Only 7 in 10 GPs are working full-time as patient demand increases due to chronic conditions, study suggests

The rise in part-time GPs is a ‘major factor’ in the crisis in primary care, a study suggests.

Even though patient demand has increased by a third, figures show that family doctors have cut their contracted hours by nearly nine per cent since 2015.

Combined with early retirement and staff shortages, it means that the number of patients per GP has increased – also by nine per cent – over the same period.

The shortage is being fuelled by male GPs significantly reducing hours they are contracted to work, according to research involving more than 306,000 doctors. It suggests the average family doctor now spends the equivalent of 26.25 hours working directly with patients.

Dr Rosa Parisi, lead author from The University of Manchester, said the NHS in England is facing a year-on-year reduction of the total working hours by general practitioners.

A GP with a patient (stock image). Even though patient demand has increased by a third, figures show that family doctors have cut their contracted hours by nearly nine per cent since 2015

Analysis of NHS figures suggest record numbers of people are waiting for four weeks to see their local GP (stock image)

She said: ‘This decrease is down to early retirement, high levels of GP turnover and low retention, insufficient number of newly trained GPs joining the workforce, and lack of overseas recruitment.

‘But reduction in working hours is also a major factor. We show that while GP supply decreased by 2.7 per cent from 2015 to 2022, practice population increased by 9 per cent, while the demand, as measured by the total presence of chronic conditions, increased by 32 per cent.

‘The largest contributor to the overall decrease in supply was a fall of 8.7 per cent in contractual hours of GPs, especially male GPs.’

Hours worked by female GPs, which have traditionally included more part-time staff, also fell, according to the findings published in the British Journal of General Practice.

Surgeries in the most deprived areas had 17 per cent more patients and 19 per cent more chronic conditions per full-time GP, compared with the least deprived areas.

Researchers said the GP workload has changed over time and that this reduction was likely to reflect patient-facing hours, rather than all-hours worked.

It comes as analysis of NHS figures suggest record numbers of people are waiting for four weeks to see their local GP.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said last night: ‘We have hit the ground running, hiring an extra 1,000 GPs into the NHS by the end of this year, and securing a funding increase for practices to manage rising pressures.

‘The NHS needs major surgery. Our ten-year plan will shift the focus of the NHS out of the hospital and into the community, so patients can get the care they need closer to home, including GP appointments.’