Nuffield Trust: Response to announcement of funding uplift for GP contract

Responding to the announcement of an uplift in funding for the 2025-26 GP contract, Nuffield Trust Director of Policy and Research Dr Becks Fisher said:

“Government has correctly recognised that high functioning general practice is vital to a healthy NHS. For too long, general practice has been underfunded. Public satisfaction with access to GPs has plummeted, and the service is struggling to meet rising demand. This benefits no one, and job satisfaction for GPs has fallen too. 
 
“After years of underinvestment, GPs could reasonably claim that even more money is needed than is now offered – but we should also recognise that this is a significant step in the right direction. Funding that recognises the impact of inflation and the ever-increasing demand on primary care is very welcome. Translating additional money into better outcomes for patients will be key to further investment in future years. As well as increasing overall funding to general practice, government also needs to tackle the distribution of funding within general practice to address long-standing inequalities between richer and poorer areas.”