10,000 patients per GP at Ammonite Health Partnership

The figures were revealed in an analysis of GP practices in Dorset with the most and least patients per doctor.

The British Medical Association said large disparities in GP to patient ratios throughout England are "wholly unacceptable" and called on the Government to address the longstanding issues.

NHS Digital figures show 819,567 patients were registered at GP practices in the NHS Dorset CCG area at the end of January – along with the equivalent of 498 full-time GPs.

This means if the patients were equally spread, each GP would be dealing with an average of 1,647 patients – but the figures vary drastically across the 72 practices which were recorded as having patients and any FTE practitioners.

Ammonite Health Partnership, which comprises Bridport Medical Centre, Tunnel Road Surgery in Beaminster and Pound Piece Surgery in Maiden Newton has the highest ratio in the area, with 10,544 patients per full-time GP.

This was followed by Shore Medical with surgeries in Poole and West Bournemouth (6,444) and Royal Manor Health Care on Portland (5,306).

Patient ratios vary widely across England, from 41,000 patients per GP at a practice in Coventry and Warwickshire, to just 96 at a Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin surgery.

Dr Kieran Sharrock, BMA England GP committee deputy chairman, said: “This data shows worryingly large disparities in GP to patient ratios across the country and it is wholly unacceptable that patients should have to experience such variations in access to care.

“The Government has failed to address the longstanding recruitment and retention issues in general practice and we now have a very unsustainable and unsafe situation where fewer GPs are being tasked with the responsibility of caring for significantly more patients."

Meanwhile, the Dorset practices with the lowest number of patients per GP are Wareham Surgery (697), The Adam Practice in Poole (969) and The Prince Of Wales Surgery in Dorchester (1,002).

The Royal College of GPs said between September 2015 and December 2021 the number of patients per GP increased by 10%, the number of fully qualified, full-time equivalent GPs fell by 5% and the population grew by 4%.

Professor Martin Marshall, chairman of the RCGP, said some regions are affected worse than others as they face greater difficulties recruiting new GPs.

A spokesperson for the NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said: “Primary care is currently under huge pressure, facing increased demand alongside the delivery of the life-saving Covid-19 vaccination programme whilst at the same time experiencing recruitment issues.

"Despite this, in February primary care consultations increased by 5% and general practice activity across Dorset has returned to above pre-pandemic levels providing a range of face to face and remote consultations to meet patient need.

“Using NHS services wisely can help more people get the right treatment, in the right place, at the right time. If you’re unwell and are unsure about where to go, visit 111.nhs.uk or call 111.”

The Department of Health and Social Care said there were over 1,600 more FTE doctors in December 2021 than two years previously, with a record-breaking number starting training last year.