Retirement crisis amongst GPs

A poll by the British Medical Association of over 15,000 GPs suggests that a crisis is being faced by GP services, with a third of doctors considering retirement in the next five years. The survey also found that more than a quarter were thinking about reducing to part-time hours, and one in 10 were considering moving abroad.

The results come a week after the BMA released figures which suggested that extremely high workloads were harming patient care.

BMA GP leader Dr Chaand Nagpaul said that the survey findings showed that some of the promises made by politicians about doctors were “absurd”, saying “This poll lays bare the stark reality of the crisis facing the GP workforce.”

He also said “It is clear that incredible pressures on GP services are at the heart of this problem, with escalating demand having far outstripped capacity.

“GPs are overworked and intensely frustrated that they do not have enough time to spend with their patients.

“In this climate, it is absurd that in the recent leaders’ debate, political parties were attempting to outbid each other on the number of GPs they could magically produce in the next parliament.

“Since it takes five to eight years to train a GP, it is not possible to create thousands of GPs in this timeframe.”

Karen Murphy of the Patients Association, said “We know from the many calls to our helpline that patients are not able to access GP services at times when they need to.

“What patients want is a clear and firm commitment that GPs now and tomorrow will have the resources to meet their needs.

“Anything less is just not acceptable.

“We need a 21st Century primary care service with access 24/7.”

A spokesman for NHS England said recruitment measures were being effected through the newly developed action plan.

He said “NHS England has invested £10m to kick-start the initiatives in the plan, which include incentives to recruit newly trained doctors into general practice, schemes to retain GPs thinking of leaving the profession and a new induction and returner scheme to encourage more GPs to return to work after a period of absence working abroad or from a career break.”

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Posted by Karen Motley, Paralegal, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (karenmotley@chadlaw.co.uk ), Medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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