More than 4,600 GPs demand action to address GP pressures that are impacting on patient care

The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGPs) have urged the government to take urgent action to support GPs and their teams so that they can deliver the care patients need

This week, 4620 GPs and GP trainees sent a letter to the secretary of state, requesting a new plan to improve general practice in England. They say this is needed to address the surging workload and workforce pressures facing GPs and their teams that is impacting the care they are able to deliver to patients – and prevent a potential mass exodus of nearly 19,000 GPs from the service in the next five years, according to the latest data from a recent College survey of members.

The letter states: “GPs, retired GPs and GPs in training in England we are writing to ask you to take action in response to the RCGP’s Fit for the Future campaign. General practice is the cornerstone of the NHS. It helps more patients than the rest of the NHS put together. So, when GPs and their patients say that general practice is in crisis, we should all be concerned.

“With 68% of GPs saying they don’t have enough time to adequately assess and treat patients during appointments, and 42% saying that they are planning to quit the profession in the next five years, it’s clear that many practices are already in crisis, and without action things are likely to get worse. That is why we are calling on you to commit to a bold new plan to provide GPs and patients with the support that they need.”

The RCGP’s Fit for the Future campaign is calling for the government to commit to a plan to make general practice sustainable for the future, which should include:

• A new recruitment and retention strategy that allows us to go beyond the target of 6000 more GPs
• An NHS wide campaign to free up GPs to spend more time with patients by cutting unnecessary workload and bureaucracy
• Improving patients’ experience of accessing care by investing in a new suite of IT products and support for practices, making it easier for patients to choose to see the same GP or the next available member of the team.
• Returning funding for general practice to 11% of total health spend, including £1bn additional investment in GP premises.

Commenting on the letter, Professor Martin Marshall, lead signatory and chair of the RCGP, said: “GPs and our teams want to be able to deliver good, safe and appropriate care for our patients when they need it. But the volume, intensity and complexity of our workload is escalating whilst numbers of fully qualified, full-time GPs are falling. This is taking its toll on the health and wellbeing of GPs and the care and services we’re able to deliver for patients. It is forcing many to consider leaving the profession earlier than planned.

“We need to make being a GP sustainable again, for the sake of the NHS, and for the sake of patients. We urge politicians and decision makers to take heed of our campaign calls.”