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An analysis by the Liberal Democrats has revealed that of the 36,000 fully qualified GPs in England, roughly one in five (8,000) are over the age of 55.
Of these, 3,700 (10%) are aged 60 or over, while 1,470 (4%) are over 65.
With polling suggesting that almost half (47%) of GPs intend to retire before the age of 60, the Lib Dems are warning of a “GP retirement bomb” that could leave primary care with significant staffing shortages.
Currently, there are just 220 fully qualified GPs below the age of 30, and the government has failed to recruit the 6,000 extra GPs that were promised in its 2019 manifesto.
In fact, the number of fully qualified and full-time GPs has fallen by 2,165 since September 2015.
Lib Dems call for a legal right for patients to see a GP within a week
The Liberal Democrats are now urging the government to publish the long-awaited NHS workforce plan. They say the plans must include a clear strategy to retain and recruit more GPs so people can get an appointment when they need one.
This could be achieved through increasing training places for GPs, introducing reforms to retain experienced doctors and staff, and launching a recruitment drive to encourage those who’ve left the NHS to return, the party says.
Liberal Democrat Health & Social Care Spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP: “Communities are facing a GP retirement time bomb that would make it even harder to get an appointment when you need one.
“GPs on the frontline do an incredible job looking after their patients, but increasingly many are choosing to leave or retire early because of unmanageable workloads. It is creating a vicious cycle, with patients struggling to get an appointment while GPs are under more pressure than ever.
Cooper is now urging the government to boost recruitment and retention efforts “without cutting corners” to ensure that patient safety is not comprised.
“People are fed up with this Conservative government failing to deliver on the basics and driving local health services into the ground,” she said.
GPs far from retirement age at risk of leaving profession
The Royal College of General Practitioners has headed a similar message, and warns that their own research suggests that as many as 22,000 GPs could leave the profession in the next five years.
“These aren’t just GPs approaching retirement age, but at all stages of their careers, often citing stress and burnout as reasons,” said Dr Victoria Tzortziou-Brown, Vice Chair of the RCGP.
Dr Tzortziou-Brown says the government’s workforce plan offers a “key opportunity” to turn the situation around. However, she warns that even with an increased workforce, targets which would require GPs to see all patients within a week could actually have a negative impact on patients.
“Not every patient will need to be seen within a week, as the Liberal Democrats are proposing, and imposing such a target could perversely impact on patients who want to book regular or routine appointments in advance,” she said.
“The bottom line is, we need a GP workforce that is supported to provide the care our patients need, innovate and thrive. We need to see a bold new plan from the Government that goes beyond the target of 6,000 more GPs it pledged in its election manifesto. Our patients deserve safe, timely and appropriate care and GPs need to be able to deliver this without compromising their own health and wellbeing,” Dr Tzortziou-Brown concludes.