'Burnt out': The pension timebomb as GPs take early retirement during NHS 'crisis'

Pressure is mounting on Scottish ministers to address the “crisis” in primary care after figures showed more than 1,100 GPs across the country have taken early retirement in the past five years.

Statistics obtained by the Scottish Liberal Democrats revealed a significant upturn in the number of GPs choosing to take their pension before the state pension age of 66 - a trend that is intensifying pressure on the NHS.

Despite millions of pounds of investment from Scottish ministers to support recruitment and retention within general practices, the number of GPs has fallen for the second year in a row, with 4,438 fully qualified GPs as of March 31, 2024, down from 4,474 in 2023, and 4,514 the previous year.

The latest data, obtained via a Freedom of Information request to the Scottish Public Pensions Authority, shows of the 1,183 GPs who have taken their pension since 2020, just 25 waited until reaching the state pension age before doing so.

There have been successive annual falls in Scotland’s GP workforce. Picture: Anthony Devlin/PA Wire | PA

Alex Cole-Hamilton, the Scottish Lib Dem leader, said: “When so many GPs are retiring early, it’s little wonder people are struggling to get an appointment, with some phoning their surgeries hundreds of times a day and often getting nowhere.

“Right now, GPs feel burnt out, overwhelmed and under immense pressure. There’s no real incentive for them to stay and if the chance comes to leave, they’re keen to take it.”

Health secretary Neil Gray announced in November that an additional £13.6 million would be invested in general practice in 2024/25 to address known financial pressures, support staff costs, and enable GPs to take on partners and salaried GP staff.

Mr Cole-Hamilton said that money should be spent on specific measures, such as recruiting specialists in pharmacy, physiotherapy and mental health to work alongside GPs. “That’s how we can ease their workloads, make it easier for them to see patients, and get more people swift access to the local health care they need,” he said.

Dr Chris Williams said many GPs were enduring 'unsustainable' workloads. Picture: RCGP Scotland | Picture: RCGP Scotland

Dr Chris Williams, vice-chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Scotland, said the nation’s GP focus was “shrinking”, with many finding the workload levels unsustainable.

“RCGP Scotland is deeply concerned that these pressures are leading to burn-out or early retirement,” he said. “Later-career GPs are an invaluable resource, with experience built up across a working life.

“There is no single ‘silver bullet’ solution to retaining our workforce. Even for our fully qualified GPs, we do need to look at what support can be offered to ensure that our workforce feels able and equipped to continue to work in modern general practice.”

Dr Iain Morrison, chair of the British Medical Association Scottish general practitioners committee, called on the Government to provide more direct investment into general practice.

He said: “It’s no surprise that GPs are retiring early rather than trying to continue to struggle on with the monumental pressures that practices are facing, including reduced resources, higher costs and record levels of demand. Many are angry, demoralised and burnt out.

“As patients who are struggling to get appointments know, the NHS in Scotland cannot afford to lose any more GPs, and in particular it should not be losing the most experienced doctors who still have many more years to give.”