The GP curriculum: three years, five years, or life?

The NHS needs an adequate supply of competent generalist doctors working in primary care. In the modern NHS these doctors are required to deliver across the clinical and managerial range and from a personal to a population focus. It is important that the required time is provided to learn to deliver the content in the most relevant context. The professional opinion based on growing evidence is that the length of training required to achieve independent (competent) status should be increased from three to five years.