The number of patients per GP per day varies, but averages often fall between 15 to 40 patients, depending on country, practice type, and factors like technology and complexity, with recommendations suggesting lower numbers (around 25) for safer care, while actual patient loads in places like the UK can exceed 30+ daily contacts. In the US, many see 11-20 patients, while some countries see 30-40.
Number of patients seen per hour
Longer and shorter sessions are possible and will change your annual earnings. Typically, GPs will average 4–5 patients per hour but this is largely dependent on your patient profile and practice mix.
Considering the number of registered medical practitioners of both modern medicine (MBBS) and traditional medicine (AYUSH), India has already achieved the World Health Organization recommended doctor to population ratio of 1:1,000 the “Golden Finishing Line” in the year 2018 by most conservative estimates.
II.
1. Have sufficient appointments for the population being served. In order to establish a minimum benchmark of appointment availability, it is recommended that practices provide a minimum of 70 GP appointments per week per 1000 patients (equivalent to 118 appointments per week per WTE GP).
Global sum payment per weighted patient increases from £121.79 to £123.34; and. GMS Out of Hours (OOH) deduction remains at 4.75% in 2025/26, equating to £5.86.
– An increase of 6.5 million patients registered with a GP since 2015. – A single full-time GP is now responsible for an average of 2,291 patients.
Average GP World General Practitioner hourly pay in London, England is approximately £89.98, which is 17% above the national average. Salary estimated from 58 past and present job postings on Indeed.
Despite a reduction from the 37 contacts reported in Pulse's survey last year, this year's average of 31 is still above the BMA's recommended 'safe working' limit of 25 contacts per day. Only 13% of GPs responding to this question reported between 21 and 25 contacts per day (see box).
Physicians say they typically see about 1% of their patient panel per day, meaning in a fee-for-service (FFS) model, primary care doctors often see 20 to 25 patients daily. This model incentives volume, as providers are paid based on the number of services or procedures performed.
The best doctors in the world are often found in countries with top-ranked healthcare systems and medical education. These include the United States, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, and the United Kingdom.
Medical-Surgical Units
A minimum nurse-to-patient ratio of 1:4 is recommended for medical-surgical settings, as research shows: Quality and safety outcomes deteriorate when ratios exceed 1:4. A clear turning point exists between ratios of 1:4 and 1:5 for most quality indicators.
Physicians in geriatric and hospice care see the fewest patients per hour, while physicians in orthopedic surgery, ophthalmology and diagnostic radiology see the most patients, according to a report cited by Medpage Today.
From today (1 October 2025), patients will be able to request appointments, ask questions and describe symptoms online throughout the day rather than calling their surgery or visiting in person. This will help free up practice phone lines for those who need them most, and make it more convenient to access appointments.
Number of patients per FTE fully qualified GP (September 2015 to October 2025) Figure 2: The average number of patients per GP has seen a substantial increase since 2015. There are 2,258 patients per GP as of May 2025, which is an increase of 17% since 2015 [2].
As an important step in becoming a doctor, medical students must take the Hippocratic Oath. And one of the promises within that oath is "first, do no harm" (or "primum non nocere," the Latin translation from the original Greek.)
How specialties compare
The core of it is this: if after three appointments a GP has not been able to offer a substantiated diagnosis, or if the patient's symptoms have escalated, they should pause, review and reconsider whether the current diagnosis is correct, and reassess what else might be going on.
The BMA's guidance recommends a cap of 25 patient contacts (including by phone, online or in person) per GP per day, backed by 15-minute consultation times, a shift intended to provide better care and reduce burnout. Additionally, it encourages practices to cease non-contractual services to focus on core patient care.
Our findings suggest that maintaining ratios below 10 may be ideal for optimizing care quality, while ratios exceeding 20 pose significant risks to patients.
Medical Specialities with Lowest Reported Salaries
Unlike hospital doctors, GPs are not employed by the NHS – the practice works like a small business, receiving a sum of money per patient.
Full-time general practice experience is defined as at least 38 hours distributed over a minimum of four days per week.