NHS reforms ‘spurring GPs to retire’

The current wave of NHS reforms is prompting a large number of GPs to retire from the medical profession, according to a British Medical Association (BMA) survey.

A poll on working practices involving more than 18,000 GPs has revealed that 56 percent of those planning to retire within the next two years are citing the government health reforms as a motivating factor.

Extrapolating this figure would suggest that around 3,700 GPs will be choosing to leave general practice in the near future partly or entirely because of the NHS reforms.

Dr Laurence Buckman, chairman of the BMA's GPs committee, said this shows the level of reservations that doctors – who should play a key role in any health service reform – have over the currently proposed legislation.

"This survey is proof of the strength of feeling out there and the government must listen to the concerns expressed by doctors," he added.

Earlier this week, BMA council chairman Dr Hamish Meldrum welcomed comments by David Cameron suggesting the NHS reforms could undergo changes in response to concerns raised by medical professionals.