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<p>The Department set up Health Education England (HEE) to deliver a better health
and healthcare workforce for England. HEE is responsible for ensuring a secure workforce
supply for the future balancing need against demand, taking into account factors such
as the age profile of the existing workforce, the impact of technology, and new drugs.</p><p>
</p><p>The Department has recognised the need to increase the general practitioner
(GP) workforce and between September 2010 and September 2013, the number of full time
equivalent GPs has risen by 1,051. Additionally, the Department has included in the
HEE mandate a requirement that “HEE will ensure that 50% of trainees completing foundation
level training enter GP training programmes by 2016”.</p><p> </p><p>Further work is
being undertaken by HEE to improve applications and fill rate in to GP training to
support the mandate target of 3,250 appointments into GP training by 2016 in England.
This includes a review of the GP recruitment process, developing a pre-GP year to
give exposure to prospective GP applicants of the specialty and careers advice for
foundation doctors and medical students.</p><p> </p><p>In recognition of the contribution
the GP workforce makes in the NHS, HEE will also undertake additional work on GP recruitment
and retention, return to practice and reducing attrition rates, all of which will
play a part in increasing the GP workforce.</p><p> </p><p>The following table indicates
the number of posts commissioned and filled and the fill rate for GP training in England
for the last five years. The numbers of posts have been increased for 2014 to 2,946
to support the government’s mandate requirement for HEE to increase GP training.</p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td><p>Posts Commissioned</p></td><td><p>Posts
Filled</p></td><td><p>% Filled</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>2,732</p></td><td><p>2,800</p></td><td><p>102.49%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>2,672</p></td><td><p>2,658</p></td><td><p>99.48%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>2,687</p></td><td><p>2,669</p></td><td><p>99.33%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>2,761</p></td><td><p>2,738</p></td><td><p>99.17%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014</p></td><td><p><del
class="ministerial">2,946</del> <ins class="ministerial">3,043</ins></p></td><td><p>2,630</p></td><td><p>89.27%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p><em>Source</em>: HEE data</p><p> </p><p>Deferment resulting from factors such
as maternity leave can cause a higher than 100% fill rate in some years.</p><p> </p>
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