Table 4

Factors influencing intention to leave or remain working in general practice (GP)

Factors influencing decision to leave GP (1=not important to 5=very important)				Factors that might retain GPs in practice (1=not important to 5=very important)
	N	Mean	SD		N	Mean	SD
Intensity of workload	113	4.4	1.0	Reduced intensity of workload	109	4.1	1.4
Volume of workload	114	4.3	1.0	Longer appointment times/more time to spend with patients	109	4.0	1.4
Too much time spent on unimportant tasks	113	4.0	1.2	Reduced volume of workload	110	3.9	1.4
Lack of time for patient contact	113	3.8	1.2	Less administration	108	3.9	1.4
Potential introduction of 7 days a week working	113	3.8	1.4	No out of hours commitments	109	3.6	1.6
Reduced job satisfaction	110	3.6	1.3	Incentive payment	108	3.5	1.5
Poor flexibility of hours	108	2.8	1.4	Protected time for education and training	107	3.3	1.4
Revalidation	112	2.6	1.5	More flexible working conditions	106	3.2	1.5
				Greater clinical autonomy	107	3.0	1.5
Age	113	3.5	1.3	Increased pay	107	2.9	1.4
Medical indemnity payments	113	3.4	1.4	Improved skill mix in the practice	106	2.8	1.4
Increased risk of litigation	111	3.0	1.5	Additional annual leave	107	2.8	1.5
Changes to pension taxation	112	2.7	1.5	Shorter practice opening times	108	2.7	1.5
Family commitments	111	2.6	1.2	Opportunity for a sabbatical	107	2.6	1.5
Ill health	109	1.8	1.2	Introduction of ‘Twenty Plus’	106	2.3	1.3
Embarking on career outside general practice	109	1.6	0.98	Expansion of GP retainer scheme	105	2.1	1.4
Planned career break	107	1.4	0.89	Extended interests; for example, Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) role	106	2.0	1.3
				Reintroduction of the flexible careers scheme	105	2.0	1.2
				Option to work term time only	105	1.6	1.1