Government attempts to stop GPs quitting the profession are failing as four in 10 say they are planning to retire within five years, a new report has found.

A review by the Royal College of GPs (RCGP) raises concern that many doctors have yet to see changes promised by the Department of Health’s five year Forward View initiative which aims to increase the number of family doctors by 5,000.

The plan pledged to provide more staff and support to the the profession which is struggling to cope with increased patient demand, and longer opening hours.

But a survey of GPs for the report found that many doctors are still struggling under their workloads, and 39 per cent think they are unlikely to still be working for the NHS in five years time.

The RCGP said the findings sparked fears the profession ‘could reach breaking point’ unless progress on the shake-up is accelerated.

Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, chairwoman of the RCGP, said: "We know we're only one year into a five-year plan, but GPs are desperate - they really, truly want to deliver the best possible care for patients, but the pressures they are under are unbearable.

"It takes at least three years in speciality training for new doctors to enter the workforce as independent consultant GPs, so whilst it's fantastic that more foundation doctors are choosing general practice this year, if more people are leaving the profession than entering it, we're fighting a losing battle.”