'Burnt out' GPs 'want to quit'

GPs have complained about the amount of paperwork they face

Family doctors are "burnt out and exhausted", with a quarter planning to leave general practice in the next five years.

The British Medical Association (BMA) has carried out the biggest survey of recent years into family doctors' opinions on workload, morale and conditions.

GPs are so demoralised, almost half, 48%, are planning to retire before they reach 60 - though over a quarter say improvements to pension arrangements could mean they rethink their plans.

A fifth say that the stresses of work put "excessive and unmanageable demands" upon them.

The survey shows ... GPs paying an unacceptable personal price for their commitment

Dr John Chisholm, BMA GP committee chairman

Ninety six per cent feel too much is being asked of general practice, with 94% agreeing general practice is undervalued.

Two thirds believe their morale is lower than it was five years ago.

The BMA's GP committee chairman, Dr John Chisholm, told the BBC Radio 4's Today programme that family doctors had given a "loud and clear" message they felt they were paying "an unacceptable personal price for their commitment".

He said: "Although family doctors are leading change in primary care, offering a record range of services and are completely committed to providing high-quality care to their patients, they are feeling burnt-out and exhausted and looking for early retirement or a change of career."

A Department of Health survey into GP recruitment and retention, published on Wednesday, found 77% of GP vacancies filled between April 1, 2000 and March 31, 2001 were filled in less than six months.

There were an average of 6.9 applicants per post.

Curb demands

Dr Chisholm said GPs were calling for "radical change" to reduce their "excessive workload", including the removal of "unnecessary bureaucratic burdens".

He said some of the work currently done by GPs could be done by other staff such as nurses or therapists, but that there would have to be an increase in their numbers, as well as an increase in the number of doctors.

Dr John Chisholm: says more NHS staff are needed

Dr Chisholm said: "The survey shows a profession in poor heart, with GPs paying an unacceptable personal price for their commitment."

Dr Gillian Braunold, who has been a GP in Kilburn, London, for the last 20 years, told the BBC: "The problem is that the amount of work that we're all having to do is increasing and the workforce is actually shrinking.

"We're having to do more and more work in less and less time, which means that patients are getting a bad deal."

Patients losing out

Virtually all GPs believe patients are losing out because of the workload family doctors face.

Ninety-three per cent say they want smaller list sizes. The same number favour longer consultations with patients.

Nine out of 10 GPs say targets in the government's NHS Plan are unachievable in the timetable planned.

GP Dr Gillian Braunold: says patients are getting a bad deal

Almost 56% would not take on new work, though 40% would if it was properly resourced.

Nearly two thirds oppose patient charges and 87% want most GP services to be provided by the NHS

Just over half of the UK's 42,360 GPs responded to the survey

They were asked over 50 questions on morale, job satisfaction, how they rate the NHS, improvements to their working life, and their contractual arrangements.

Negotiations are underway with the NHS Confederation, which represents the employers and health departments.

In May more than half of family doctors said they were so unhappy that they would consider quitting the NHS unless their contract was improved.

'Change fatigue'

Stephen Thornton, NHS Confederation chief executive, said: "There is now a clear recognition that the current contractual arrangements under which GPs work are no longer appropriate and must be changed."

Health minister John Hutton told the BBC: "There is an issue here, and we are trying to address it.

"But the important message from this survey is that the majority of GPs think that patient care for their patients is actually improving in primary care, and that's a very positive step forward."

Shadow health secretary Dr Liam Fox said the survey confirmed the government's health policy was an "abject failure".

"Far from getting better, things have actually got worse," he said.

Sandra Gidley MP, Liberal Democrat health spokeswoman, said: "It is clear that GPs have an unreasonable, increasing and underfunded workload."