Clare Gerada — a Response

I am sorry that it appears so grim out there and what response can I make without sounding clichéd? It has been a strange few years and even those, in the ‘comfortable’ position of partnerships have not had an easy ride.

I know for newly-qualified GPs it seems such an uphill struggle to get a foothold into practices. But, please take heart. There is a lot going on behind the scenes. The College and the GPC are aware of the current difficulties and are lobbying hard to improve both the status and terms of conditions of salaried doctors and also to increase the number of practices taking on new partners.

Times are changing, but what is not changing is the need for good, well-trained family doctors and leaving aside glitches in workforce planning, it is unlikely that any GP will be unemployed for long.

• © British Journal of General Practice, 2008.