GPs ‘working as Uber drivers’ because they can’t find jobs as medics warn of ‘unprecedented crisis’
A lack of jobs is forcing GPs out of the NHS with some taking up work as Uber drivers to pay the bills, experts have told Sky News.
The “ridiculous” situation has been blamed on chronic underfunding and the rising costs of running a general practice – meaning there is not enough money to recruit.
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It comes at a time when demand for GP appointments is greater than ever, with medics fearing the situation will get worse once the rise in employers’ national insurance comes into effect in April, as GP surgeries are not exempt.
According to a new survey by the British Medical Association (BMA), one in five GPs in England are already planning a career change because they can’t find any or enough work.
The poll of 1,400 family doctors tallies with the findings of a survey by Dr Steve Taylor of 1,000 GPs, which found one third are either underemployed or out of work.
Dr Taylor, a Manchester-based GP of 30 years and a spokesperson for the Doctors Association, told Sky News he was aware of some newly qualified GPs working gig economy jobs like Uber drivers “as a fill in just to pay the bills”.
He said: “In simple terms practices haven’t had enough money to employ the new GPs that we are training, so there are doctors that are unemployed and a large proportion of GPs are under employed – so they are not working hours they’d want to work.”
He added that “four years ago that wouldn’t have been an issue”, with one applicant going for a salaried job at his practice back then – compared to 30 applicants competing for one job now.
Dr Taylor called the situation a “crisis” and said his “big worry” is that “will we end up with a two-tier system like dentistry”, with private providers sucking up out-of-work GPs.
‘Ridiculous GPs can’t find work’
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‘We may get to the stage of turning people away from A&E,’ said Royal Berkshire Hospital’s emergency department clinical lead.
The BMA’s survey said 47% of respondents were expecting to make changes to their career – with the most popular option being to take clinical jobs outside the NHS (43%).
Respondents also considered taking up GP opportunities abroad (40%) and leaving healthcare altogether (38%).
Dr Mark Steggles, chair of the BMA’s sessional GP committee, said: “At a time of immense pressure on the NHS, and patients waiting too long to be seen, it’s ridiculous that so many GPs can’t find work.
“These findings confirm our worst fears. Not only is the issue spreading through the profession, but it’s also leaving many wondering why they should bother staying in the NHS at all, further depriving patients of the vital care they need.”
What has the government done?
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The survey comes after a study by the Health Foundation found access to a GP is the public’s top NHS concern – posing a potential headache for the government as it prioritises bringing down hospital waiting lists in its plan to fix the health service.
The government said in December it would give GPs an extra £889m to slash red tape and spend more time with patients.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has sought to address the recruitment problem by expanding the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) – a £1.4bn funding pot introduced in 2019 to hire non-GP roles, such as dieticians and social prescribers, across Primary Care Networks (PCNS).
PCNS are groups of GP practices, and last summer Mr Streeting announced £82m boost to the scheme so it could be expanded to GPs, in response to unemployment concerns.
But experts said it is not a long-term solution as it only applies to 1,000 newly qualified GPs on fixed-term contracts – making the roles hard to fill. The job also requires working across as many as 15 practices within one PCN, often at lower salaries as the reimbursement rate is at the bottom end of the GP pay scale.
The BMA said money for extra staff should go directly to GP practices and the amount should be increased, warning of a “mass exodus” if nothing is done.
Mr Steggles said there is a “real risk” of a huge increase of unemployment rates in August, when 4,000 new GP trainees will qualify.
The rise in employer NI could also exacerbate the situation, said Shropshire GP Jessica Harvey, who added practices are already being “squeezed” by the cost of living with no spare cash to recruit.
“It’s an unprecedented crisis,” she said. “There’s not enough GPs, we can’t afford more doctors, practices are closing, patients are suffering from chronic underfunding and to have NI placed on top of that is causing an incredible amount of unnecessary stress.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “This government inherited a ludicrous situation where patients can’t get a GP, yet qualified GPs couldn’t get a job.
“We acted immediately to cut red tape and have already proposed the biggest boost to GP funding in years – an extra £889m.
“We are committed to recruiting an extra 1,000 GPs as promised.”
Despite the ongoing market meltdown on US trade tariffs, executives at major cryptocurrency firms Messari and Sygnum are bullish on institutional Bitcoin adoption later in 2025.
Speaking on a panel at Paris Blockchain Week on April 8, Messari CEO Eric Turner and Sygnum Bank co-founder Thomas Eichenberger said they expect a significant shift in the banking sector’s involvement with crypto in the second half of the year.
According to the executives, the global banking push into Bitcoin (BTC) services has great potential to happen in the second half of 2025 as regulators embrace crypto, including stablecoins and crypto services by banks.
“I think we’re probably looking at a muted Q2, but I’m really excited for Q3 and Q4,” Messari’s Turner said during the panel discussion moderated by Cointelegraph CEO Yana Prikhodchenko, forecasting “really interesting” things coming to the crypto market in 2025.
Crypto adoption is not just about Trump
While some investors focus on the pro-crypto stance of US President Donald Trump, Turner emphasized that broader regulatory momentum is what matters most.
“When you look at the potential of having market structure regulation in the US, stablecoin regulation, and just the fact that across the board, not just President Trump himself, but the SEC and all these regulatory industries are really embracing crypto,” Turner said.
Paris Blockchain Week’s panel with Cointelegraph CEO Yana Prikhodchenko, Bancor co-founder Eyal Hertzog, Sygnum co-founder Thomas Eichenberger, Messari CEO Eric Turner, AWS fintech leader Alex Matsuo and Near chief operating officer Chris Donovan. Source: Cointelegraph
Sygnum co-founder Thomas Eichenberger said international banks with US branches are also poised to enter the market once the legal landscape becomes clearer:
“I think it’s a matter of fact that US banks are preparing to be able to offer crypto custody and at least crypto spot trading services anytime soon.”
“I think by then I would agree with you, Eric,” he continued, projecting a continued phase of market uncertainty until the US establishes a clear regulatory framework.
Related: Ripple acquires crypto-friendly prime broker Hidden Road for $1.25B
Banks are no longer afraid of Bitcoin regulators
With the establishment of clear crypto rules for banks in the US, there will be a rush for crypto services by large international banks that are incorporated outside of the US but have a US-based presence, Eichenberger said.
“Some of them may have had their strategic plans in their cupboard to offer crypto-related services, but have been afraid that at some point they will be gone after by any of the US regulatory authorities,” he said, adding:
“Now I think there’s no one to be afraid of anymore in terms of regulatory authorities worldwide. So I think many of the large international banks will launch this year.”
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Global trade tensions triggered by US President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff measures may come to an end with a potential deal with China as investors remain concerned about escalation from both sides.
Trump’s April 2 announcement of reciprocal import tariffs sent shockwaves through global equity and crypto markets. The measures include a 10% baseline tariff on all imported goods, effective April 5, with higher levies — such as a 34% tariff on Chinese imports — set to begin on April 9.
However, the tariff negotiations may only be “posturing” for the US to reach an agreement with China, according to Raoul Pal, founder and CEO of Global Macro Investor.
“In the end, almost all the other tariff negotiations and rhetoric are all about getting China to agree a deal,” Pal wrote in an April 8 X post, adding:
“That is the big prize and both China and the US understand it and need it. Everything else is negotiation posturing. China needs a weaker $ and the US needs tariffs.”
Source: Raoul Pal
“Also, the US is trying to shut down China tariff arbitrage using other channels such as Mexico or Vietnam,” Pal said.
Related: Bitcoin price can hit $250K in 2025 if Fed shifts to QE: Arthur Hayes
China retaliates with new tariffs
Considering China’s latest retaliatory measures, a resolution remains unlikely in the short term.
In response to US tariffs, China imposed a 34% tariff on all US imports effective April 10, media outlet Xinhua News reported on April 4. China’s foreign ministry also vowed to “fight till the end” against Trump’s tariffs, which it called “bullying” by the world’s largest economy.
China overtakes the US in global trade. Source: Econovis
China overtook the US in 2012 to become the world’s largest trading nation by the total value of exports and imports, surpassing $4 trillion in goods trade that year, according to The Guardian.
Crypto markets watch trade outcome closely
As the trade dispute continues to evolve, analysts say a potential agreement between the two global superpowers could serve as a key catalyst for recovery in digital asset markets.
Crypto markets have a 70% chance to bottom by June 2025 before recovering, Nansen analysts predicted.
Related: Crypto market bottom likely by June despite tariff fears: Finance Redefined
Investor appetite for risk assets such as Bitcoin will depend on the global tariff responses from other countries, according to Nicolai Sondergaard, a research analyst at Nansen.
“We have reached somewhat of a local bottom in regard to tariffs and the impact on prices,” the analyst said during Cointelegraph’s Chainreaction live show on X, adding:
“Trump came out guns blazing, and we’ve mostly seen the worst from the US side, so we’ll see if other countries are willing to drop some of the tariffs because it’s very likely the US will do the same.”
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