Table 1.

Workforce stability as a structural determinant in primary care.

Workforce domain	Current policy focus	Equity-relevant blind spot	Reframed role in public health infrastructure
GP numbers	Headcount per capita	Turnover, continuity, local stability	Community health continuity and trust mechanism
Funding formula	Age and disease burden	Social complexity, deprivation load	Enabler of responsive, place-based care
Admin capacity	Underfunded, minimal	Unseen emotional and bureaucratic labour	Shield for clinician bandwidth and safety
Digital innovation	Access targets and platforms	Digital exclusion, usability for vulnerable patients	Connector between system and marginalised populations
Recruitment initiatives	National campaigns	Local retention and peer support	Long-term placement in underserved communities
Performance metrics	Volume and throughput	Continuity, holistic patient outcomes	Metric of community trust and preventive effectiveness