What this data shows:
This represents the number of Full Time Equivalent (FTE) GPs per 1,000 patients in this Practice.
FTE is based on the proportion of time staff work in a role.
This information allows comparison of General Practice workforce.
The average number of FTE GPs per 1,000 patients per practice in England is 0.58.
This information is from the GP Workforce Census as at 30 September 2014 and provides a snapshot of the workforce at this time.
How the data is gathered:
This information is based on the General Practice Workforce Census, which is published annually byNHS Digital(note theNHS Digitalplan to collect and publish this information every 6 months with the first collection as at 31 March 2015 scheduled for publication in Sept 2015). The Census includes data on other staff in addition to General Practitioners and Nurses and therefore the information presented on MyNHS is not intended to describe the actual level of the entire practice workforce available to patients, as this does not include those directly involved in delivering patient care other than a nurse or GP (such as Health Care Assistants (HCAs), Physiotherapists, Pharmacists, Phlebotomists, Chiropodists, Dispensers, Counsellors, and Complementary Therapists). Further information on other practice staff can be accessed viaNHS DigitalGP Workforce Census publications, as per the links below.
MYNHS allows users to search for individual practices by name or postcode, allowing users to compare information within this locality. Comparison of practice level information against averages for that particular commissioning region i.e. by Clinical Commissioning Group, or NHS England Regions, can only be done via the NHS Digital’s Practice Level Indicator Tool; see Further Information below.
The level of workforce within the GP workforce census is measured in 2 ways;
- • Headcount, which is the simple count of actual people/staff working within a practice regardless of the hours they may work, and
- • Full Time Equivalent (FTE), which is a standardised measure of the workload of an employee. An FTE of 1.0 means that a person is equivalent to a full time worker, an FTE of 0.5 signals that the worker is half (part) time. Note: 1 FTE is equivalent to 37.5 hours. This measure allows for the work of part-time staff to be converted into an equivalent number of full time staff. FTE will also include non-patient facing time.
The information presented on MyNHS is based on FTE data as this provides more accurate assumptions on available workforce for patients at each practice.
There is no recommended number of FTE GPs per 1,000 patients per practice, recognising the differing needs of the registered patients of GP practices. GP practices plan and utilise their workforce to best meet the needs of their patients.
It can be noted for comparison, that the average number of FTE GPs per 1,000 patients per practice in England is 0.58.
Outliers of practice data may exist due to availability of information at the time of the census, where the number of GPs per 1,000 patients per practice may not truly represent the actual workforce of this practice. For example, for practices experiencing organisational change on or around this date – such as closure, merging with other practices, or newly opening – the number of GPs employed at that date may be determined by the previous or foreseen patient numbers rather than those recorded on that date. Alternatively, practices will in some instances work collaboratively with others, for example in the form of federation, where GPs work across multiple sites. In these instances, the number of GPs recorded for a given practice may be lower than the number of GPs treating that practice’s patients, as some of this work is being carried out by GPs recorded as working in another practice.
The GP Workforce Census published byNHS Digitalincludes information on ALL types of General Practitioners (including GP Provider (single-handed or partnerships), Salaried GPs, GP registrars & GP Retainers) which can be segmented and individual practitioner types can be compared.
- • GP Provider is a practitioner who has entered into a contract to provide services to patients. They may be a single-handed practitioner or part of a partnership.
- • Salaried/other GPs work for single-handed or partnership provider and are generally remunerated by salary.
- • GP registrars are fully registered physicians who are being trained for general practice.
- • GP retainers are practitioners who provide service sessions in general practice. They are employed by the partnership to undertake set sessions, being allowed to work a maximum of 4 sessions per week.
- • GP Loc*ms are physicians who work in the place of the regular physician when that physician is absent, or when a practice is short-staffed.
The number of FTE GPs per 1,000 patients per practice as presented on MyNHS does not include GP registrars, GP retainers, or GP loc*ms.
More information about the data source:
The NHAIS (Exeter) General Practice Payments System, a computerised payment system of General Medical Practitioners in England, is the main source of General Practice and Practitioner information. It includes details of each practitioner’s name, date of birth, gender, working hours/sessions and practice details.
Data Source:
NHS Digital
Data Period:
Census as at September 30th 2014 published March 2015.
Further Information:
Further information on this data can be found here
TheNHS Digitalprovides a more extensive comparison of GP workforce data through its Practice Level Indicator Tool which can be found here
