Are GPs an endangered species?

GPs are under intense pressure from the government to provide ever more services for longer and longer hours and from patients, trying to find an appointment in increasingly overcrowded surgeries. 
At the same time resources are being stretched as never before: in fact the proportion of NHS spending on general practice has fallen significantly over the last few years and many practices are facing financial problems. 
With almost daily criticism of GPs in the press - much of it fuelled by politicians keen to find a fall guy for the continuing problems of the health service  -  it is no wonder that fewer medical graduates are choosing general practice as an option and that many are electing for early retirement. A crisis is looming.
Practices under Pressure, is an excellent BBC Radio 4 analysis, presented in 'File on Four'. It explains the gory details in a clear and balanced way and is available online until May 2015. It is recommended listening for those interested in the future of general practice services. 

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