ArticleBJGP open2025
Barriers to and facilitators of women GPs' careers: a systematic review.
Article in BJGP open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Understanding persistent GP turnover using work and personal characteristics: a retrospective observational study.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2026Observational
- GP workforce sustainability to maximise effective and equitable patient care: a realist review.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundDespite women comprising 52% of full-time equivalent GPs in England, a significant gender pay gap persists (15% after adjustments). Further understanding of the barriers and facilitators impacting women GPs' careers is needed.
aimTo identify and synthesise research evidence exploring barriers to and facilitators of women GPs' careers. DESIGN &
settingSystematic review of qualitative and quantitative studies. Studies were included of GPs conducted in the UK NHS general practice setting.
methodReview methods followed Cochrane and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to systematically search MEDLINE, Embase, Health Management Information Consortium (HMIC), and Google Scholar to identify studies that explored gendered barriers and facilitators to GP careers. An inductive thematic analysis was used to synthesise the evidence.
resultsTwenty-one articles were included in this review, with varied study designs. No relevant intervention studies were identified. There was a lack of recent research evidence; over half of the studies were conducted more than 20 years ago. Most met quality criteria, although there were some problems with reporting and adjustment for potential confounders. Studies found barriers at personal, socio-cultural, and system levels that inhibit women GPs' careers. While some positive changes have been documented across studies that span some 30 years, many challenges remain.
conclusionDespite general practice being a medical specialty where women outnumber men, barriers at personal, socio-cultural, and system levels continue to inhibit women GPs' careers.
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Registered trials
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