Quarter of aspiring GPS want to be locums only

ALMOST a quarter of trainee GPS plan to become locums, a survey by the University of Warwick reveals.

The poll of aspiring general practitioners in the West Midlands found that 23.2 per cent plan to be doing locum work six months after they complete training.

The poll of 178 trainee GPS – which represents 57 per cent of those training in the region – found that six months after training, a third plan to be salaried GPS. Overall, six in 10 doctors who are completing their training to become GPS plan to work in NHS general practice after six months, the authors found. This rises to 64 per cent three years after training ends but falls to 59 per cent after five years.

Most planned to work as salaried GPS or locums rather than entering a GP partnership for at least five years.

The study found choices related to how they had experienced general practice, and their perceptions about workload and morale.