General Medical Practitioners in Wales, 30 September 2005

Due to the introduction of the new GP contract it is not possible to always show data in the same way as previous years. The main change from September 2004 is that the category of unrestricted principal is now obsolete. Numbers of GPs now relates to All Practitioners (excluding GP registrars, GP retainers and locums), i.e. those previously shown separately as unrestricted principals, restricted principals, assistants and salaried doctors. These are referred to as practitioners.

Key facts:

• Numbers of practitioners in Wales have risen over the last decade by 6 per cent. The total number, at 30 September 2005, stood at 1,849.
• There are more part-time practitioners, particularly part-time women practitioners, than in 1995; despite the overall rise in practitioner numbers the total number of full-time practitioners has fallen by 4 per cent over the ten years.
• The age distribution of practitioners has also changed since 1995. Fewer practitioners are aged under 40 (675 to 429)and more are aged 60 or over (97 to 134).
• In the last decade the average list size, based on numbers of practitioners, fell from 1,708 to 1,650 (3 per cent), list size based on estimated whole-time equivalent decreased from 1,803 to 1,796 (0.4 per cent).
• The full-time equivalent number of support staff employed has increased by 15 per cent over the last ten years to reach 4,224 in September 2005.

Contact

Tel: 029 2082 5080
E-mail: stats.healthinfo@wales.gsi.gov.uk