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<p>The Department’s assessment is that the trend for general practitioners (GPs) taking
early retirement has increased over recent years as set out in the table below.</p><p>
</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Pension Year (1 April to 31 March)</p></td><td><p>Number
of GPs taking Voluntary Early Retirement (VER)</p></td><td><p>Approximate Average
Age of GP taking VER</p></td><td><p>Total Number of GPs claiming Pension</p></td><td><p>%
VER</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011/12</p></td><td><p>513</p></td><td><p>57 years</p></td><td><p>1,545</p></td><td><p>33</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012/13</p></td><td><p>591</p></td><td><p>57
years</p></td><td><p>1,406</p></td><td><p>42</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013/14</p></td><td><p>746</p></td><td><p>56
years and 11 months</p></td><td><p>1,503</p></td><td><p>50</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014/15</p></td><td><p>738</p></td><td><p>57
years</p></td><td><p>1,434</p></td><td><p>51</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015/16</p></td><td><p>677</p></td><td><p>57
years</p></td><td><p>1,254</p></td><td><p>54</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016/17</p></td><td><p>721</p></td><td><p>57
years</p></td><td><p>1,164</p></td><td><p>62</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>In
April 2016, the General Practice Forward View<sup>1</sup> made the commitment to grow
the GP workforce by 5,000 full time equivalent doctors in general practice compared
to 2015.</p><p> </p><p>A number of steps are being taken to increase the size of the
general practitioner workforce. Health Education England has increased the number
of GP training places to 3,250 each year with 3,157 starting in 2017, the highest
number ever.</p><p> </p><p>NHS England is accelerating its international recruitment
programme, following successful regional pilots. It aims to recruit at least 2,000
GPs from overseas over the next three years.</p><p> </p><p>NHS England has launched
the GP Career Plus Scheme, to test a range of ways to offer flexibility and support
to experienced GPs at risk of leaving general practice. This is in addition to the
new GP Retention Scheme which offers funding to support doctors who can only work
a limited number of sessions in general practice.</p><p> </p><p>NHS England has also
improved the GP Induction and Refresher Scheme to make it easier and quicker for qualified
doctors to return to general practice. 260 doctors are currently on the programme
and 106 have completed it and are working in practice.</p><p> </p><p>Notes:</p><p>
</p><p><sup>1</sup><a href="https://www.england.nhs.uk/gp/gpfv/" target="_blank">https://www.england.nhs.uk/gp/gpfv/</a></p>
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