Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the extent of problems in recruiting general practitioners and to determine which practice characteristics affect recruitment--in particular, to see if practices with deprived patients have more recruitment problems. DESIGN: Postal questionnaire survey in August 1995. SUBJECTS: 489 consecutive practices that had advertised for a partner in the BMJ from January to April 1995. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The number of applicants, the practices, satisfaction with their quantity and quality, and whether a successful appointment was made. RESULTS: 442 (90%) practices replied. 262 practices (60%) were not very satisfied or very dissatisfied with the number of applications they received; 15 (3%) received no applications. There was a significant difference in the number of applications received by practices in different NHS regions. The 32 practices with the highest proportions of patients eligible for deprivation payments received a median of five applicants compared with 10 for practices without deprivation. CONCLUSION: There is a widespread problem in recruiting general practitioners. Recruitment is hardest in areas with the greatest health needs.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Donald A. G. Retreat from general practice. BMJ. 1990 Nov 10;301(6760):1060–1060. doi: 10.1136/bmj.301.6760.1060. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Harris T., Silver T., Rink E., Hilton S. Vocational training for general practice in inner London. Is there a dearth? And if so what's to be done? BMJ. 1996 Jan 13;312(7023):97–101. doi: 10.1136/bmj.312.7023.97. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Rowsell R., Morgan M., Sarangi J. General practitioner registrars' views about a career in general practice. Br J Gen Pract. 1995 Nov;45(400):601–604. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Villar R. Problems of total hip replacement. Practitioner. 1990 Feb 8;234(1482):101–104. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]