Number of GPs in the East Riding up slightly despite national workforce crisis warning

The Health Foundation warns that serious workforce shortfalls across English GP services pose a significant risk to the quality of health care over the next decade.

But NHS England figures show there were the equivalent of 172 full-time GPs in the NHS East Riding of Yorkshire CCG area at the end of May.

This was up from 171 in June 2021 – the most easily comparable figures from last year.

Of them, 103 were partners, 34 were salaried GPs and 32 were in training. There were also two regular locum GPs, and the equivalent of less than one full-time GP on retainer.

Across England, there were 35,626 FTE GPs at the end of May – up from 34,726 at the end of June.

However, new analysis by the Health Foundation’s REAL Centre, which does Research and Economic Analysis for the Long term, suggests there is currently a shortage of around 4,200 FTE GPs nationwide.

Anita Charlesworth, director of research at the Health Foundation and part of the REAL Centre, said: “It’s sobering that over the next decade things are set to get worse, not better.

“General practice is vital for a high quality and efficient health system, but the pressures it faces are longstanding, significant, and growing.”

The NHS England figures show that the the East Riding of Yorkshire GP workforce is older than elsewhere in the country. Of the 172 FTE GPs in the area in May, just five (3%) were under 30 years old – compared to 8% across England.

The Department of Health and Social Care said a record-breaking number of GPs started training last year.

A DHSC spokesman said: “We are hugely grateful to GPs and their staff for the care they provide to patients and we are working hard to support and grow the workforce in order to bust the Covid backlogs.

“We have invested £520 million to expand GP capacity during the pandemic, on top of £1.5 billion until 2024.”