Under a third of GPs likely to become partners

New polling from the RCGP reveals fewer than a third of GPs say they're likely to consider becoming a GP partner, as the College issues warning over partnership decline.

Fewer than a third of GPs (32%) say they're likely to consider becoming a GP partner, according to the latest polling from the Royal College of GPs.

This is despite GPs believing the partnership model supports continuity of care, allows for innovation in the best interests of patient care, and is cost effective for the NHS - and 69% of GPs in England saying it needs to be protected in any forthcoming NHS reforms.

The Institute for Government’s analysis found that surgeries with more GP partners are associated with higher patient access, outcomes and satisfaction, with one additional GP partner per practice associated with a 1.4% increase in satisfaction.

However, the latest figures from NHS England show that the number of GP partners in England has dropped by over 25% in a decade, from 24,491 in September 2015 to 18,009 in October 2025.  The College is warning that should this decline continue, there may be too few GP partners to support a partnership approach to delivering general practice in the future.

The RCGP’s recent report - 'GP partnership principles' –highlighted these concerns and set out that, while there is room for modernisation and innovation, the partnership model still provides many benefits to patients and is cost-effective for the NHS.  

Similarly, Lord Darzi's independent investigation of the NHS, published last year, found that GP partnerships

“have the best financial discipline in the health service family as they cannot run up large deficits in the belief that they will be bailed out", and that the model was able to deliver "local innovations that [improve] access and quality of care, while also relieving pressures on acute hospitals".

The College’s polling echoes this, showing that GPs in England still felt that the partnership model provided benefits to both patients and the NHS:

• 63% agreed that the partnership model offers the flexibility needed to meet local need
• 68% believed that it allows GPs to innovate to improve patient care
• 69% agreed that it encourages continuity of care
• And 63% believed that it was cost-effective for the NHS.

The College is calling for more funding for the core GP contract to support partnerships to counter decades of underfunding and allow partnerships to invest in their workforce and infrastructure. As well as investment in support schemes to encourage more GPs to become partners.

College Chair, Professor Victoria Tzortziou Brown said: “The GP partnership model delivers substantial benefits for both the NHS and patients. It is cost-effective and enables practices to innovate and tailor their care to the specific needs of their local communities. It is therefore deeply concerning that so many GPs report that they’re not considering partnership roles.

“General practice must continue to evolve and adapt, but this should be accompanied by a clear recognition of the enduring value of the partnership model. Protecting it requires addressing the barriers that currently deter GPs from taking on partner responsibilities.”

When respondents in England who indicated they were not considering becoming a GP partner were asked what would make the role more attractive:

• 43% said greater organisational or administrative support
• 40% said increased availability of workforce to deliver services
• 41% said removing the requirement to invest in practice premises ownership.

Professor Tzortziou Brown continued, “After decades of underfunding and poor workforce planning, it’s clear that GPs need more support generally – but also more support to take on partnership roles. At present, the prospect of managing a practice within extremely tight budgets, with limited capacity to recruit staff , and taking on responsibility for inadequate buildings is deterring many GPs from becoming partners.

“While the RCGP supports a mixed model of general practice delivery, it is essential to protect the core principles of partnership: professional autonomy, continuity of care, and accountability to local communities. If we value the tailored, relationship-based care this model provides, it must be adequately supported.

“This is particularly important as England’s 10-Year Health Plan places greater emphasis on moving care into the community. To realise these ambitions safely and sustainably, funding must follow, ensuring GP partners have the resources they need to provide safe and timely care close to home.”

Further information

RCGP press office: 0203 188 7659
press@rcgp.org.uk

Notes to editors

Savanta was commissioned by RCGP to deliver this survey. The survey was in field between 28 July 2025 and 20 August 2025, and it received a total of 2,317 complete responses, of whom 1,645 practicing GPs, from across England.

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.