NHS GP shortage and crisis

What are shortages currently estimated to be?

4200

what are they projected to be in 2031?

8800

why might a person go to a GP?

• long term conditions

• primary care

why is there a shortage of GPs?

GPs are retiring faster than coming into the field, more likely to switch out of it than in in their careers

Why are people less likely to become a GP?

• lower salary than hospital consultant

• poor working conditions - extremely high workload, being expected to see patients in just ten minutes sometimes

• a lot of admin which means that you cannot have an impact I mean

How does the NHS GP crisis impact patient care?

• many people will not get the appropriate care in time for their health concerns

• more suffering and worse health issues

• delayed diagnosis

• these problems are worse in less affluent areas due to health inequalities

What are the solutions?

• funding - ensures retention and training so more GPs

• easier for international GPs to get visas to work in GP

• increase roles of other practitioners - practice nurses or physician associate

• keep pay protection - doctors that switch to GP from another speciality are paid the same so they aren’t put off by switching jobs

How did Rishi Sunak propose to solve this?

£10 charge for GP appointment missed

• condemned by the BMA as they would disadvantage the poorest and most vulnerable and go against core principles of equality and freedom of access that the NHS stands for

what are GPs referred as

front line of the NHS

what does it do to the trust of the patient?

decreases it, affects trust in whole NHS