Gaby Hinsliff , chief political correspondent 

Young GPs will get golden hello

Doctors are set for 'golden hellos' to lure them into general practice under new plans to tackle a shortage of GPs.
  
  


Doctors are set for 'golden hellos' to lure them into general practice under new plans to tackle a shortage of GPs.

Cash incentives for young doctors to take up less popular jobs in the community, plus 'golden handcuffs' deals to persuade older family doctors not to retire early, are expected to form the heart of the £135 million package being drawn up by Health Secretary Alan Milburn.

Ministers have bowed to warnings from the profession that there are not enough GPs to meet promises of better, faster treatment. 'We know GPs are under pressure and that the only real answer to the service challenges they are facing is to address the numbers,' said one source close to Milburn. 'Our recruitment and retention package will ensure we deliver on the target of 2,000 more by 2004 - and if we can deliver that earlier than promised, all the better.'

Milburn was working out detailed proposals this weekend, after securing funding in last week's Budget. The scheme is expected to be modelled on similar incentives for teachers, where graduates are to be offered £2,000 'golden hellos' to pay off student debts if they stay in teaching.

Doctors' leaders say rising workloads, organisational upheaval and a 'culture of blame' after episodes such as the Shipman murders are putting young doctors off general practice. Older colleagues are also becoming disillusioned: a recent survey of Scottish GPs found 60 per cent considering leaving for other careers, with nearly three-quarters less happy now than five years ago.

Thousands of GPs recruited abroad in the Sixties and Seventies are approaching retirement, leaving more holes to be plugged.

'When people of my generation and younger entered general practice it was the exciting place to be: there was considerable competition for vacancies. That has completely turned around in the last 10 years,' said Dr John Chisholm, chair of the BMA's general practice committee. 'As far as young doctors are concerned, about half are going to need to become GPs and that is just not happening.'

Likely options include changes to pension entitlements for older doctors, making it more worthwhile to stay on after 60; family-friendly policies for women returning after career breaks; and allowing GPs who have retired early to come back without damaging their pension entitlements.

 

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