HEALTH secretary Alan Milburn will announce a £5,000 cash incentive this week for trainee doctors who choose to become general practitioners in deprived areas.
Doctors who accept the "golden hello" from the NHS will be able to spend the money as they wish.
The move, to be announced by the Darlington MP tomorrow, will underline the Government's concern at the shortage of GPs in underprivileged areas. It is thought Sunderland will be among the areas to be covered by the scheme.
The plans are expected to be followed by more sweeteners for doctors from Tony Blair.
The British Medical Association has said an extra 10,000 GPs will be needed to fulfil the Government's pledge of access to a doctor within 48 hours. So far the Government has promised an extra 2,000 GPs.
Mr Milburn will say his target is a floor and not a ceiling and the Government will seek to hire more GPs, possibly from outside of the UK.
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