News » England, Political News, Research » RCGP highlights GP partner famine
February 23rd 2026
The Royal College of GPs has warned that fewer than a third of GPs (32%) will become a GP partner.
Respondents to a new survey said lack of organisational or administrative support, workforce to deliver services and the requirement to invest in practice premises ownership would prevent them from becoming a partner.
Latest figures from NHS England show that the number of GP partners in England has dropped by over 25 per cent in a decade.
An RCGP report GP partnership principles details the pros and cons of different GP models and concludes that partnership supports continuity of care, fosters innovation and is cost-effective for the NHS.
It notes that scaled-up models, such as GP Federations, may not suit rural areas due to distances between practices. Some 69 per cent of GPs in England say that GP partnership should be protected in any forthcoming NHS reforms. Surgeries with more GP partners are associated with better patient access, outcomes and satisfaction. The College is calling for more funding for the core GP contract to support partnerships.
