DAUK’s Dr Steve Taylor has warned of a ‘two-tier’ system of general practice healthcare because of underinvestment and poor workforce planning.
Dr Taylor, our GP spokesperson, was speaking to Sky News about research into a lack of work opportunities for general practitioners.
A British Medical Association survey found that one in five GPs in England are planning a career change because of a lack of work.
Dr Taylor’s own research has found that a third of GPs are underemployed or unemployed, adding that some GPs were taking on other work, such as driving Ubers, to ‘pay the bills’.
He said he was concerned the country will move towards a ‘two-tier system like dentistry’ where those who can pay will access a GP privately.
Dr Taylor, a GP based in Manchester, added:”In simple terms practices haven’t had enough money to employ the new GPs that we are training, so there are doctors that are unemployed and a large proportion of GPs are under employed – so they are not working hours they’d want to work.”
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