A major review of UK evidence has found that sustaining the General Practitioner (GP) workforce depends on meaningful work, strong relationships, and cultures that support ongoing learning, all of which help deliver effective and equitable patient care.
General practice in the UK and worldwide is under pressure from GP shortages, high workload and falling job satisfaction. A lot of research into the causes for this focuses on individual-level factors such as wellbeing, resilience, and professional identity. However, researchers from the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences have today published a new study which brings together evidence on how the way general practice services are organised affects both GP retention and patient care.
Published in the British Journal of General Practice, the researchers conducted a realist review – a type of study that looks at what works, for whom, and in what circumstances. They examined 191 UK-focused research papers and policy or practice reports published between 2013 and 2025. Patients and members of the public helped shape the questions and interpret the findings.
Read the full story on the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Science website.