title: Factors influencing the response to advertisements for general practice vacancies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the extent of problems in recruiting general practitioners and to determine which practice characteristics affect recruitment--in particular, to see if practices with deprived patients have more recruitment problems.
  
  
  METHODS
  Postal questionnaire survey in August 1995.
  
  
  METHODS
  489 consecutive practices that had advertised for a partner in the BMJ from January to April 1995.
  
  
  METHODS
  The number of applicants, the practices, satisfaction with their quantity and quality, and whether a successful appointment was made.
  
  
  RESULTS
  442 (90%) practices replied. 262 practices (60%) were not very satisfied or very dissatisfied with the number of applications they received; 15 (3%) received no applications. There was a significant difference in the number of applications received by practices in different NHS regions. The 32 practices with the highest proportions of patients eligible for deprivation payments received a median of five applicants compared with 10 for practices without deprivation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a widespread problem in recruiting general practitioners. Recruitment is hardest in areas with the greatest health needs.
authors.affiliation: Nottingham University, Department of General Practice, Queens Medical Centre.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Carlisle
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Johnstone
mesh_terms: D000329:Advertising; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D004739:England; D005194:Family Practice; D006801:Humans; D007586:Job Application; D010560:Personnel Selection