Vocational training and recruitment into general practice.

A recent survey of doctors in the practice year of vocational training indicates a strong preference for group practice from purpose-built premises (health centre and other) with multidisciplinary staffing and attachments. While it might be assumed that the introduction of mandatory vocational training would provide a continuing supply of well trained recruits into general practice, it may well raise recruitment problems for those areas where practice facilities and opportunities do not meet with expectations. This possibility is of particular concern for those metropolitan regions encompassing inner city areas which have traditionally been highly dependent on hospital-based services, but where deficiencies in primary care provision, particularly in terms of practice structure and premises, have been identified repeatedly over the past 30 years. In view of the present policies for changing the balance of care away from the hospitals, there is an urgent need to develop primary care facilities which will accord with the expectations of vocationally trained general practitioners and their population of patients.