‘We need to stop the cycle of burnout’ says College Chair

Professor Kamila Hawthorne, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: "These latest findings from the GMC are deeply concerning but will come as no surprise for GPs who have been struggling with high workloads and longstanding shortcomings in resourcing and training.

"Being a GP is a highly rewarding profession, but years of poor workforce planning and underfunding have meant a substantial number of GPs are now feeling disillusioned and dissatisfied, facing tremendous pressures and career uncertainties.

"Over the last year, GPs and their teams have delivered a record number of appointments - over a million per day - with only a handful more fully qualified full-time GPs than we did at the end of 2019. This has placed enormous pressure on GPs who can’t keep doing more with less.

“Worryingly, we are seeing a substantial proportion of GPs looking to leave the profession altogether: a survey from the College found that 37% of GPs already thought it was unlikely that they would be working in general practice in the next five years.

"The major challenges identified in this report must be addressed as a matter of urgency, otherwise the cycle of burnout will continue, and it’s patients who will ultimately feel the effects.

"There have been some encouraging proposals in the Ten Year Health Plan to recruit thousands more GPs - we're now looking to the Long-Term Workforce Plan for more detail about where these will come from and how they’ll be funded. But recruitment is half the battle, and it must be combined with retention initiatives that can improve the satisfaction of those already in the profession." 

Further information

RCGP press office: 0203 188 7659

press@rcgp.org.uk

Notes to editors

The Royal College of General Practitioners is a network of more than 54,000 family doctors working to improve care for patients. We work to encourage and maintain the highest standards of general medical practice and act as the voice of GPs on education, training, research and clinical standards.