A sixth of GP training places are unfilled after two recruitment rounds

One in six GP training posts across the UK remained unfilled after two rounds of recruitment, figures published by the General Practice National Recruitment Office show.1

Two rounds of GP recruitment are normally planned each year, but Health Education England announced last month that it would open a third round to boost uptake.2 Last year a third recruitment round was opened for the first time, but around 12% of GP training posts in England remained unfilled after all three rounds of recruitment.3

This year 611 posts remain unfilled after two rounds of recruitment, 17% of the posts available. The unfilled places have now been re-advertised in a third round of recruitment.

The number of vacancies varies widely across geographical areas. While some areas have filled all their available posts, others have filled only around half of the posts available.

The local education and training board in the North East of England reported vacancy rates of around 48%, and in the East Midlands 41% of posts were still unfilled. In Yorkshire and the Humber 34% of posts were unfilled, as were 31% of posts in the West Midlands.

Health Education Thames Valley, NHS Education Scotland, Health Education Kent and Surrey and Sussex, and the Wales Deanery have filled all their posts without having to re-advertise positions.

London and Northern Ireland both filled all their posts after the first recruitment round.4

Interviews for posts advertised in the third recruitment round will take place on 27 and 28 October, and trainees are expected to start their training in February next year.