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Fewer fully trained GPs are practising in Bassetlaw than last year, new figures show, as pressures on NHS services mount following the coronavirus pandemic.

England saw the biggest year-on-year fall in over three years in fully qualified GPs, despite the Government's 2019 manifesto pledge to recruit 6,000 more GPs by 2025.

The British Medical Association said the continued decline in fully trained GPs – which means there are now more than 1,900 full-time equivalent fewer doctors than in 2015 – is “alarming”.

NHS Digital figures show there were 67 full-time equivalent GPs in the former NHS Bassetlaw clinical commissioning group area area in November, including nine in training – meaning just 58 were fully qualified, down from 62 a year earlier.

The BMA said the "haemorrhage of GPs from practices in England is alarming".

Nationally, there were 27,400 fully trained GPs in November, down from 27,900 in November 2021 and a decrease of 1.7 per cent, the largest annual fall in more than three years.

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The BMA said the “haemorrhage of GPs from practices in England is alarming”.

Dr Kieran Sharrock, BMA England GP committee acting chairman, said: “Despite promises to recruit 5,000 – and then 6,000 – more GPs, the Government has now overseen the loss of the equivalent of more than 1,900 full-time qualified GPs since 2015.“That almost a quarter of this loss happened in the last year speaks volumes to the intense pressures practices and staff are under.”

Dr Sharrock said many GPs are having to take difficult decisions to reduce their hours or leave the profession altogether to protect their wellbeing as workload demands and financial stresses mount.

The total number of full-time equivalent GPs across the country rose by 1.2 per cent from 36,200 to 36,600 in the year to November, largely driven by a 10.8 per cent rise in training GPs, from 8,300 to 9,200.

In Bassetlaw, the number of GPs in the training grade fell from 11 to nine.

The Department for Health and Social Care said it is “incredibly grateful” to GPs for their hard work.

A spokesman said at least £1.5 billion will be invested to create an additional 50 million appointments by 2024.

He said: “There were nearly 2,300 more doctors working in general practice in September compared with September 2019 and a record-breaking number started training as GPs last year.”

Fewer fully trained GPs in Bassetlaw than last year