In February 2025, we surveyed GP registrars (GPRs) in the Severn region about their future career prospects, and found that the vast majority felt very uncertain about finding suitable employment on completion of training.1 We have now re-surveyed GPRs to find out whether their concerns have become a reality.
The latest survey was conducted throughout June and July of 2025, and was open to GPRs in Severn (Bristol, Bath, Somerset, Swindon, and Gloucester) who were within 6 months of their Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT). Forty-four GPRs responded, with 24/44 (55%) within 2 months of their CCT.
Thirty-five of 44 (80%) participants reported that, at the time of the survey, they had begun their search for employment. Twenty-six of 35 (74%) of those GPRs had secured employment, with 24/26 (92%) being salaried GP roles. The majority of those with salaried GP posts, 19/24 (79%) were due to be employed by one of their training practices. Half of those with employment were satisfied with the work they had secured; however, 13/26 (50%) stated they could have worked more sessions, had that been an option.
Further to the known issues around GP unemployment,2 these findings highlight an additional concern about underemployment. The findings suggest that some newly qualified GPs are finding work, but are willing to contribute more to the workforce than the current environment has capacity for.
This presents an immediate opportunity to help local services meet the increasing patient demand.3 Policymakers must make it a priority to utilise these highly skilled members of the workforce and, in future planning, must factor in the increasing number of unemployed and underemployed GPs, as well those approaching CCT.
These findings also have implications for medical educators, who must consider the tension of training GPRs who are under increasing pressure to be recruited by their training practices and where opportunities for crucial early experience as a GP are limited.
Urgent work is needed to quantify these issues at scale. To echo the RCGP Chair, it is absurd that, while patients are desperate for GP appointments, GPs themselves are underemployed.4
