A target of 50% of all medical students becoming GPs has been announced by Health Education England (HEE) as part of its mandate for NHS staff training and education.
HEE is the new public body which oversees the education and training system of healthcare trainees in England. Under these new objectives it aims to ensure half of all junior doctors enter GP specialty training.
The mandate was welcomed by Dr Clare Gerada, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, but she called for more funding and resources to turn the aspirations into reality.
“The College has long been calling for more GPs and longer training for GPs so we welcome Health Minister Dan Poulter’s pledge to encourage more medical students to continue into general practice – and the commitment that Health Education England will work with us to secure extended and enhanced trainingfor GPs in the future,” she said.
The HEE pledge is aligned with national NHS priorities in England to tackle preventable deaths; empower and support people living with long-term conditions; introduce a culture of caring; and for the diagnosis, treatment and care of people with dementia in England to be among the best in Europe.
