GMC report highlights ‘worrying’ trends that must be addressed

In response to the GMC’s ‘The state of medical education and practice in the UK: Workplace experiences 2026’ report, published today, Professor Victoria Tzortziou Brown, President of the Royal College of GPs, said: “GPs want to deliver the best possible care for our patients, that’s why we become doctors, so it’s worrying to hear that for many the pressures of the job are making this so challenging. This is not about a lack of commitment or professionalism, but whether GPs have the time and capacity they need to provide the standard of care our patients deserve.

“It’s particularly concerning to hear that so many GPs are considering leaving the profession earlier than planned. We need the long-awaited 10-year workforce plan to address this as a matter of urgency.

“Currently, there are around 2,300 patients for every qualified full-time equivalent GP in England - a 13% increase since 2015. Our workload is increasing in both volume and complexity, we don’t have enough GPs to deliver the care our patients need and general practice's share of NHS funding at its lowest in a decade. These pressures are taking their toll, and it will be patients who bear the brunt.

“GPs and our teams deliver the vast majority of NHS patient contacts, and in doing so we alleviate pressure across the health service, keeping it cost-effective and sustainable. The Government is right to want to shift more care from hospitals into the community, but that ambition cannot be delivered without the workforce and resources in general practice needed to deliver it.

“The College is calling for a Primary Care Investment Standard to secure sustained, year-on-year investment in general practice. We also need to see the 10-year workforce plan published with a clear focus on recruiting, retaining and supporting the GPs needed to improve access, strengthen continuity of care and deliver high-quality care closer to home."

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.