05 August 2005
Doctors' leaders have voiced concerns that not enough young medics are choosing to train as GPs.
Department of Health figures published last week revealed that 2,435 doctors were in GP training in March 2005, slightly down on the 2,439 trainees in March 2004.
Hamish Meldrum, chair of the British Medical Association's GP committee, said he was worried by the static number of trainees.
He said: 'These GPs in training form the new life blood of the profession and their numbers should be significantly expanding to match the increasing demands of family doctors as services switch from hospital care to the community.'
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