28 August 2021
College Continues to Push Back Against Media Criticism of GPs
College Chair Professor Martin Marshall has a letter published in today’s Times, reiterating the message that the crisis in general practice is not about how much GPs earn – but about excessive workload and workforce shortages.
You can read the complete version here.
Patients should have access to good GP care wherever they live but they also need safe care – and the crisis in general practice is not about pay, pensions, or GPs working part-time.
We are now seeing the consequences of a decade of under-investment in the family doctor service. Recruitment of new GPs and, critically, efforts to retain existing GPs have not kept pace with the needs of an ageing and growing population, and the job of a modern GP in providing safe and personalised patient care is becoming increasingly impossible.
We need the Government to urgently deliver on its 2019 manifesto pledge of an additional 6,000 full time equivalent GPs, and 26,000 additional members of the practice team by 2024, to secure the future of general practice and guarantee safe care for our patients.
GPs go into general practice to care for patients, not for the money they earn.
The College will continue to push back against the recent sustained criticism of GPs by certain sections of the media.
Further Information
(For media only)
RCGP Press office – 020 3188 7633/7494/7574
Out of hours: 020 3188 7659
press@rcgp.org.uk
Notes
The Royal College of General Practitioners is a network of more than 53,000 family doctors working to improve care for patients. We work to encourage and maintain the highest standards of general medical practice and act as the voice of GPs on education, training, research and clinical standards.