Subject: DOH:GP RECRUITMENT TARGET HIT THREE MONTHS EARLY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 2004/0145 23 April 2004 GP RECRUITMENT TARGET HIT THREE MONTHS EARLY Mini-census showing more doctors than ever before working in the NHS The NHS has hit its GP recruitment target three months ahead of schedule, according to figures published today. There are now 30,598 GPs working in the NHS, an increase of 240 in the three months leading to December 2003. This means that GP numbers have increased by 2,131 since 1999, exceeding the NHS Plan target for 2,000 more GPs by March 2004. Today's figures, published in a mini-census of NHS GPs and consultants in December, also show that the number of consultants has increased by 467 in the three months to December 2003. There are now 29,217 consultants working in the NHS, up from 23,321 in 1999. Health Secretary John Reid said: "Today's figures are the latest confirmation that we are delivering on our promise to expand the NHS and to ensure that we have more doctors and more nurses treating NHS patients." "On GPs, I am delighted that we have achieved the numbers we wanted even sooner than we hoped. There are 2,552 more GPs working today than in 1997" "On consultants, I am pleased that these December figures show we are 7,743 better off since 1997, but naturally disappointed that we are not on track to be where we had planned to be by the end of March. We will recruit more consultants as we promised in the NHS Plan, but it may take a little longer than expected." "Although we have more GPs and consultants working in the NHS than ever before, I am well aware that we have more work to do increase numbers further. These figures are good news, but we are determined to do more." The increase in GP and consultant numbers is due to a number of recruitment initiatives introduced by the Department of Health. Notes to editors 1. The mini-census figures can be found on the Department of Health website on www.publications.doh.gov.uk/public/work_workforce.htm 2. For media enquiries only contact Victoria MacCallum at the Department of Health press office on 020 7210 5281. 3. GP recruitment initiatives include: The Golden Hello scheme offers up to £5,000 to GPs taking up their first substantive post, those returning from the GP Retainer scheme and those who are returning to general practice following a career break. Up to a further £7,000 is available to those who take up posts in areas classified as under-doctored for the purposes of the scheme. At least 3,888 GPs have received a golden hello payment, 2,003 (51.5%) of which were GPs taking up a post in an area classified as under-doctored. The Flexible Careers Scheme was extended in November 2002 to include GPs. The scheme seeks to create additional part-time and flexible substantive posts within general practice, thereby helping GPs achieve a greater work/life balance that meets their needs as well as the needs of patients. The scheme helps to attract GPs back to practice, retain existing GPs who may otherwise leave and helps older GPs to extend their working lives by reducing their commitment as they near retirement. The GP Returner campaign was also launched in November 2002 to encourage locums and other qualified GPs not currently working in general practice to return to take up a substantive post. So far over 1,200 GPs have applied to join the Flexible Careers and Returner schemes, currently over 900 GPs are on or have completed the schemes with over 300 more due to join them. Under the new General Medical Services contract the delayed retirement scheme has been rolled-up with a revised and improved seniority scheme in recognition that seniority payments, through recognition of experience, are an important element in the retention of GPs. The new scheme delivers a 30% increase in total resources to the profession over 02/03 levels by 05/06. The flexible retirement campaign was launched to highlight the options for flexible working for GPs nearing retirement age. A mailshot has also been sent to over 2000 recently retired doctors to inform them about their options for returning to the NHS. Improved family friendly policies, with increased funding for locum cover for GPs on maternity, paternity and adoptive leave, and the extension of a £100m NHS childcare provision initiative to cover primary care, with all staff having access to a NHS childcare co-ordinator to help them find the childcare they need. 4. Consultant recruitment intiatives include: The New Consultant Entry Scheme (NCES) has been developed for Specialist Registrars (SpRs) who have recently acquired their certificate of completion of specialist training or are on the Specialist Register and would like more practical support to help make the transition to consultant grade in their first consultant post. The Flexible Careers Scheme (FCS) had been developed in conjunction with the BMA as part of the Improving Working Lives initiative. The scheme for hospital doctors was launched in November 2001 and extended to GPs the following year. The scheme is funded centrally and supports three strands of flexibility: return to work after a break, flexible working and flexible retirement. To date (14 April 2004) - 2,346 hospital doctors and GPs have expressed an interest in the scheme; - 940 of which are a combination of returners, career and training grade hospital doctors. 172 are consultants, 109 are training grade doctors and 111 are returners in post and the remainder are in the process of being placed on the scheme. - 850 GPs are on FCS of which 82 are GP returners. A further 308 are awaiting approval and another 20 are ready to join the workforce. - 55 hospital doctors and 64 GPs of the total number are on FCS who would have otherwise retired and left the NHS; International recruitment of consultants International Recruitment has increased substantially over the last two years to bring well-trained and experienced doctors into hard pressed areas in the NHS. This includes over 200 doctors who have accepted post under the IR Fellowship programme, which targets experts from across the world - Europe, the USA, India and Australia - to bring the best of medical practice into shortage specialities in the NHS. SHAs are also supporting trusts to recruit consultants from abroad independently, using local variations of the national programmes. -------------------------------------------------------------------- GNNREF: 93724 Issued by : DOH Press Office Contact : If you have any queries relating to this press release, please forward this e-mail to the Press Office e-mail address provided above, or alternatively contact the originating Press Office by telephone. (Media queries only) Please DO NOT attempt to reply to the sender of this e-mail. The sender is involved solely as a broadcasting agent and cannot process e-mailed queries. Any attached files with a .DOC extension should be read using a word processor capable of reading Word 97 files. 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