Healthcare in the UK faces ongoing shortage of GPs

Even though the economy is picking up again, healthcare across the nation is still struggling to afford adequate staff and essential supplies to meet the needs of patients. Doctors and nurses are in short supply and often work more hours than they should. Whether in private practice or within the NHS, there is no doubt that more doctors are needed if the healthcare needs of a growing population are to be met.

Number of Foreign GPs Rises

Within the past decade the number of foreign doctors working within the NHS has risen by 11%. At the moment family doctors from foreign lands account for approximately one in five and senior doctors state that this is just the beginning. The UK has a shortage of home-grown doctors so within the next few years this number will rise, perhaps alarmingly.

Shortage of UK Doctors Increasing by the Year

As an example of just how quickly this figure is climbing, in 2004 the number of doctors who qualified overseas was at about 19.8 per cent whilst in 2015 that number rose to 22 per cent. This information was provided by the Health and Social Care Information Centre. However, there are areas of the country where this figure is already significantly higher. East London, Dagenham and Barking list 71% as having qualified abroad whilst East London has 63% from abroad.

Why the NHS Faces Shortages in GPs

One of the main reasons why there is such a shortage of doctors is because of the sheer number of those who are retiring. Others are seeking better conditions overseas. And what is even more alarming is the fact that according to the Royal College of GPs, the National Health System will need 8,000 or more doctors within the next half decade to meet the needs of a population that is aging and rapidly growing.

Some Areas Lacking Even Foreign Taught GPs

There are some areas of the UK where there is even a lack of foreign taught doctors in residence and this is why many clinics, surgeries and private practices are seeking solutions to shortages of doctors with online locum networking. These are doctors who travel around as needed and then move on to another location of their choosing. The amount of time varies depending on the need but it is typically a period of at least 2 months before they move on.

Unfortunately, this shortage of qualified medical professionals is not limited to GPs. Literally every specialty is also suffering a shortage of doctors and the number of nurses is also deficient as well. It may be that medical universities are unable to draw the calibre of student necessary to make the grade and it may be that other industries are more attractive to young scholars. Even so, many doctors choose to be a locum because they can literally make their own hours and travel around the world. There doesn’t appear to be an easy solution to the need for permanent full time GPs so at the moment there is a huge market for locum doctors to fill the void.