The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners
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Increasing the GP workforce will not automatically level up healthcare provision; instead, increasing GP training numbers could worsen health inequity and inequalities. This is especially of concern if there are fewer opportunities to learn, train, and build confidence in under-served, socioeconomically deprived areas. ⋯ Postgraduate training practices had a statistically significant lower deprivation score and did not fully reflect the socioeconomic make-up of wider NI general practice. The results, however, are more favourable than the representation in other areas of the UK and better than undergraduate teaching opportunities in general practice. As GP recruitment is increased, representation of general practice in areas of high need and high socioeconomic deprivation is essential, otherwise it risks widening health inequalities.