FIGURES have been released which show how many GPs there are in the Stroud and Berkeley Vale area per head of population.

The numbers were revealed last week when health bosses presented a report detailing the challenges they are facing regarding GP recruitment and retention in Gloucestershire.

They say before and increasingly since the pandemic, GP numbers have been challenged nationally.

And while the county’s GP workforce is slightly above the national average they are concerned as GPs can leave, move or change their roles meaning that recruitment and retention remains an ongoing focus.

It was highlighted that in Gloucester, there are fewer GPs per head of population than the rest of the county.

The partner and salaried GP whole time equivalent number and GPs per 100k population in

Stroud and Berkeley Vale is 56.11.

In Gloucester the figures is 40.92 while in Cheltenham it is 49.13 and in the north and south Cotswolds it is 54.33.

The figure for Tewkesbury, Newent and Staunton is 60.50 while it is 58.63 in the Forest of Dean.

In terms of the total number of total partner plus salaried whole time equivalent, Cheltenham has 80, Gloucester city 74, north and south Cotswolds 51, Stroud and Berkeley Vale 70, Tewkesbury Newent and Staunton 27 and there are 38 in the Forest of Dean.

NHS Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group officers say this is down to a range of factors including significant increases in workload, changing patient demographics, negative media portrayal of general practice, complaints, a desire and need for a more balanced home and work life and increasing administrative burden.

These factors have resulted in increased burnout, sickness and a reduction of GP sessions/hours in some cases to reduce stress.

Director of primary care and locality development Helen Goodey told Gloucestershire health overview and scrutiny committee last Wednesday, May 18 that they are focussing on addressing the issues affecting Gloucester.

“Gloucester city is more challenged in terms of GP recruitment,” she said.

“We are above the national average in terms of the number of GPs, only just and the position is worsening.