GPs are having to deal with more patients while their own numbers dwindle, new research has suggested.

Between 2016 and 2022, the number of fully qualified GPs working across England fell from 29,320 to 27,372, while the number of registered patients grew from 58,083,265 to 62,225,886, according to the House of Commons Library.

The Liberal Democrats, who commissioned the research, warned of a “stark postcode lottery” across the country, with some areas affected much worse than others.

Blackburn with Darwen, for example, faces the worst increase in the number of patients now seen by each GP.

In 2016, the borough had 74 full-time GPs with 173,403 registered patients.

In 2020, the number of GPs had fallen to 63, with patient numbers rising to 182,406.

The area now has 2,915 registered patients per fully qualified GP, more than anywhere else in the country, up from 2,332 per GP in 2016.

A similar pattern can be seen across other areas of the country, with 2,821 patients per GP in Portsmouth, 2,805 patients per doctor in Hull, and 2,805 per practitioner in Oldham.

Liberal Democrat Health and Social Care spokeswoman Daisy Cooper, said: “Communities across the country are seeing ever falling numbers of GPs treating ever growing numbers of patients, in a stark postcode lottery.

“It is creating a perfect storm that means for many people, it feels almost impossible to see your GP when you need to.

“This ever-worsening GP shortage is having a terrible human cost, as people face delayed or missed diagnoses and A&Es fill up with desperate patients looking for treatment.

“People are fed up with this government failing to deliver on the basics as local health services are driven into the ground.”

Dr Peter Gregory, associate medical director for Primary Care at NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board, said: “Recruiting and retaining GPs within Lancashire and South Cumbria continues to be a key priority and there are a number of initiatives that NHS England have developed. 

“This includes the new to Partnership Payment Scheme which aims to grow the number of partners working in primary care and the General Practice Fellowship Programme which supports all newly-qualified GPs in their transition from training to employment.

 “We also have the Supporting Mentors Scheme which helps to upskill experienced GPs and Primary Care Flexible Staffing Pools which increases the capacity in general practice and creates a new offer for local GPs wanting to work flexibly, and local Primary Care Networks can also use the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme to increase their workforce. 

“GPs also have access to the national GP Career Support Hub which provides information, guidance and support on career development. 

“We want GPs to have fulfilling, rewarding and challenging careers in general practice."