GPs most ‘discontented’ among UK doctors, GMC survey finds

GPs are the most likely to experience ‘deep discontent’ practising medicine in the UK, according to a new GMC survey on doctors moving abroad.

The survey of more than 3,000 doctors explored the reasons doctors might leave the UK, and found that more than a fifth of GPs are very or fairly likely to move abroad in the next 12 months.

Separate GMC data also showed that approximately 4,000 doctors who gave up their licence to practise or left the medical register last year cited moving abroad as one of their reasons for leaving. 

Overall, as part of the survey, almost a third of doctors practising in the UK said they are likely to leave within the year, which means the country could lose around 96,000 doctors. 

Based on survey responses, the researchers split doctors into six groups, with GPs making up the largest portion (26%) of the ‘most negative’ category. 

Those experiencing ‘deep discontent’ are doctors who are ‘dissatisfied on multiple fronts’ – with the ‘political environment’, the NHS system, and the impact of this on their wellbeing. 

The GMC-commissioned report on the survey, completed by IFF Research, argued that pay is ‘one of the most important issues raised by doctors’, and this was ‘particularly acute’ among those experiencing ‘deep discontent’.

Over three-quarters of doctors reported feeling ‘under-valued professionally’ which demonstrated a concern with pay.

The report urged the Government to work on retention strategies focused on ‘working conditions and the UK’s competitive position’.

While GPs made up the largest portion of the most negative group, they also made up the largest portion (30%) of those who are ‘open to opportunity’ and feel the UK system has served them well. 

The report recommended targeting the top three, most negative categories as a priority, as they account for over half of doctors practising in the UK and this would have the ‘greatest chance of significant impact to the workforce’.

The GMC sought to caveat this data with evidence that there is often a ‘gap between intention and action’. 

Chief executive Charlie Massey said the report’s findings are a ‘stark reminder’ of the challenges facing UK healthcare systems. 

‘Though the number of doctors actually leaving to practise abroad in 2023 was comparably low, these findings are a warning to all should conditions fail to improve,’ he said. 

Mr Massey added: ‘It’s much easier to dissuade someone from leaving by acting upon concerns, than to persuade them to return.

‘There are no easy fixes, but these findings highlight the urgency with which we must act. We must work together as a system to make informed changes so the talented professionals keeping our nation well feel supported to continue working in the UK.’

BMA representative body chair and workforce lead Dr Latifa Patel said that the figures are ‘incredibly worrying’.

She added: ‘That so many doctors say they are looking to leave for overseas is not surprising, when we consider the immense pressures healthcare staff are under in an overwhelmed service battling huge workforce shortages.

‘While current policy attention appears almost exclusively on hiring more doctors, there is clearly a desperate need to also stop the flow of doctors leaving the health service prematurely.’

RCGP chair Professor Kamila Hawthorne said that the whole health service is facing ‘serious retention issues’, and general practice has been ‘especially badly affected’.

She said: ‘We are seeing good GPs either looking to work abroad or leaving the profession altogether: a recent survey from the RCGP found that 37% of GPs already thought it was unlikely that they would be working in general practice in the next five years.

‘This validates the GMC research published today that thousands of doctors are considering leaving UK practice and needs to be taken very seriously indeed by the NHS and Department of Health and Social Care. Urgent action to promote and encourage retention of our GPs is needed, and needed now.’

A major Pulse investigation last year looked at workforce issues in general practice, uncovering the reasons why GPs are looking to move abroad, reduce hours or take other routes out of the profession.

Last year, the Prime Minister claimed that doctors leaving the NHS to work in Australia is ‘not as widespread’ as people assume, and a mandatory tie-in is therefore not necessary.

But the GMC chief Mr Massey had previously warned that the UK must stop ‘haemorrhaging’ GPs, who are ‘voting with their feet’ to go work abroad.

The regulator’s research in 2022 had found that, while many doctors were experiencing burnout, there were some specific issues in primary care driving GPs to migrate.

A recent BMA survey found that nearly 73% of GP trainees are experiencing burnout and stress as ‘a direct result’ of their clinical work.