BMA warns of exodus of GPs within NHS

The British Medical Association (BMA) has warned the next government that it could be facing a major talent drain within general practice during its term.

A BMA survey of 15,560 UK GPs, conducted with the support of ICM, has revealed that one in three GPs are considering retirement in the next five years, while three in ten full-time doctors are thinking of going part-time.

Moreover, nine percent would consider moving abroad and seven percent are considering quitting medicine altogether, while one in five trainees are hoping to move overseas before 2020.

It was shown that 68 percent say they are facing large amounts of work-related stress, with 16 percent going as far as to describe it as significant and unmanageable. Common complaints include excessive workloads and not enough time to spend with patients.

BMA GP committee chair Chaand Nagpaul said: "We need politicians to focus on addressing the pressures facing GP services so that we retain the current GP workforce and attract young doctors to become GPs."

This comes after the organisation previously revealed that over nine in ten of those surveyed feel their heavy workload has had a negative impact on the quality of patient care they are able to provide.