The Labour Government has today (Tuesday 24 February 2026) announced a new GP contract for England backed by a £485 million funding uplift – a real terms increase in GP funding for the second year in a row.
The contract requires GPs to guarantee same-day appointments for patients with urgent needs, and reinforces the shift of NHS care from hospital to community. The changes build on this year’s GP contract, which introduced new incentives to bring back the family doctor, and made offering online booking requests mandatory to help end the 8am scramble for appointments.
The deal, agreed by the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England, takes total GP contract investment to £13.863 billion for 2026/27. Alongside this, nearly £300 million of existing funding will be ringfenced to recruit additional GPs or increase sessions from those already in post – the equivalent of around 1,600 full-time doctors.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the reforms would “fix the front door of the NHS”, arguing that it would help patients stay healthy and reduce pressure on hospitals.
“Through this government’s investment and modernisation, we’re fixing the front door to the NHS. We’re giving practices the flexibility to hire more GPs, and backing them with extra funding to do so. As a result, many more patients with urgent needs will be able to get an appointment the day they contact their practice.
“Taken together, our changes will help patients stay healthy and out of hospital, whether it’s jabs for children, screening for lung cancer, weight loss support, or continuity of care – we’re backing our GPs to build a healthier nation.”
Ministers point to 2,000 additional GPs recruited since taking office, upgraded surgery infrastructure and rising patient satisfaction levels as early indicators of progress.
The new contract also strengthens childhood immunisation incentives, improves referral pathways into lung cancer screening through better data sharing, embeds Advice and Guidance into general practice, and expands access to weight-loss support for patients with severe obesity and related conditions. Taken together, the package reflects Labour’s wider strategy to rebalance the NHS toward prevention and community-based care.
Luke Myer MP said:
“I pay tribute to everyone working hard in our local GP practices across Teesside. Strengthening general practice is essential if we are serious about building a preventative, community-focused NHS.
“This additional investment and recruitment flexibility are important steps forward. The priority now is working closely with the profession to ensure the ambition behind same-day urgent access is matched by the workforce and infrastructure needed to deliver it for patients.”