• Daniel Butler.
• Queen's University Belfast.
• Br J Gen Pract. 2023 Jul 1; 73 (suppl 1).

BackgroundIncreasing the GP workforce will not automatically level up healthcare provision; instead, increasing GP training numbers could worsen health inequity and inequalities. This is especially of concern if there are fewer opportunities to learn, train, and build confidence in under-served, socioeconomically deprived areas.AimTo examine how representative of wider socioeconomic deprivation the postgraduate GP training practices are in Northern Ireland (NI).MethodThe deprivation indices and scores of GP postgraduate training practices were compared against general practice in NI. Representation of practices whose patients live in blanket deprivation, higher deprivation, and higher affluence was compared.ResultsOf 319 practices in NI, 171 (54%) were registered as postgraduate training practices and had a mean deprivation score of 3.02 (95% CI [confidence interval] = 2.91 to 3.12) compared with non-training practices' higher mean deprivation score of 3.2 (95% CI = 3.01 to 3.33), P-value <0.05. The proportion of training practices with blanket deprivation and higher levels of deprivation are marginally underrepresented and training practices had higher affluence scores.ConclusionPostgraduate training practices had a statistically significant lower deprivation score and did not fully reflect the socioeconomic make-up of wider NI general practice. The results, however, are more favourable than the representation in other areas of the UK and better than undergraduate teaching opportunities in general practice. As GP recruitment is increased, representation of general practice in areas of high need and high socioeconomic deprivation is essential, otherwise it risks widening health inequalities.© British Journal of General Practice 2023.

11 keywords...

hide…