About Chambers...

There has been much interest recently amongst medical consultants for coming together and working as groups. There are many ways in which this can happen, with different benefits both for cost effectiveness and improved clinical care.

What is a Chamber ?

In essence a Chamber is an expense sharing arrangement between a number of consultants. In the past this was referred to as ‘Rooms’. The Consultants practice as individuals but come together to practice from a particular premises and share the expenses on an agreed basis.

There is no sharing of fees and apart from expenses the only thing shared is the good name of the Chamber. In Chambers consultants share the common goal or objective of economies of scale.

How does it differ from other structures ?

There are four other structures that facilitate the practice of a consultant:

• Sole Practitioner - The consultant practices privately on their own without interaction from a business point of view with any other consultant.
• Partnership - Common among GP partnerships, Doctors come together to share income and expenses. Each member shares the common goal and is bound by the decision of the group.
• Limited Liability Partnership - Available as a professional entity since 2001. It was introduced as a way for professionals, particularly solicitors and accountants, to practice and avoid unlimited liability where the medium of a limited company was unsuitable.
• Limited Company - Consultants within a limited company are normally both shareholders and directors. The consultants are normally employed by the company and share a common goal or objective. The respective shareholdings can allow for different levels of and different types of commitment from each member.

A consultant can be a Sole Practitioner, in a Chamber, Partnership and the director/shareholder of a Limited Company all at the same time practicing different aspects of medicine.

Further Information

How will Chambers effect Patients

How will Chambers effect GPs

Further information for Consultants

The FIPO Chambers sub-group