Dr Clare Taylor, CPD fellow for the RCGP's First5 initiative, which supports new GPs from completion of training to the first point of revalidation at five years, said young GPs could feel isolated and unable to take on leadership roles.
'Young GPs can feel disempowered, they are often salaried GPs, not partners - we need to address that,' she said.
Watch Dr Taylor talk about the First5 scheme here
Jill Matthews, director of the DoH primary care improvement team told this month's RCGP conference: 'I hope that as commissioning budgets come to GP consortia they will put a focus on developing the next leaders.'
Isle of Wight GP Dr Peter Hill urged the DoH to make clear as soon as possible details of the levels of funding for management costs that would be available to consortia. 'We have to accept clinical leadership is a part of our day job, but it has to be funded,' he said.
Ms Matthews said each SHA area had a leadership programme that GPs could apply to attend. But south London GP Dr Agnelo Fernandes said that one GP trainee had expressed an interest in leadership and applied, but been turned down because the course prioritised applicants from secondary care.
