Pledge to build GP workforce by 5,000 by 2020 is ‘falling short’

NHS England’s General Practice Forward View is falling short in its pledge to build the GP workforce by 5,000 more full-time equivalent family doctors by 2020, the RCGP has concluded.

The Royal College of General Practitioners’ (RCGP) Annual Assessment of the plan, which was launched in April 2016, recognises that NHS England is making progress in delivering many of its pledges, and that the commitment to spend an additional £2.4 billion each year on general practice by 2020/21 is on track.

But the analysis, based on the most up to date feedback, raises concerns that the GP Forward View is not having a positive impact on frontline general practice and patient care to the extent and with the speed that is necessary.

The report follows an assessment by the RCGP, published in January, that found that national ambition was not being matched by local delivery and many GPs had yet to see significant change - even though progress is being made.

The RCGP is now calling for a ‘re-think’ on the GP Forward View, specifically around workforce pledges and spiralling costs of indemnity.

The GP Forward View pledged 5,000 more full-time equivalent GPs in England by 2020 but the latest figures from NHS Digital show that the numbers have actually declined since September 2016.

The report acknowledges that those entering GP specialty training are set to be higher this year than last, so the RCGP is optimistic that the target of 3,250 can be met in 2017, but say that more must be done to retain existing GPs in the profession.

It also praises efforts to increase staff numbers in the wider practice team as being largely successful with 2,896 full-time equivalent practice staff entering the profession between September 2015 to September 2016.

Helen Stokes-Lampard, chair of the RCGP, said: “It takes at least three years in specialty training for new doctors to enter the workforce as independent consultant GPs so whilst it’s fantastic that more foundation doctors are choosing general practice this year, if more people are leaving the profession than entering it, we’re fighting a losing battle.

“Above all else we need to see efforts stepped up to keep hard working, experienced GPs in the profession, and the best way to do this is to tackle workload pressures and improve the conditions under which all GPs and our teams are working.

“The College stands by the GP Forward View – we continue to think that it is the lifeline general practice needs to get our profession where it needs to be. But things are moving too slowly. Our endorsement of the original report means we can hold NHS England, Health Education England, and other bodies to account, and that’s what we’re doing with today’s report.”