... and just 3 in ten family doctors do full time hours

ALMOST seven in ten GPs are working part time, official figures reveal.

Just 31 per cent are doing at least 37 and a half hours a week in their surgeries.

Many are opting for socalled portfolio careers in which they mix up their GP work with research or managerial roles.

NHS Digital said 34.3 per cent of family doctors worked 37.5 hours or more in September 2015 but by March 2018 it had dropped to 30.7 per cent. The British Medical Association said it was ‘unsurprising’ they wanted more of a work-life balance because their jobs were becoming more stressful.

The figures, analysed by Pulse magazine, also show that 47.1 per cent of male GPs work full-time hours compared to just 23.7 per cent of their female colleagues. More than half of GPs are women.

The Department of Health and Social Care said: ‘It’s important to recognise the need for flexible working so we can retain GPs.

‘We are also increasing funding for GPs by an extra £2.4billion a year by 2021.’