Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to retain General Practitioners working up until the age of retirement to stem the flow of GPs leaving the profession.

The updated GP Contract Framework announced a number of new retention schemes alongside continued support for existing schemes for the general practice workforce. The GP Retention Scheme provides financial and educational support to assist general practitioners (GPs) to remain in clinical practice where they are unable to undertake a regular part-time role and may otherwise leave the profession.

The International Induction Programme provides a supported pathway for overseas qualified GPs who have not worked in general practice in the United Kingdom to be inducted safely into the National Health Service. The Return to Practice Programme provides a pathway for qualified GPs who have previously been on the General Medical Council’s GP Register and NHS England’s Medical Performers List to return to general practice after an absence of more than two years.

The Primary Care Fellowship Programme guarantees the opportunity for every newly qualified GP and nurse entering general practice to receive funded mentorship, funded continuing professional development opportunities of one session per week and rotational placements within or across Primary Care Networks to develop experience and support the transition into the local workforce. The Supporting Mentors Scheme is a new national scheme which will offer an opportunity for highly experienced GPs to mentor newly qualified GPs entering the workforce through the Fellowship Programme.

The New to Partnership Payment is available to those GPs without partnership experience who are offered partnerships, in addition to other professional groups such as nurses and pharmacists. New partners will benefit from a £3,000 business training allowance and a guaranteed one-off payment of £20,000 to support their establishment as a new partner.