GPs have expressed concern following today’s sudden release of details on contract changes in England by the Government.

The BMA GPs committee has criticised the unveiling of the Government’s planned changes to the GMS and PMS GP practice contracts for 2026-27, published today by the Department of Health and Social Care.

The details of the contract will be discussed at a meeting of England’s GP representatives (GPC England) this Thursday [26 February], where a formal vote and response will be expected, together with next steps for the profession.

Speaking today [24 February] GPC England chair Katie Bramall said the unilateral manner in which Government had sought to undertake ‘group consultation’ on the contract, as opposed to the traditional negotiation deviating from decades of custom and practice was ‘disappointing’.

She said: ‘This contract will likely be presented as a major win for patient access and some elements may be welcomed, but GPs will be left reeling over the unrealistic expectation of providing unlimited same-day urgent care and profoundly concerned regarding unnecessary barriers for patients to access specialist care  all while trying to keep their practices viable and prevent closures.

‘The GPs committee for England (GPC England) receiving the Government's 2026/27 GP contract at the eleventh hour with potentially misleading briefings is only setting up patient expectations which won’t be matched by NHS reality. It is notable how this Government has chosen to go against well-established processes we have come to expect from successive Governments, even during our most tense periods of negotiation.’

She added: ‘It is disappointing to see the new Labour administration break from this norm for no discernible benefit other than control. In particular, not permitting representatives of the profession reasonable time to review these critical changes.’

The Government’s proposed contract changes present something of a mixed bag for GPs in England, with some elements presenting sources of concern.

These include GPs being required to ensure unlimited same-day access to patients with clinically urgent needs, forbidding practices from capping the number of  consultation requests​ they can respond to even when they are full.

The changes also include proposals to make the use of advice and guidance services contractual and implementing steps to ensure that patients have timely access to online and video consultation data.

Other aspects however have been cautiously welcomed by the association such as the creation of a £292m GP employment reimbursement scheme and the introduction of an incentive scheme for practices struggling to hit child immunisation thresholds in vaccine-hesitant populations.

GP leaders have also approved of the Government’s decision to scrap proposals to de-register patients, and redistribute around £1bn of funds, in plans which the BMA warned would have disproportionately impacted vulnerable patient groups.

The BMA has warned that long-running pressures on general practice have seen more than 6,000 GP partners leave the medical profession since 2015, a figure roughly equivalent to around 28 per cent of the total partner workforce. 

Click here for more information on the latest contract changes.