The far-reaching roots of the GP shortage

SIR – Last week there was a discussion on Radio 4 about the shortage of NHS GPS.

Many reasons were suggested for the crisis, but one important factor was overlooked – namely that, when Tony Blair was prime minister, he refused to employ 5,000 newly trained doctors in 2008, and they went abroad to get work.

The resulting shortage permeated the system, affecting GPS and consultants (who are also in great shortage).

Angela Southern

Hook, Hampshire

SIR – One of the main reasons for the shortfall in GP availability is obvious to GPS of a certain age but is rarely acknowledged.

When I went into general practice in the Eighties, more than 70 per cent of GPS were male, and practices often had difficulty finding female GPS. Now the position is reversed and male doctors entering GP training are a significant minority.

While women make excellent GPS, the fact is that they are much more likely than male GPS to want only part-time work, for reasons which are obvious but seem to be off-limits for polite discussion.

Dr Martin Shutkever

Pontefract, West Yorkshire

SIR – Rather than “work fatigue”, is the prime reason for the decline in the number of GPS more likely to be that they can afford to retire early, or only work three days a week, as a result of the very significant salary increase awarded by Tony Blair’s Labour government?

John Cook

Stourport-on-severn, Worcestershire

SIR – Charles Moore (Notebook, May 13) draws attention to the challenges of parking in his local hospital, highlighting the expensive rates.

Indeed, I had to pay several pounds to visit my wife in our hospital. But then, upon reflection, I realised that I did not have to pay for her operation, the cost of which probably ran into many thousands of pounds.

Hugh Sawyer

Basingstoke, Hampshire