FED-UP doctors in the region have begun to talk about leaving the NHS because of excessive workloads, according to a senior GP.

More than 300 GPs around the country have signed undated resignation letters to demonstrate their anger at what they say are increasing pressures at work.

Middlesbrough GP Dr John Canning said: "There is a considerable feeling among GPs that they have had enough."

Dr Canning, who represents North-East GPs on the British Medical Association's General Practitioner Committee (GPC), said the increasing pressures on GPs were pushing them towards the brink.

"I don't think GPs in our region have reached the stage of threatening to resign but if things were to move on, that might be an option," he said.

Despite efforts by the Government to ease pressures by offering cash incentives to young doctors to go into general practice, and to persuade older GPs to stay on, Dr Canning said in some ways this was making things worse.

"What we really need is more doctors, more nurses and more support staff," said Dr Canning.

Ferryhill GP Dr Andrew Oakenfull, secretary of County Durham Local Medical Committee, said: "With patient expectations going up and GPs asked to do more and more, life is getting more and more difficult for family doctors."