21. Dr Krishna Kasaraneni

Nominated by colleagues as ‘a real tour de force’, this Humberside GP and newest member of the GPC executive, has the unenviable task of working with Whitehall to build the future GP workforce. As GPC education, training and workforce lead he has to work with NHS England and education chiefs on reforms to attract junior doctors to life as a GP and retain those eyeing the exit.

But his common refrain is that ‘the best recruitment campaign is to improve the day job’ and he does not shy away from taking health bosses to task for allowing the workforce to reach crisis point. For example, highlighting the stark reality that GP numbers dropped in the first year of the Forward View and warning that the cuts the Government has enforced on the education support budget could do even more damage to recruitment.

Those commending Dr Kasaraneni said he was an ‘unsung hero’ in the skirmishes over GP training and in his role as medical director at Humberside LMCs.

In the past year he has secured a boost to bursaries for GPs taking a career break, support for returning GPs, and an alternative route to qualification that could salvage GPs ‘lost to the profession’.

He has also spearheaded GPC social media initiatives which attempt to open up to the work it does to support the profession and is a champion for trainees ensuring they are represented in decision making.

Why influential?

Working to ensure GPs old, and new, stick around

What others say

‘One of the unsung heroes battling with NHS England’

Random fact

Once bought Pulse journalists a round of Jäger bombs (which had no influence whatsoever on his inclusion in the Power 50)