Exodus of the GPs: Two in 5 ready to quit
TWO in five GPs are planning to quit their jobs within five years in an exodus that could cripple the NHS, research published today suggests.
A Government-funded study of the problem warned health bosses that the ability of the NHS to provide effective care was at risk.
‘Acknowledgement of the magnitude of the problems is urgently required,’ the researchers said in the BMJ Open medical journal. ‘Failure to do so will risk serious adverse effects on the capacity and ability of the NHS to provide effective primary care.’
They added that rock-bottom morale was contributing to the crisis – despite GPs still benefiting from an extraordinarily generous contract introduced barely a decade ago that saw their pay rocket and working hours plummet.
Average pay hit £ 110,000 under contracts introduced by Labour in 2004 that also enabled GPs to opt out of evening and weekend work. It has fallen since as ministers try to get to grips with their salary but remains above £100,000.
The researchers from the University of Exeter surveyed 2,250 GPs across the South West. Nearly 40 per cent said it was ‘highly likely’ they would quit their jobs in the next five years.
And 70 per cent said they intended to reduce their hours, take a career break or stop providing direct patient care.
Study leader Professor John Campbell, of the University of Exeter Medical School, said: ‘Our findings show an even bleaker outlook than expected for GP cover. If GPs have similar intentions to leave or reduce their hours in other regions, as many are reporting, the country needs to take robust action more swiftly and urgently than previously thought.’
Pointing out that there is an ‘ageing workforce in general practice’, they added: ‘Previous research has found that GP morale is low because of workload pressures, and many younger GPs do not want the financial risk and responsibilities of taking on a practice.’
Doctors claim they do not get enough funding to meet the needs of the growing and ageing population, which has led to increasingly long waiting times.
The Department of Health has accepted there is a problem and
‘Bleaker outlook than expected’
is aiming to recruit an extra 5,000 GPs by 2020 by handing out even more money – offering a £10,000 incentive if they take up posts in understaffed surgeries. But the latest NHS figures show an average of 150 family doctors are already quitting each month, and the new study raises doubt the ambitious plans will be met.
It also undermines comments made last month by NHS England chief executive Simon Ste- vens, who said all patients would have access to evening and weekend GP appointments by 2019.
A Department of Health spokesman said: ‘This survey was carried out before we launched our plan to improve conditions in general practice – so it doesn’t take into account our steps to improve morale and retention by investing £2.4billion more into primary care, making extra payments to GPs, and cutting red tape.’