A new agreement between the government and general practitioners (GPs) in England seeks to address long-standing challenges in primary care, including difficulties in booking appointments and the administrative burden on doctors. The contract, which takes effect in the 2025-26 financial year, introduces several key measures aimed at improving patient access, increasing funding for GP practices, and reducing bureaucratic obstacles that have strained the healthcare system for years.
One of the most significant changes under the new contract is the move to expand online booking options. Traditionally, many GP surgeries open their phone lines at 8 a.m., forcing patients to compete for same-day appointments in a process often described as the "8am scramble." This system has led to frustration among patients, who frequently find themselves in long phone queues, only to be told that all available slots have been taken.
Under the new agreement, patients will have greater access to online appointment booking throughout working hours, reducing reliance on early-morning phone calls. This change is expected to free up phone lines for those who may not have internet access or require urgent medical attention. Additionally, patients will have the option to request appointments with their regular GP, a move aimed at restoring the concept of "family doctors" and improving continuity of care.
The contract includes an additional £889 million per year for GP practices, marking a 7.2% increase in funding. Of this, nearly £800 million is allocated to covering rising costs such as staff wages, building maintenance, and the demands of an expanding patient population. This funding is intended to prevent further financial strain on GP surgeries, many of which have struggled to keep up with increasing demand in recent years.
Another key financial change under the new deal is increased payments to GPs for administering childhood vaccinations. This measure is designed to encourage higher participation in vaccination programs, helping to improve public health outcomes. Additionally, GP practices will have greater flexibility in hiring different types of healthcare professionals, allowing them to build multidisciplinary teams that can handle a wider range of patient needs.
A major complaint among GPs in recent years has been the growing burden of administrative tasks, which take up valuable time that could otherwise be spent on patient care. The new contract seeks to address this issue by cutting what the government describes as "box-ticking targets"—bureaucratic requirements that have been criticized for adding unnecessary complexity to GP work. By streamlining processes and reducing paperwork, the contract aims to give doctors more time to focus on treating patients rather than meeting administrative quotas.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting has framed the new measures as the beginning of broader reforms to improve NHS services. "Over the past decade, funding for GPs has been cut relative to the rest of the NHS, while the number of targets for GPs has soared," he said. "That's why patients are struggling to get an appointment. This government is cutting the red tape that ties up GPs' time and backing them with an extra £889 million next year."
While the contract has been welcomed as a positive step, many within the medical community argue that it does not go far enough in addressing the core challenges faced by GPs and patients.
Dr. Katie Bramall-Stainer, chair of the British Medical Association (BMA) GP committee, called the agreement "a good start" but emphasized that more work is needed to secure the future of general practice. "We have shown that we want to work in good faith with this government and build on this new beginning," she said. "However, what we now need is certainty about our collective future."
Dr. Bramall-Stainer also highlighted the pressures that have driven many GPs out of the profession, stating that general practice has been pushed to "desperation point" over the past 15 years. She suggested that while the new contract may offer short-term relief, a long-term strategy is necessary to address workforce shortages and prevent further GP resignations.
Other doctors have expressed concerns about how the additional funding will be allocated. Dr. Steve Taylor, a locum GP in Manchester and spokesperson for the lobbying group Doctors' Association UK, noted that much of the extra money would likely go toward covering national insurance contributions, staff wages, and general operational costs. "The new GP contract goes a small way to fix some of the significant issues for GP practices, in that it prevents further declines in funding with a small percentage increase," he said. "But a much larger investment will be needed to build for the future."
Dr. Dean Eggitt, a GP in Doncaster and former executive member of the BMA, expressed disappointment with the agreement, arguing that it does not do enough to improve patient access to care. "There is little in this contract that is going to help patients access care quicker than they do already because it hasn't managed to address the underlying issue of national insurance contributions and the vast sums of money that will need to go towards that," he said.
Experts agree that while the new contract introduces valuable improvements, it is unlikely to solve all the problems facing general practice in England. Many healthcare professionals stress that a more comprehensive, long-term plan is needed to ensure sustainable improvements in patient care and GP working conditions.
Professor Azeem Majeed, a GP and professor of primary care and public health at Imperial College London, described the contract as "a positive development" but emphasized that further steps are necessary. "It is good that an agreement has been reached," he said. "But a lot of work still needs to be done to improve the lives of patients, GPs, and other primary care staff."
He also pointed out that increasing the number of doctors and nurses in primary care should be a priority. "Recruiting more nurses and GPs will help increase appointments," he said. "But it will take some time for people to see improvements from this investment."
Dr. Bramall-Stainer echoed this sentiment, stating that while patients may begin to notice improvements within six to twelve months, the measures introduced under the new contract are "nowhere near a solution" to the broader crisis in general practice.
The new GP contract represents an important step toward addressing some of the key issues plaguing primary care in England. By expanding online appointment booking, increasing funding, and reducing administrative burdens, the agreement aims to make it easier for patients to access care and for GPs to focus on their core medical responsibilities.
However, many within the medical community caution that these changes alone will not be enough to solve the systemic challenges facing general practice. Without a long-term commitment to increasing GP recruitment, improving working conditions, and securing sustainable funding, the NHS may continue to struggle with access to care and rising patient demand.
As the government moves forward with its healthcare agenda, the success of these reforms will depend on how effectively they are implemented and whether they are supported by further investments in primary care. In the meantime, patients and healthcare professionals alike will be watching closely to see if these changes can deliver the improvements they promise.
