#GPnews: One in five GP trainees looking to leave general practice

11:30 The DH has issued a statement on Pulse’s survey. A spokesperson said: ‘This small self-selecting survey is not representative of the profession. Our view is clear – GPs are the absolute bedrock of the health service, so we’re investing an extra £2.4 billion into general practice. What’s more, we have the highest number of GPs in training ever, have agreed a pay rise, cut red tape and we’re bringing in new schemes to help GPs work more flexibly.’

The DH has set a high bar here. With one in 30 GP trainees answering this ‘self-selecting’ survey, this could be considered quite a large sample size. Compared with other surveys – for example, the DH’s patient survey, which is often used as a stick with which to beat GPs – it actually scores very highly. The DH’s ‘self-selecting survey’ has a rate of one in 60 patients – half that of Pulse’s.

9:20 Pulse’s survey of GP trainees – and specifically the finding that 14% are looking to leave the country within five years of qualifying – is dominating the national papers today.

The findings from the survey of 310 trainees has been released to mark the launch of Pulse’s trainees special August issue. 

It found that one in five GPs are looking to either leave the country, leave general practice or leave medicine altogether within five years of training.

But it also shows that trainees’ habits are set to reshape general practice. Trainees said that they still want partnerships, but they want to do this as part of a varied career. They also want to work fewer than eight sessions a week, having seen the burnout suffered by senior colleagues.

You can read the whole analysis here, and see more about our training special in our dedicated section. The issue was edited by an editorial board of GP trainees. You can read their take here. 

If you want to read the nationals’ take on the survey, you can find it in the Times, the Sun, and the Mail.