GP Partners: What the 2025/26 Contract Means for Your Practice

GP Partners: What the 2025/26 Contract Means for Your Practice

Overview

Notes
The 2025/26 GP contract introduces major changes designed to improve access, reduce bureaucracy, and increase funding. This guide outlines the key financial, workforce, and regulatory changes that impact GP partners and provides actionable steps to prepare your practice.

Financial Changes & Investment

  1. £889m investment increase in core funding.
  2. Global Sum increase: Per weighted patient funding rises to £121.90.
  3. QOF reforms: 32 indicators retired, freeing up £298m, with a shift towards CVD prevention funding. 100m of that income goes into Global Sum
    1. Implications for:
      1. those with high prevalence and low weighted populations (lose income)
      2. Those with low or average prevalence and heigh weighted populations (gain income)
  4. Locum reimbursement increases: Rates increased to align with cost pressures.
  5. Enhanced service for pre-referral advice: £80m funding available, with £20 per request.

Action Points:

  1. Review Global Sum projections for your practice.
  2. Plan for QOF changes and redistribution of funds.
  3. Ensure eligibility for enhanced service payments.

Reducing Admin & QOF Reform

  1. 32 QOF indicators retired permanently (212 points removed).
  2. £100m redistributed (71 points) into Global Sum and vaccination fees.
  3. £198m targeted (141 points) towards CVD prevention.
  4. Red tape cut: Fewer reports on staff wellbeing, IT reviews, and admin tasks.

Action Points:

  1. Identify which QOF indicators are no longer required.
  2. Align practice workflows to new CVD prevention targets.
  3. Reduce administrative overhead on unnecessary reporting.

Digital & Access Mandates

  1. Online GP appointment requests mandatory during core hours (from October 2025).
  2. GP Connect enabled for NHS and private providers (with consent).
  3. Pharmacy consultation summaries integrated into practice workflows.
  4. Patient Charter must be published on your website.

Action Points:

  1. Update IT systems to enable online appointment booking.
  2. Ensure GP Connect is configured and compliant.
  3. Publish the Patient Charter on your practice website.

PCN Changes – ARRS and CAIP

  1. ARRS flexibility expanded: GPs & practice nurses now fully reimbursable, with no hiring cap.
  2. GP salary reimbursement under ARRS rises to £82,418.
  3. New PCN workforce funding allocations.
  4. Capacity and Access Improvement Plan (CAIP):
    1. 58.4 million for implementing Modern General Practice
    2. 29.2 million for population health risk stratification to improve continuity of care.

Action Points:

  1. Consider hiring additional GPs or nurses under ARRS.
  2. Review implementation of Modern General Practice
  3. Assess workforce structure for continuity of care incentives.
  4. Work with your PCN on funding allocation.

Enhanced Services & Incentives

  1. £80m Advice & Guidance Enhanced Service (£20 per pre-referral request).
  2. Weight Management Enhanced Service continues (£11.50 per referral).

Action Points:

  1. Identify eligible patients for enhanced services.
  2. Ensure referral pathways are aligned to maximise funding.
  3. Track new income streams and reporting requirements.

 Next Steps

  1. April 2025 – Contract changes come into effect.
  2. October 2025 – Practices must have online appointment access live.

Immediate Actions:

  1. Review financial impact on your practice.
  2. Align workforce planning with ARRS and PCN strategy.
  3. Update IT systems for GP Connect & digital access compliance.
  4. Publish the Patient Charter on your website.