AS pressures on NHS services mount, fewer fully trained GPs are practising in Bradford and Craven than last year, new figures show.

NHS Digital figures show there were 386 full-time equivalent GPs in the former NHS Bradford District and Craven CCG area in November.

But of these, 109 were in training, meaning just 277 were fully qualified – down from 316 a year earlier.

Dr Louise Clarke, Director of Strategy Transformation, Primary and Community and Programme Director for Healthy Communities at Bradford district and Craven Health and Care Partnership, said: "Like all health and care services, General Practice is experiencing record demand and workforce shortages.

"Practice teams across Bradford District and Craven are working incredibly hard to care for patients.

"We recognise the impact these staffing challenges may have on access for patients, and are trying to make it easier for people to get the care they need in a more timely manner.

"Practices have a team of healthcare specialists who patients can speak to, including physicians, pharmacists, physiotherapists, mental health workers, nurses and social prescribers who may be better placed to provide the care required.

"Patients don’t always need to see a GP and could be seen more quickly by another professional. We are also working to enhance access by offering more evening and weekend appointments.

"General Practices continue to proactively retain and recruit General Practitioners in Bradford District and Craven.

"There are 29 training practice locations to support increasing GP numbers and encouraging GP career development within the profession."

Nationally, there were 27,400 fully trained GPs in November – down from 27,900 in November 2021 and a decrease of 1.7%, the largest annual fall in more than three years.

The British Medical Association trade union said the continued decline in fully trained GPs – which means there are now more than 1,900 full-time equivalent fewer doctors than in 2015 – is "alarming".

The BMA said the "haemorrhage of GPs from practices in England is alarming".

Dr Kieran Sharrock, GP committee acting chair at BMA England, said: "The Government has now overseen the loss of the equivalent of more than 1,900 full-time fully qualified GPs in England since 2015."

The number of full-time equivalent GPs across the country rose 1.2 per-cent from 36,200 to 36,600 in the 12 months to November.

This was largely driven by a 10.8 per-cent rise in training GPs, from 8,300 to 9,200.

In Bradford and Craven, the number of GPs training rose from 98 to 109.

 

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