STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

GPs will be encouraged to delay or come back from retirement, under a new £10m scheme attempting to boost the numbers of family doctors. NHS officials said doctors will be offered more flexible ways of working to encourage them back into general practice. In the last three years, the number of unfilled GP posts has quadrupled, to almost 8 per cent. Doctors have raised fears that more than 500 practices could be forced to close soon because almost all of their doctors are over the age of 60, when the average GP retires at 59. The looming crisis could leave more than 1 million patients in the lurch, medics have claimed. NHS England will today announce new schemes, to encourage those considering retirement, and those who have already left general practice, to think again, and look at options to work on a part-time basis.