Skip to content Skip to navigation
University of Warwick
  • Study
  • |
  • Research
  • |
  • Business
  • |
  • Alumni
  • |
  • News
  • |
  • About

University of Warwick
Publications service & WRAP

Highlight your research

  • WRAP
    • Home
    • Search WRAP
    • Browse by Warwick Author
    • Browse WRAP by Year
    • Browse WRAP by Subject
    • Browse WRAP by Department
    • Browse WRAP by Funder
    • Browse Theses by Department
  • Publications Service
    • Home
    • Search Publications Service
    • Browse by Warwick Author
    • Browse Publications service by Year
    • Browse Publications service by Subject
    • Browse Publications service by Department
    • Browse Publications service by Funder
  • Help & Advice
University of Warwick

The Library

  • Login
  • Admin

GP retention in the UK : a worsening crisis. Findings from a cross-sectional survey

Tools
- Tools
+ Tools

Owen, Katherine, Hopkins, Thomas, Shortland, Thomas and Dale, Jeremy (2019) GP retention in the UK : a worsening crisis. Findings from a cross-sectional survey. BMJ Open, 9 (2). e026048. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-026048 ISSN 2044-6055.

[img]
Preview
PDF
WRAP-GP-retention-UK-worsening-crisis-Owen-2019.pdf - Published Version - Requires a PDF viewer.
Available under License Creative Commons: Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0.

Download (306Kb) | Preview
Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-026048

Request Changes to record.

Abstract

Objective

To investigate how recent national policy-led workforce interventions are affecting intentions to remain working as a general practitioner (GP). DESIGN:Online questionnaire survey with qualitative and quantitative questions.

Setting and participants

All GPs (1697) in Wessex region, an area in England for which previous GP career intention data from 2014 is available.

Results

929 (54.7%) participated. 59.4% reported that morale had reduced over the past two years, and 48.5% said they had brought forward their plans to leave general practice. Intention to leave/retire in the next 2 years increased from 13% in the 2014 survey to 18% in October/November 2017 (p=0.02), while intention to continue working for at least the next 5 years dropped from 63.9% to 48.5% (p<0.0001). Age, length of service and lower job satisfaction were associated with intention to leave. Work intensity and amount were the most common reasons given for intention to leave sooner than previously planned; 51.0% participants reported working more hours than 2 years previously, predominantly due to increased workload. GPs suggested increased funding, more GPs, better education of the public and expanding non-clinical and support staff as interventions to improve GP retention. National initiatives that aligned with these priorities, such as funding to expand practice nursing were viewed positively, but low numbers of GPs had seen evidence of their roll-out. Conversely, national initiatives that did not align, such as video consulting, were viewed negatively.

Conclusion

While recent initiatives may be having an impact on targeted areas, most GPs are experiencing little effect. This may be contributing to further lowering of morale and bringing forward intentions to leave. More urgent action appears to be needed to stem the growing workforce crisis.

Item Type: Journal Article
Subjects: R Medicine > R Medicine (General)
SWORD Depositor: Library Publications Router
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): Physicians (General practice) -- Employment -- Great Britain
Journal or Publication Title: BMJ Open
Publisher: BMJ
ISSN: 2044-6055
Official Date: 27 February 2019
Dates:
DateEvent
27 February 2019Published
28 January 2019Accepted
Volume: 9
Number: 2
Article Number: e026048
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-026048
Status: Peer Reviewed
Publication Status: Published
Access rights to Published version: Open Access (Creative Commons)
Date of first compliant deposit: 12 April 2019
Date of first compliant Open Access: 15 April 2019
RIOXX Funder/Project Grant:
Project/Grant IDRIOXX Funder NameFunder ID
UNSPECIFIEDHealth Education England Wessex Appraisal ServiceUNSPECIFIED

Request changes or add full text files to a record

Repository staff actions (login required)

View Item View Item

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

View more statistics

twitter

Email us: wrap@warwick.ac.uk
Contact Details
About Us