Government claim of ‘2,000 extra GPs’ at odds with FTE data

The Government has claimed that more than 2,000 extra GPs have been added to the workforce since last October, however this is only the headcount rather than full-time equivalent number.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) cited ‘Government action to slash red tape’ last year, referring to the extension of the additional roles reimbursement scheme (ARRS) to GPs in October 2024. 

It said: ‘Millions more GP appointments are now being delivered across the country and an extra 2,000 GPs have been hired nationwide since last October, as the Government’s Plan for Change brings back the family doctor.’

Latest available data shows 2,068 GPs were claimed for through ARRS to 30 June 2025.

However, the latest monthly figures show 658.1 FTE GPs.

Contextualising the data, NHS Digital guidance says: ‘As claims can be made and backdated over several months, the figures are subject to change as retrospective claims are submitted.

‘Due to the short time period between the month-end and the data extraction date, FTE figures for the most recent claim month are particularly affected by this data lag.’

However, even revised data accounting for retrospective claims suggests FTE GP numbers peaked at 1,144.2 (March 2025), differing significantly with headcount estimates.

FTE is the proportion of full-time contracted hours that the post holder is contracted to work – one FTE would indicate they work a full set of hours (37.5 hours a week), 0.5 that they worked half time. 

The FTE statistic is ‘more meaningful’ than a raw headcount as it ‘reflects the true number of clinical hours the NHS has at its disposal’, according to the BMA. 

NHS Digital figures claim: ‘As headcount figures cover the entire period, while FTE figures are specific to each claim month, there is no inferable relationship between headcount and FTE figures and participation rates cannot be calculated using these figures.’ 

Analysing overall GP numbers over the period since the GP ARRS role was first made available through the scheme, both headcount and FTE GP numbers have slightly decreased.  

NHS figures from October 2024 to June 2025 show FTE GPs changed from 38,268 to 37,720 – 548 fewer.  

Compared over a 12-month period, though, FTE GP numbers rose by 679 from 37,041 to 37,720, a 1.8% increase.

Responding to the Government’s announcement, Jake Beech, Policy Fellow at the Health Foundation, said while the announcement was ‘welcome news’ it was ‘not accurate’ to claim there were an extra 2,000 GPs.

He said: ‘That figure refers to total recruitment under the GP additional roles reimbursement scheme since last October.

‘It does not reflect the net change in full-time equivalent GPs (which measures the increase in the total number of GPs not just those on the scheme), a more meaningful measure for both staff and patients. This is much lower. 

‘There have been various GP training initiatives launched under the previous government, alongside Labour’s current focus to place new GPs in general practice roles.

‘These measures have begun to make a difference, but retention remains a key challenge that must also be addressed.’

RCGP chair Professor Kamila Hawthorne said: ‘We’ve been encouraged by the Government’s recent steps to boost the GP workforce, outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan.

‘Unfortunately, the reality is that general practice remains chronically understaffed, and we have fewer fully-qualified full-time GPs than we did eight years ago, despite the fact our patient list has grown by nearly 5 million.

‘The number of fully-qualified, full-time equivalent GPs – which gives the most accurate picture of the GP workforce and the care and services GPs are able to deliver for patients – has only risen by 601 in the past year.

‘Any growth in the GP workforce is always good news and the more GPs we recruit, the more patients will benefit. But what we need are permanent measures, including direct ringfenced investment in our core funding.

‘The 10-Year Health Plan sets out ambitions to recruit ‘thousands more’ GPs. We now need more detail about where these will come from and how they’ll be funded so that GP practices have the support they need to deliver more care and services to patients in their local communities.’