RCGP hits back against media misconceptions about 'part time' working in general practice

Publication date: 06 December 2021

The College has responded to columns in the Telegraph by Patrick O’Flynn and J. Meirion Thomas about part-time working in general practice.

The full version is below:

Sir

We agree that ‘throwing money at GPs’ is no panacea to ‘increasing productivity’ (Patrick O’Flynn, 2 December). GPs and our teams are already working at capacity amidst a workload and workforce crisis.

Mr O'Flynn - and J Meirion Thomas in his latest attack on GPs (3 December) - misses the point that GPs working a ‘part-time’ three-day week are on average, in fact, working more than what is generally considered full-time hours, and that in addition to clinical work will have reams of paperwork to deal with.

General practice is the bedrock of the NHS and needs to be adequately supported to manage the ever-growing demand for care and to ensure that patients are safe. The Government must deliver on their manifesto pledge of an additional 6,000 GPs by 2024 and make the job of being a GP manageable again, so we retain highly-trusted, highly-trained family doctors in the profession, caring for patients, for as long as possible.

Dr Gary Howsam
Vice Chair, Royal College of GPs
London, NW1

Further information

(For Media only)

RCGP Press office: 020 3188 7633/7574/7575
Out of hours: 0203 188 7659
press@rcgp.org.uk

Notes to editor

The Royal College of General Practitioners is a network of more than 52,000 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.