Evaluation of the first 5 years of the Next Generation GP leadership programme: balancing autonomy and accountability.

Background: In 2017, a group of trainee general practitioners (GPs) came together to design and deliver a six-session leadership development programme for their peer trainee and early career GPs: the Next Generation GP programme. Over 2500 GPs took part in Next Generation GP between 2017 and 2022.

Aim: To evaluate the origins and development of the Next Generation GP programme, its early impact on individuals and general practice, and what it reveals about GPs' needs for career and leadership development at a time of major workforce and demand pressures.

Methods: A rapid review of evidence on general practice workforce and career trends informed the design of qualitative research interviews (n=28) with a purposive sample of programme participants, primary care leaders and educational experts. This was supplemented by analysis of secondary data from participant evaluations of programme workshops.

Results: Many programme participants reported: improved competence in leadership skills, increased understanding of the health system, having new support networks and more energy for their GP role. Respondents pointed out the strengths of the programme, also highlighting ways in which it could be adapted to enable a transition to a more sustainable position within broader clinical and leadership career development.

Conclusions: Next Generation GP has to date largely fulfilled its programme objectives. It now needs more tangible, longer-term objectives against which to assess outcomes. This evaluation has contributed to evidence about primary care leadership needing more policy attention, for the balance of autonomy and accountability within GP leadership needs careful and sustained support.