2025/26 DDRB award FAQs

The Government has accepted the Pay Review Body (DDRB) recommendations for 2025/26, which includes a 4% uplift for NHS contractor/partner GPs as well as NHS practice-employed salaried GPs. 

View our comprehensive FAQs to help you understand the implications of the pay uplift and how it applies to your practice.

This uplift is inclusive of the 2.8% public sector pay assumption already included within the initial contract agreement, meaning the pay award will result in a further aggregate 1.2% uplift to the pay elements of Global Sum.

In addition, 4% uplifts are being applied to ARRS maximum reimbursable rates, SFE (statement of financial entitlements) locum cover reimbursement payments, educational allowances, GP trainer grants, Fellowship funding, the profit element of the dispensing fee scales, and the GP Educator pay scales.

Uplifts are backdated to 1 April 2025 and funds should appear in your August practice payment. LMCs are being encouraged to contact ICBs to ensure and claims already made in this financial year will be adjusted retrospectively.

NHS 10 Year Plan and neighbourhood health providers

In July 2025, the Government released its 10 year plan for the NHS. The BMA contributed actively, calling for stronger recognition of doctors’ role in delivering a sustainable NHS. Read our comprehensive submissions and find out what the 10 Year Health Plan says on BMA priority issues. 

GPC England will be discussing GP facing aspects of the plan with the Government, DHSC and NHS England in due course.

Current guidance for GPs in relation to the 10 year plan

• Responding to blueprint for new ICB model

  NHS England has published a draft blueprint for a new model for ICBs. We have summarised the proposed changes and set out the impact of these for general practice, exploring key issues that practices and LMCs will need to consider. 

• National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme guidance  

  NHS England has launched the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme (NNHIP). GPCE has produced a brief document (Focus on NNHIP) outlining the programme, the threats and opportunities involved and a checklist of key questions and issues for practices and those thinking of signing up.  
  
  Following the shift of care into the community via the new ‘neighbourhood health’ schemes, GPC England has also produced guidance setting core principles on out how GP practices and GP federations should engage with this and operate in an ethical, constructive and supportive manner.
  
  

The Value of a GP

As patient need soars, general practice is buckling under immense pressure. GPs are leaving the profession at an alarming rate, driven by burnout, unmanageable workloads, and the pull of more attractive careers abroad. At the same time, many fully trained GPs are  unemployed or underemployed. The Value of a GP, is GPCE’s comprehensive new report that brings together a robust body of evidence to highlight the irreplaceable role of general practice in the UK.

National GP practice contract and campaigning

Keep up to date with the recent 25/26 GMS contract changes in England, and our ongoing campaign to reform General Practice via a new substantive GP contract.

GP vision

We have now published our vision for the future of general practice in England and shared this with the Secretary of State.

Safe working guidance

General practice is in under increasing pressure, and we have updated our safe working guide  and published a safe working handbook to enable practices to prioritise safe patient care within the present bounds of the GMS contract. The new safe working guidance handbook is an evolution of the previous guidance documents from 2016 (Safe working in general practice) and 2018 (Controlling workload in general practice strategy).

PCN DES opt out

Practices that have signed up to the Primary Care Network Directed Enhanced Service (PCN DES) may decide that the DES is not working for them and subsequently choose to opt-out. This guidance sets out the process for opting out, as well as key considerations that practices should take into account.

NHS Property Services

The BMA supported five GP practices in court proceedings against NHSPS to get clarification of the basis on which NHSPS calculates service charges. The case and subsequent settlements resulted in significant reductions in the amount of debt NHSPS sought to reclaim from the practices involved. We have published a summary on the outcome of the case, as well as guidance for affected NHSPS practices.

Running your practice

Visit our hub for all guidance and advice for GP practices.

GPC England policy and guidance

GPC England policy and guidance is set out by the GPC UK policy groups below and the LMC England conference.

Our people

GPC England is represented by the chair, three deputy chairs, and the committee policy leads.

Chair: Katie Bramall

Deputy chairs:

Samira Anane
Julius Parker
David Wrigley

Our meetings

GPC England meets four times a year to discuss the latest issues facing general practice. These meetings are open to GPC members, but the committee also welcomes observers from local medical committees (LMCs). LMCs interested in sending an observer to a GPC meeting should contact the GPC office to arrange a suitable date.

New session 2024-25:

• Thursday 20 March 2025
• Thursday 22 May 2025

New session 2025-26:

• Thursday 17 July 2025 
• Thursday 18 September 2025 
• Thursday 27 November 2025 
• Thursday 15 January 2026 
• Thursday 26 March 2026 
• Thursday 28 May 2026 

All meetings take place from 10am to 5pm either virtually or at:

BMA House
Tavistock Square
London
WC1H 9JP

For more information please contact [email protected]

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Joining GPC England

There are many advantages to becoming involved in our committees. You can actively influence BMA policy-making and negotiations, represent your colleagues' voices and develop your leadership skills. 

Get in touch

If you are interested in finding out more about the work of the GPC England, email [email protected].