DOCTORS working in the NHS have spoken of their increasing workloads, rising stress levels and the problems of recruitment, as a survey of GPs in the South West of England revealed many were planning to quit.

Around two in every five GPs in one region of England are planning to quit - exposing a potential doctors' crisis in the NHS.

A survey of more than 2,000 GPs in the South West of England exposed the region's impending healthcare catastrophe.

Dr Andrew Tresidder, 58, a GP based near Chard in Somerset, has already moved away from full-time patient care to focus on other health-related interests including teaching and appraising GP performance.

He plans to work until his mid-60s but may move away from patient care altogether later in his career.

"GP workload has increased by a factor of four over the past few years. It's a combination of the complexities involved, the demand for GP services and people living longer," he said.

"With recognised pressure on hospitals, more and more work is coming to GPs in primary care. It's an unfettered rise in workload. It's an unsustainable situation."

One of Dr Tressider's roles is on an action group to examine the mental health of GPs.

"Most GPs have stress levels that are way above acceptable levels. All doctors want to help patients," he said.

"Many of them work well beyond their contracted hours to try and provide the quality of service patients deserve - but it means they risk being burned out by the job."

A survey of more than 2,000 GPs in the South West of England exposed the region's impending healthcare catastrophe.

Figures published last month show there has been a drop in the number of GPs working in the NHS despite Government aims to recruit 5,000 more by 2020.

The survey, which was carried out by the University of Exeter, also found that seven out of 10 GPs intend to change their working patterns in a way that would mean less contact with patients.

This included leaving patient care, taking a career break, or reducing their hours.

The researchers said the data provided a snapshot of low morale which, if echoed in other regions, could point to a deeper and more imminent crisis than previously anticipated in relation to the worsening shortage of GPs nationwide.

Professor John Campbell, who led the research, has called for a move away from "sticking plaster solutions" towards robust, joined-up action to avert the crisis nationwide.

"We carried out this survey because of a nationally recognised crisis in the shortage of GPs across the country, and our findings show an even bleaker outlook than expected for GP cover, even in an area which is often considered desirable, and which has many rural communities," Prof Campbell, a practising GP, said.

"If GPs have similar intentions to leave or reduce their hours in other regions, as many are reporting, the country needs to take robust action more swiftly and urgently than previously thought."

The research team sent surveys to 3,370 GPs across the region and received responses from 2,248, with 54% reporting low morale.

Prof Campbell said: "We know that there's an ageing workforce in general practice, with 30% of GPs being over 50 years old.

"Previous research has found that GP morale is low because of workload pressures, and many younger GPs do not want the financial risk and responsibilities of taking on a practice.

"Yet if the GPs we surveyed fulfil their intentions to leave or to cut back their patient contact, and no action is taken to address the issue, the South West of England will experience a severe shortfall of GPs in the next five years.

"Whilst numerous Government-led initiatives are under way to address recruitment, there is a need to address the underlying serious malaise which is behind this data.

"We are in a perilous situation in England, with poor morale of the current GP workforce, and major difficulties with recruitment and retention of GPs reflected in the stark overall reduction in the GP workforce. Reactive, sticking-plaster approaches are not the answer."

Prof Campbell said GPs and their teams deliver nine out of every 10 patient contacts with the NHS but attract just seven pence in every pound of NHS spending.

"The Government needs to work with the Royal College of General Practitioners, the British Medical Association, and universities to obtain evidence on the causes of the problem, to develop and implement relevant strategy, and to effect fundamental change in healthcare resourcing and planning nationwide," he said.