How do we fix Lincolnshire's dwindling number of doctors?
One of the counties top doctors blames assaults on staff and a rise in frailer, older patients
It's thought a rise in frailer, older patients is putting extra strain on GPs across Lincolnshire.
As we revealed earlier this week, the county faces a shortage of more than 200 doctors over the next four years
The county has found it notoriously difficult to recruit and retain healthcare staff over the past decade.
It's lead to numerous changes to healthcare systems and threats of closure, sparking campaigns from members of the public.
Dr Kieran Sharrock, medical director for Lincolnshire Local Medical Committee said “the situation is getting worse because we’ve got an ageing population of GPs.
“Also the increasing demand that we’re receiving means a lot of GPs are thinking they can’t cope with being a doctor so they’re going part-time or retiring early.”
He said the newly opened medical school at Lincoln University will help but “that doesn’t solve the problem immediately” because it takes 10 years to train a GP.
Dr Sharrock also thinks people are going to health professionals for minor illnesses, when they don't have to.
"In the old days we used to go and speak to our grandma, or the vicar, or whoever it was and things would just get better on their own the majority of the time, and they still do.
"People seek help from a health professional much quicker than they used to."
He said abuse from patients is another issue many are facing.
"It doesn't help when you're doing your best for a patient and they then negatively talk about you all the time, or even shout at you or physically assault you.
"It's not going to make you want to stay, is it?"