Incentives must be in place to ensure the hundreds of extra GPs who gain first year training posts next year stay in the workforce, a senior analyst has warned.

NHS workforce review team general practice analyst Richard Harris said that while GP training posts are expanding rapidly in line with next stage review recommendations, the long term sustainability of the posts must be considered.

He said that there was some hesitancy in creating new GP partners and that it was important to have incentives to include such people in the workforce. "You also have to look at the long term sustainability of businesses and whether there will be people with the skills to take on these partnerships," he added.

His comments followed a letter from Department of Health Modernising Medical Careers senior responsible officer David Sowden outlining the specialty plan for 2009. It says reductions are needed in all surgical specialties except paediatrics and plastic surgery, but that GP expansion is a national priority.

Professor Sowden acknowledged that expanding GP training places would be "challenging" in areas where registrars already faced difficulties finding permanent posts.

Strategic health authorities are to provide the workforce review team with indicative workforce numbers next month.

Topics