Depictions of the GP crisis: thematic analysis of UK newspapers pre-general election

Background In the six weeks between the announcement of the 2024 UK General Election (22 May) and election day (4 July), national newspapers published numerous articles depicting a “crisis” in general practice. These portrayals varied across publications and may have influenced public discourse and political pledges.

Aim To explore how UK national newspapers depicted access to general practice during the six weeks preceding the 2024 General Election.

Design & setting Thematic analysis of UK national newspaper articles published in the pre-election period.

Method Articles were retrieved from the LexisNexis® Academic database using predefined search terms and inclusion/exclusion criteria. After screening, 194 articles were included and analysed thematically. Key themes identified were the crisis itself, regional disparities, access challenges for the elderly, consequences of poor access, and political promises.

Results All newspapers articulated a “GP crisis”, though with distinct emphases. Inequalities featured prominently, with coverage highlighting rural GP shortages and difficulties for elderly patients. Articles frequently linked poor access with adverse outcomes, such as delayed or missed diagnoses, as well as wider system pressures, including strain on emergency services. Coverage was overwhelmingly negative, and political promises mirrored the crisis narrative presented in the press.

Conclusion In the run-up to the 2024 General Election, UK print media consistently portrayed general practice as being in crisis, often through sensationalised accounts of waiting times and limited access. These framings likely shaped public perception and influenced election pledges. Editorial choices played a key role in constructing dominant narratives around general practice and health policy discourse.