And recruitment problems are concentrated on certain practices, with two-thirds of vacancies at those with more than one position unfilled.
The British Medical Association reacted to the poll of 660 GPs out today, warning that shortages were creating “unmanageable workloads”.
The BMA’s Dr Richard Vautrey said: “The Government must prioritise general practice and urgently invest in it to address this crisis threatening to undermine the foundation on which the wider NHS is built.
“We cannot allow a situation where patient safety is being compromised.
“Unfilled vacancies have created unmanageable workloads and this is placing intolerable pressure on GP services, especially as they increasingly need to deliver intensive, specialist care to the growing number of older patients with complex health conditions.”
The GP magazine Pulse has run its annual survey since 2012, when 4.2 per cent of posts were unfilled. The last official figures published in 2011 showed a 2.1 per cent vacancy rate.
GPs said inability to recruit and funding shortages have forced many practices to cut GP positions, relying on non-GP staff and forcing practices to close patient lists.
Recent figures showed that 1,000 GPs left the workforce since 2015, setting the Government well behind its target of recruiting 5,000 GPs by 2020.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has admitted hitting the target would be a “struggle”.
In January, the BMA revealed almost half of practices had GP vacancies. This comes after a third of practices told the BMA they had vacancies unfilled for 12 months, and nine out of 10 said their workload was often unmanageable.
Professor Helen StokesLampard, chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said: “Almost every surgery in England is a GP short, at least, and the implications of this are serious for the wellbeing of our GPs and wider practice teams, and for the provision of safe, highquality patient care.
“Workload in general practice has risen by at least 16 per cent over the past seven years, but the proportion of NHS spending on general practice remains lower than a decade ago and GP numbers have not kept pace with demand.”
A national survey of GPs found almost two in five are likely to quit direct patient care within five years. The Department of Health and Social Care said: “We are increasing investment by £2.4billion a year by 2020 and more than 3,000 GPs are expected to be recruited into training this year.”
YOU SAVED ME, TERROR ATTACK GIRL TELLS NHS
A TEENAGER who survived the Manchester terror attack was yesterday given a rousing round of applause at Westminster Abbey. Freya Lewis, 15, had to learn to walk again after she was caught up in last year’s atrocity.
She told the congregation at the event to mark the 70th birthday of the NHS: “I don’t have the words to express how grateful I am to all the amazing staff who cared for me.
“I’m only alive and here today because of the incredible care I received.”
Freya was treated at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital. She was joined yesterday by Jenny Grant, one of the nurses who cared for her.
