January 21, 2019 1.05 pm This story is over 62 months old

Boston and Lincoln among hardest areas to recruit GPs

They will benefit from a national scheme

| Photo: Adobe Stock

Boston and Lincoln are among 22 locations where vacancies for family doctors are hardest to fill.

The two Lincolnshire locations will now benefit from a national scheme to recruit trainee GPs in hard-to-recruit areas.

Under the Targeted Enhanced Recruitment Scheme (TERS), run by NHS England and Health Education England, the trainees must commit to working there for three years. This is in return for a £20,000 “golden hello” funded by NHS England.

Up to 18 GP trainees will be supported in Boston and Lincoln in the latest round of the scheme.

Over 500 trainee GPS have been recruited to work in areas of the country where vacancies for family doctors are hardest to fill since TERS started in 2016/17.

Medical Director for NHS England (Midlands and East), Dr Daniel Levy, said: “Although overall recruitment of GPs is increasing, in some parts of our region a significant proportion of GP training places have been unfilled.

“This scheme helps relieve pressure on general practices facing the most severe recruitment challenges, thereby supporting and improving services in these areas over time.

“TERS has already had a hugely positive impact in other parts of Midlands and East, such as Lincolnshire. Improving access to general practice services is a key priority for the NHS long term plan and that is even more vital in areas that have historically found it difficult to attract GPs.”

Health Education England recruited the highest ever number of people accepting offers of GP Speciality training in NHS history last year, passing the annual target of 3,250 for the very first time.