GPs retiring early due to higher workloads and pension changes

A large number of GPs are considering retiring early due to increased workloads and changes to their contracts and pensions.

This is according to a survey of doctors conducted by Pulse magazine, which found 43 per cent of respondents are now looking to retire earlier than they originally intended to, taking the average retiree age to 61.

Some 30 per cent of GPs said they will retire at 55 to 59 years, four per cent between 60 and 64 years and 12 per cent between 65 and 70 years. Five per cent said they will continue to work past the age of 70.

Laurance Buckman, chair of the General Practitioner’s Committee of the British Medical Association, said: "The contractual changes, and the pressure of work related to that, the inability to earn a living, the changes to GP pensions and the capping of pensions more generally between all of those, there are now a lot of reasons why GPs will consider premature retirement."

Despite this, the Independent points out that GP pensions are still very generous when compared to many other occupations.

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