Why Doctors Need Specialised Accountants: Balancing the Books in Healthcare

Understanding Financial Challenges in Healthcare

For doctors, the healthcare sector comes with its own set of unique financial complexities that must be overcome.

These include the challenges faced by those who are employed by the NHS but also carry out private practice work. Are you certain that your private income is being declared and that your tax and National Insurance payments are being calculated correctly?

If carrying out private work, are you doing so as a sole trader or as a limited company – and do you know which option best suits your needs?

Are you claiming tax relief, where appropriate, on things like indemnity insurance and any professional subscriptions you hold?

Are you paying into the NHS pension scheme? If so, are you aware of the changes that are regularly made to the scheme and how they impact your contributions and your tax planning?

All of these factors – and more – are why dedicated accountants for doctors are so vital.

The Role of Specialised Accounting in Healthcare

All of the above factors show that specialised accountants play an important role for doctors. UK-based medical professionals are well-equipped to handle the unique financial requirements of the healthcare sector: more generalised accounting services may not be aware of some of the finer nuances of medical finances.

Tailored medical accounting services know the ins and outs of both NHS and private practices – as well as what to look for when a healthcare professional operates in both spaces. Their experience in handling the accounts of other medical professionals means they have plenty of expertise in tackling accounting and financial challenges of all types, giving you complete peace of mind.

Taxation and Compliance for Medical Professionals

Navigating the intricate tax landscape in healthcare is sometimes less than simple. This is particularly true of those who are employed by the NHS but who also take on private practice work to supplement their income. These two strands of work will, of course, impact the tax and National Insurance contributions that you pay, so it’s vital to get it right.

With specific task forces set up to focus on certain sectors – including healthcare – it’s vital that doctors are completely compliant. From declaring all taxable income to checking you have the right tax code and looking into tax relief that you may be able to claim, it’s clear to see why specialist accounting for doctors is such a high-demand service.

Strategic Financial Planning for Long-Term Success

What plans do you have for career progression? How will you ensure that you are earning more – both as an individual and as a practice – down the line?

Financial forecasting and planning are key to long-term success. It may be that you want to understand where your finances will be in a year, five years, or ten years from now. It may be that you know that expenses will increase and want to understand how that will affect your practice.

You may be looking to scale up: purchasing a new practice or becoming a partner within your existing practice. In all these areas, specialist accountants for doctors can help you flourish in the years to come.

Maximising Practice Management Efficiency

Do you know how efficiently your practice is run?

Efficient practice management is not just about scheduling appointments and ensuring that these happen on time.

It can also include choosing the right practice management software to automate billing, scheduling and more, keeping data centralised and reducing the likelihood of human error. It can include revenue cycle management to keep your cash flow healthy. It can include performance metrics in a range of areas – and these metrics will help you to make continuous improvements to the way your practice is run.

All of these things can help you streamline your practice operations, helping you run your practice more efficiently and cost-effectively.

Healthcare Financial Regulations: What Doctors Need to Know

Medical accounting in the UK has its own set of specific financial laws and regulations that doctors need to be aware of.

The existence of the NHS superannuation scheme is one area that can prove challenging to navigate. It can change regularly and can impact your tax liabilities, so it’s vital that you stay informed about how it operates.

Many practices operate as partnerships, which bring with them their own challenges in terms of accounting. There are also reliefs – like Research & Development tax reliefs – that you may be able to take advantage of.

It’s a challenging sector to navigate in terms of finances – which is why it’s important to choose expert accounting advice that’s tailored to your sector.

Driving Profitability Through Expert Financial Management

If your practice’s only profits stem from NHS funding, finding ways to increase profitability can be challenging. It may be that the only areas that can be changed to make your practice more profitable are those where cost efficiencies can be achieved.

Specialist accountants for doctors can help you establish where cost-cutting measures can be applied without a negative impact on the operation of your practice. It may be that using new technologies or finding new suppliers for drugs, utilities, and/or equipment can help.

If NHS funding isn’t your only source of profit, dedicated medical accountants can help you determine new sources of revenue to help you grow.

Selecting the Ideal Accountant for Your Practice

Finding an accountant is one thing. Finding the right accountant is another.

To ensure that you’re complying with the relevant regulatory requirements, submitting your annual tax return correctly and making the most of any tax efficiencies you are able to, you’ll want to choose specialised accountants for doctors: UK accountants who have a wealth of experience in your particular sector.

This expertise and experience gives you the confidence that not only are you doing things by the book, but you’re also taking advantage of any sector-specific efficiencies that can be made.

At QAccounting, our years of experience in accounting for doctors means that you’re in safe hands. From managing your bookkeeping to preparing and filing your tax returns; from tax relief schemes to NHS pension assistance; our accountants for doctors are here to help.

We’ll tailor our services to your requirements – and with a dedicated accountant just for you, you will have the peace of mind of knowing that the expert you’re working with is committed to understanding your exact financial situation and needs. Get in touch to find out how we can help.