Quote Originally Posted by Omegstrat6 View Post
Latest reports from both the Nuffield Trust and Healthwatch England reveal what we've all known for some time-the unacceptable waiting times to see GPs and the uneven-ness of waiting times and availability across the country. Much of this is due to lack of GPs with fewer going into the profession and many current ones either retiring or cutting back their hours. Apparently less than two thirds of GPs now work full time. I appreciate that their job might be stressful but surely they can only afford to retire early or drop hours because they are also so well paid (be interesting to see how many Practice Nurses took early retirement or dropped hours in comparison). About time the government began to deal with this issue that is affecting so many.
In 2015, the Tory Government said they would train and hire 5000 new GPs by 2020 (I'm not 100% sure, but I think it was an election pledge in that years GE)

By 2020, GP numbers did not increase by 5000, but the 2015 number had fallen by 4.5%.

The vast majority of GPs are well into their 50s, I've read somewhere that only 1% of GPs are aged 30 or under. Health funding cuts by the Tories have exasperated the situation. An ageing workforce, who probably didn't want to be around ill people during the pandemic too. And if you speak to a GP or listen to their Union reps, they say they are burned out and overworked.

I can only see this issue getting worse.