NHS Workforce Gains 250 Fully Qualified GPs Over The Past Year
New figures suggest that record numbers of doctors coming through GP training are beginning to translate into a growing GP workforce
2023 saw the first calendar-year increase in the general practice workforce since at least 2016, meaning there are now 27,534 fully-qualified, full-time equivalent GPs in England (Jan 2024).
Over the same period, patients registered with GP practices grew to 63.2m. This translates into each GP in England being responsible for 2,282 patients on average. That figure is far above the recognised safe limit of 1,800.
RCGP chair Professor Kamila Hawthorne said earlier this month: ‘Each GP is, on average, responsible for 260 more patients than they were six years ago. Demand for our care and services continues to outstrip our resources. Without significant investment and further efforts to increase the GP workforce, especially in retaining GPs, these pressures will only intensify.’
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