A significant portion of licensed GPs in England, about one-third, have never worked in the NHS or have left, with this figure rising from 27% in 2015 to 34% in 2024, highlighting ongoing workforce attrition.

The number of NHS patients per GP has increased by 15% over the past decade, with twice as many patients per GP compared to NHS consultants by the end of 2024, reflecting mounting workload pressures.

Experts from the Royal College of GPs and the British Medical Association emphasize the urgent need for more GPs and improved retention strategies to address workforce shortages and prevent burnout.

Workforce issues are compounded by funding problems, visa barriers, and failures in workforce planning, with leading figures calling for stronger support for overseas-trained GPs and better retention efforts.

The rising disengagement among GPs threatens NHS plans to shift care from hospitals to community settings, which is vital for developing neighborhood health services.

Despite increased patient demand, NHS practices face funding and recruitment challenges, leading to higher workloads and burnout among existing GPs.

The government has made progress by recruiting over 2,000 new GPs in the past year, reaching a record of 38,960 fully qualified GPs as of July 2025, alongside increased funding and rising patient satisfaction.

While these recruitment efforts and funding increases are positive, workforce challenges persist, including a substantial financial loss due to GPs leaving the NHS, estimated at £8.6 billion in training investment and a potential total loss of £13.1 billion.

Certain groups, such as female GPs aged 30-49 and those in London and the south-east, are most likely to leave NHS practice, with the fastest decline seen among male GPs aged 50-59 and younger GPs aged 30-39, driven by funding issues, burnout, and visa difficulties.

The proportion of UK GPs planning to move abroad or switch to private practice has doubled from 10% in 2020 to 21% in 2024, with those intending to leave the profession rising from 4% to 15% between 2019 and 2024.

Despite an increase in the number of GPs on paper, nearly 20,000 GPs are unaccounted for in active NHS practice, creating significant access issues for patients.