Understanding persistent GP turnover using work and personal characteristics: a retrospective observational study.

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• General Practice Workforce Studies
• Occupational Health Psychology

Background:

• Rising general practitioner (GP) turnover and declining participation rates threaten general practice sustainability.
• Policy is shifting towards community-based care and workforce retention, necessitating understanding of turnover drivers.
• Job characteristics linked to persistent GP turnover require investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationship between practice-level persistent GP turnover and GP job satisfaction.
• To identify specific job characteristics associated with high GP turnover.
• To inform interventions for GP retention.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective observational study using linked national administrative data and GP survey responses in England (2013-2019).
• Defined persistent high turnover practices as those with >10% GP departures annually for three consecutive years.
• Used multiple linear regression to link work satisfaction components (autonomy, belonging, competence) to persistent turnover.

Main Results:

• 8% of 2403 GPs worked in persistent high turnover practices.
• GPs in these practices reported significantly lower autonomy, belonging, competence, job satisfaction, and life satisfaction.
• These GPs also reported higher working hours, with notably lower scores related to competence.

Conclusions:

• A clear relationship exists between GP job satisfaction and high turnover.
• Differences in experiences of autonomy, belonging, and competence highlight targets for retention interventions.
• Improving job satisfaction is crucial for supporting GP retention and ensuring the sustainability of general practice.