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Health Education England announces another record-breaking year as highest-ever numbers accept GP training posts
18 October 2018
Figures released by Health Education England (HEE) today show the highest ever number of people entering GP training in NHS history.
This year’s figure of 3,473 means the annual target of 3,250 has been surpassed for the first time.
More than 300 additional trainees will enter specialty training compared to last year, an increase of over ten per cent.
This is the third year in a row that HEE has broken records for the number of GP trainees accepting places.
Professor Ian Cumming, Chief Executive, HEE, said:
"This is fantastic news for the NHS and primary care and a real testament to the hard work of HEE staff who have worked tirelessly to increase the numbers recruited to GP training year on year."Our work with partners including the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) around raising the profile and attractiveness of general practice as a career has really helped to boost the number of trainees who want to join this specialty."
Professor Wendy Reid, Director of Education and Quality and National Medical Director, HEE, said:
"This is great news for the NHS and for patients who will benefit from our continued investment in GP training through a wide range of initiatives and programmes to keep the training numbers growing year on year. We have thousands more doctors in the system thanks to our concerted efforts to boost the number of GP trainees across the country."We will continue to develop initiatives such as our general practice marketing campaign, now in its third year, to help raise awareness of general practice as a career of choice and its unique selling points as a specialty."