If you work in GP jobs then you’ll understand how hard it has been this winter. Hospitals, care facilities and practices have struggled to cope due to the worst flu outbreak in over 7 years. There has also been a freeze on certain types of care in England as well, which further adds to the pressure that is already present. 77% of those who work as a GP or a GP partner have stated that their practice has struggled to cope and that morale is at an all-time low. Doctors are now under the fear that pressure would force them into making mistakes that they would not normally worry about, and that this could go on to cause serious harm to their patients.

Two thirds of those who work as a GP partner have stated that they have tried to offer consultations over the telephone to try and ease some of the pressure, yet half have stated that they have had to cancel meetings and even some of their technical duties to try and keep their own practice afloat during this very busy time.

Other GPs have taken steps such as trying to reduce the partner’s take-home pay to fund additional staff who can work as locum doctors, and others are being forced to work much longer hours. Over 500 GPs responded to the poll that was held and more than 70% believed that their practice was under significant strain. 25% of them believed that their patients had been harmed as the result of the ever-growing pressure on the NHS.

Evidence also shows that GPs are not able to cope with the pressure that they have, yet this amount of pressure is near-unavoidable in the practice. Doctors are now facing burnout and depression as a result.