Pressure on GPs has reached intolerable levels, aggravated by “relentless misrepresentation,” a doctors’ organisation has warned.

The Doctors’ Association became the latest medical group to comment after the death of GP Dr Gail Milligan in Surrey. Dr Milligan’s husband has spoken of the relentless pressure of work she faced and the long days she worked. The Doctors’ Association said the death should be a “wake up” call.

GP Dr Ellen Welch, co-chair of the Association, said: “The relentless misrepresentation of GP’s being lazy part-timers is grinding down an entire profession. When the reality for most is 12 plus hour days, juggling the clinical work alongside mountains of unseen extra tasks, hearing a persistent negative narrative from sections of the press and social media is taking its toll. How many more doctors have to burnout, retire early or even die before it clicks that the problem is fundamentally with the system and not the people within it who are trying their best?”.

GP Dr Liz Croton, a GP with NHS Practitioner Health, said: “This is such tragic news. Our GPs have experienced a sustained and personalised attack from many outlets of the media over the last few years. This is hugely damaging to the physical and mental health of our workforce and indeed we are seeing this with the number of our colleagues reporting mental distress as a result of their work. We call for urgent action to tackle this misinformation at a national level. Enough is enough.”