More than a third of GPs plan to quit if the government’s proposed changes to the NHS pension scheme come into force that will see the retirement age rise to 65.

According to a poll of 200 GPs by the magazine Pulse, 28% of respondents would take advantage of the 24-hour retirement scheme which allows them to retire early but return to work part-time for the NHS.

Nearly half (42%) of the respondents would be prepared to work as they do now under the proposed changes to the scheme, which would see GPs retirement age eventually rise to 68, as laid out in Lord Hutton’s report on public sector pensions.

Currently, GPs can take early retirement from 50 but do not receive a full pension until age 60.

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