A poster campaign aimed at encouraging new doctors to enter general practice rather than more glamorous hospital posts has been launched.

The moves comes as GPs aim to improve the battered image of the profession after the Harold Shipman mass murder case, as well as battle a recruitment crisis.

The mock advertisements will be displayed in medical schools and universities in England and Scotland from Monday.

They aim to raise the status of family doctors and boost the number of medical students opting to become GPs.

It follows warnings from within the profession that there is a shortfall of family doctors as current GPs retire and the majority of medical students opt for hospital jobs.

Damaged image

Shipman's conviction earlier this week for murdering 15 of his women patients added to the already damaged image of GPs.

The three advertisements, commissioned by General Practitioner magazine, aim to present general practice as a fulfilling career but with easier hours than those of surgeons or other doctors.

One slogan reads: "Don't just save lives - have one", while another says: "A big heart, thick skin, broad shoulders, lots of guts, balls - the anatomy of a GP."

A spokesman for the Royal College of General Practitioners said: "We are happy to encourage GP recruitment and would be interested to see the response to such adverts.

"But there are many other factors involved in recruiting GPs and more needs to be done to highlight the satisfaction and flexibility a career in general practice can offer."