RCGP: Emergency GP hiring measures needed post-election

Emergency measures will need to be taken after the general election is over if GP hiring targets are to be met, according to the Royal College of GPs.

The organisation has predicted that it will take between 20 and 31 years to achieve the number of additional GPs pledged by the Conservatives, Labour and UKIP if they emerge victorious in the polls.

Moreover, a recent opinion poll of 1,000 people in key marginal constituencies revealed that almost nine in ten cite protecting GP services as a high priority for the next government, suggesting there is strong public support for action on this matter.

The college estimates that 8,000 more GPs will be needed in England by 2020 to keep pace with patient demand. This is all the more important due to the measures put in place by the Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition to expand access to GP services and extend opening hours.

Professor Nigel Mathers, honorary secretary of the RCGP, said: "General practice is the cornerstone of a strong NHS but … the service we provide can only be sustained if we urgently move to ensure we have the right supply of family doctors."