careers — not just to serve patients better, but to protect their own wellbeing in a rapidly changing system. With rising demand, limited resources, and the advent of AI and digital medicine, we must protect professional autonomy where we can.

Portfolio work isn’t for everyone. But for many of us, it’s a way to preserve joy in medicine, stay sharp across multiple domains, and serve a broader range of people. I’m grateful to be able to do both — and I believe the future of healthcare depends on supporting those who want to do the same.