The University of Manchester study was published in Frontiers in Public Health and funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research School of Primary Care Research and Greater Manchester Patient Safety Research Collaboration.

Lead author Dr Christos Grigoroglou, a health economist from The University of Manchester, said: ‘We found that job dissatisfaction and burnout are likely to be immediate signals that GPs are at high risk of quitting direct patient care. Poor work-life balance and working while unwell were also indirectly linked.

‘This is why there is an urgent need to address these issues if we are to improve GP retention. If we do not, primary care may face unprecedented difficulties.'

Of 351 GPs from 57 practices surveyed, up to one in three GPs experienced symptoms of burnout (27%) and expressed a moderate to high intention to quit patient care within the next five years (33%).

One in five (19%) reported low job satisfaction, two in five (41%) indicated poor work-life balance and up to one in four (27%) reported working while unwell over the past year.

The study suggested strategies including fair compensation, professional development and a supportive work environment as ways to enhance job satisfaction.