Stepping up to GP partnership

Dr Emma Wong is an RCGP Council member, former First5 Committee Chair and a GP partner in Sheffield. Here she weighs up the pros and cons of becoming a partner early in a GP’s career  arguing that those who want to try should be better supported to do so...

At its heart, General Practice is all about the people - both the patients and the fantastic teams in which we work. When I took up my partnership role in 2021, just six months after becoming a fully qualified GP, one of the major factors was the fantastic, supportive group of colleagues I’d be joining, as well as my incredible trainer, who epitomised the kind of GP I wanted to be.  

Another key factor in this decision was autonomy. The partnership model is unique in the NHS, allowing for grassroots innovation at all levels and timely implementation of changes, which can quickly and visibly impact on and improve patient care. It’s refreshing to be able to make change happen without always having to cut through red tape, and to be able to respond to patient and staff feedback in real time. 

Flexibility is also important for me, and I saw how being a partner can give you a little more control over how and when you work, what you want your role as a clinician to look like and how you shape your team. It also allows you to deliver care appropriate to your practice population and their needs – increasing not only job satisfaction but also patient health outcomes. 

All coins have two sides – and although there are many benefits of partnership, there are downsides, as well. It’s often said that a partnership is like a marriage - and certainly around the end of the QOF year, it can feel like you spend more time with your work partners than at home! 

A partnership is a significant undertaking and can have severe financial implications if things don’t work out, both for the business and the individual. It also means that the buck effectively stops with you, and as such partners can often end up covering for staff sickness or working well beyond their hours. A good practice manager is worth their weight in gold, but partners also need an understanding of NHS contracts and service delivery requirements, and to be able to fulfil these, whilst keeping up with all their clinical knowledge too. 

GP training is the shortest training programme, with one of the broadest spectra of clinical knowledge. But even with the move to 24 months in GP placements, there often isn’t time to adequately cover and experience the managerial, financial and “soft” skills that would instil more confidence to take up an early partnership. 

It’s small wonder that with continually changing contractual requirements, lack of government support for general practice and the rising cost of living, early-career GPs, especially those with family or caring responsibilities are eschewing partnership in favour of what some may consider a  “safer” option of salaried general practice. 

Numbers of GP partners have fallen by over a quarter in the past ten years, and a recent RCGP survey found that only 32% of GPs said they were likely to consider becoming a partner in the future -  yet in April 2025, the Institute for Government undertook a survey which showed that one additional GP partner per practice is associated with a 1.4% increase in satisfaction. 

Partnership can bring so many benefits to both patients and GPs – but until the calls for better support for current and intending partners are heard, sadly, for many, the risks will still outweigh the benefits. We must support our early-career colleagues so that those who want to take the next step into partnership feel adequately resourced, informed and supported to do so.