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I'm so fed up with the debate over GP services for the upcoming election. Forget what the current numbers are and where they are coming from as these numbers are meaningless. Number of GP practices, opening hours, weekend services, timing per consultation - all of this is inconsequential without adequate staffing. No political party has touched on how to actually recruit and retain GPs in the UK and I am convinced that they are unaware of how dire the situation really is.
The Royal College of General Practitioners already struggles to recruit GP trainees and as a junior doctor myself, the political games and lack of respect paid to the profession by politicians, by the media and by the public itself puts GP training on the bottom of my list of potential future specialty programs. This is a sentiment shared by many of my peers. Politicians and the UK public seem to forget that behind this political debate are hard-working individuals who want to be respected and do the best for their patients. This constant barrage of assault on the profession and indecision about the future of UK GPs is a huge deterrent for future trainees and until this is realised, the situation is only going to get worse and there won't be any GPs left for the politicians to fight about.
Re: Election watch: access to GP services
I'm so fed up with the debate over GP services for the upcoming election. Forget what the current numbers are and where they are coming from as these numbers are meaningless. Number of GP practices, opening hours, weekend services, timing per consultation - all of this is inconsequential without adequate staffing. No political party has touched on how to actually recruit and retain GPs in the UK and I am convinced that they are unaware of how dire the situation really is.
The Royal College of General Practitioners already struggles to recruit GP trainees and as a junior doctor myself, the political games and lack of respect paid to the profession by politicians, by the media and by the public itself puts GP training on the bottom of my list of potential future specialty programs. This is a sentiment shared by many of my peers. Politicians and the UK public seem to forget that behind this political debate are hard-working individuals who want to be respected and do the best for their patients. This constant barrage of assault on the profession and indecision about the future of UK GPs is a huge deterrent for future trainees and until this is realised, the situation is only going to get worse and there won't be any GPs left for the politicians to fight about.
Competing interests: No competing interests