Hundreds more GPs are going to be needed in Kent over the next few years, new research reveals today.

New league tables published by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) reveals there is likely to be a shortage of more than 400 local doctors in our communities by 2020.

The county has just over 900 GPs across the eight Clinical Commissioning Groups which govern general practice.

But the research found it will need a sizeable 414 more doctors to meet the need in another five years.

In Swale, for example, a 74% increase in GPs will be needed by 2020 to meet the clinical need.

And Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley will need 67% more GP staffing, or the equivalent of 76 full-time GPs to meet the need - some of the highest percentages in the country.

The huge need is driven by the growing population.

The research also reveals that patients in England as a whole will have to wait a week or more to see a GP or practice nurse 67m times this year.

Patients are finding it difficult to see a doctor, says the RCGP, due to a lack of resources for general practice and rapidly growing demand.

This is brought about by the ageing population and more patients being treated for long-term and complex conditions.

RCGP chairman Dr Maureen Baker said: "Our patients deserve access to excellent GP care and services wherever in the country they live.

"Today's figures show how critical it is to act now if we are to have enough GPs to meet all our patients' needs over the next five years.

"We need to recruit and retain far more family doctors and practice nurses so that we can go on providing high-quality care and services in local communities."

South East Commissioning Support Unit spokesman John Nurden said: "Kent has a particular problem because it is close to London.

"When there is somewhere near a popular area - and London is one of those areas - it tends to take up the GPs.

"Most get into it because of the challenge; they want to help people.

"It used to be that trainees would do their training in a big city and then move into the provinces to spread that knowledge around, but it's not happening any more.

"There is a problem getting people to study medicine in the first place now. Things like X-Factor have convinced some children that all they need are a few singing lessons and they can go into TV.

"Studying for your A levels to become a doctor is perhaps not respected as it once was.

"People think they earn loads of money, but it very hard work. Many GPs I know work 12 hour shifts. And the responsibility you take on is huge."

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