General Practitioners: Labour Turnover

(asked on 23rd November 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase the rate of retention of female GPs.


Answered by
Maria Caulfield Portrait
Maria Caulfield
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
This question was answered on 26th November 2021

We are encouraging general practitioners (GPs) to stay in the workforce for longer by addressing the reasons why doctors leave the profession and encouraging them to return to practice. Although these are open to GPs of all genders, those aimed at encouraging better flexible working may be particularly beneficial for female GPs, who may be more at risk of leaving the profession due to caring responsibilities. This includes the GP Retention Scheme, which provides enhanced flexibility and a package of financial and educational support to help GPs who might otherwise leave the workforce.

Funding and support has also been made available for local Primary Care Flexible Staff Pools, to increase capacity in general practice and create a new offer for local GPs wanting to work flexibly. For GPs, pools can offer the flexibility of a locum role with increased job security and the benefits of a salaried position.

Reticulating Splines