2025/26 GP Contract: Key Changes and Implications for PCNs
The 2025/26 GP Contract introduces a new phase for general practice in England. With mounting pressure on NHS resources, patient access concerns, and digital expectations rising, this updated agreement reshapes how GP practices operate and how primary care services are delivered.
For Primary Care Networks (PCNs), these changes present both opportunities and challenges. Understanding the core updates, funding adjustments, and performance measures will be essential for navigating the future.
In this detailed guide, we explore the key elements of the GP Contract, how they impact funding and delivery, and what this means for PCNs and individual GP practices.
What is the GP Contract?
The GP Contract is a legally binding agreement between NHS England and the British Medical Association’s General Practitioners Committee (GPC), outlining how general practices are funded and what services they must provide.
This contract forms the foundation for the delivery of primary care services in the UK, determining not just payments but also performance indicators, reporting requirements, and population health outcomes.
Each year, the contract is revised to reflect policy changes, health system needs, and economic conditions. For 2025/26, the focus is squarely on improving access, integrating services, and enhancing accountability through digital and performance-based measures. For this purpose,. clinical audit is also done. To know more read here: What is a Clinical Audit and Why Do You Need it?
Key Updates in the 2025/26 GP Contract
Streamlined Funding for PCNs
One of the major changes involves the consolidation of several funding streams into a simpler framework for PCNs. The Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) remains in place, but the 2025/26 GP Contract is more flexibility for PCNs to hire staff based on local needs rather than national quotas.
Modernised Access Targets
Practices will need to meet new national standards for access to care. This includes same-day contact for urgent needs, expanded online booking systems, and digital consultation options. These targets align with the Recovery Plan for Access to Primary Care.
Revised Funding Model
The contract modifies the Global Sum formula, which determines how GP practices are funded. Adjustments are based on patient population, local deprivation, and workload intensity.
New funding is linked to outcomes, meaning practices that meet care quality, access, and population health targets will be rewarded more directly.
Focus on Digital and Data
Digital tools will become integral to contract compliance. From appointment systems to population health dashboards, practices are expected to use technology to enhance efficiency, track outcomes, and report activity.
The digital-first approach is designed to modernise GP business models and reduce administrative burdens.
Impact on Primary Care Networks (PCNs)
PCNs will have greater autonomy in deciding how to meet population health needs, but with that comes more responsibility. Under the new contract, PCNs are expected to:
- Align more closely with Integrated Care Systems (ICSs)
- Deliver community-focused prevention and care coordination
- Hire roles strategically under the ARRS scheme
- Meet population health metrics using data dashboards
The PCN model continues to move from voluntary collaboration to a core delivery arm of NHS primary care, with direct accountability for service outcomes.
Implications for GP Practices
While the contract includes incentives and funding enhancements, there are also increased performance expectations. Practices will need to:
- Upgrade digital appointment systems
- Meet new standards for same-day care access
- Collaborate closely with their PCN for workforce sharing
- Track and report outcome-based data
This can strain resources, particularly for smaller practices. However, the push toward efficiency and digital-first delivery is likely to reshape the future of GP business operations.
How Are GP Practices Funded in 2025/26?
In 2025/26, GP practices will receive funding from:
- Global Sum Payments: Based on the number of registered patients, adjusted for local need
- Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF): Payments based on achieving health targets
- Direct Enhanced Services (DES): Mostly delivered through PCNs
- PCN Participation Payments: Funding for collaboration, workforce roles, and service delivery
- Additional Incentives: Linked to innovation, digital care, and health inequalities
What Remains Unchanged?
- The independence of GP partnerships remains intact.
- The Global Sum mechanism is retained as the core funding model.
- PCNs remain the delivery vehicle for local enhanced services.
- GPs are not NHS employees but remain independent contractors.
Challenges Ahead
While the new GP contract offers improvements in funding clarity and autonomy, several concerns persist:
- Recruitment and retention of clinical staff, especially in under-served areas
- Digital infrastructure disparities between urban and rural practices
- Administrative burden and data reporting complexity
- Sustainability of smaller practices in high-deprivation regions
The BMA and GP committees continue to raise these issues in negotiations with NHS England to ensure that reforms do not overburden already stretched practices.
Conclusion
The 2025/26 GP Contract represents a major step toward modernising primary care services in England. With changes aimed at improving access, rewarding outcomes, and streamlining PCN operations, the contract is both ambitious and challenging.
For practices and PCNs, success will depend on embracing digital innovation, building local partnerships, and focusing on measurable outcomes. As healthcare continues to evolve, adapting the GP business model to meet the needs of today’s patients, while preserving the core principles of general practice, will be key.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What is a GP Contract?
The GP Contract is a legal agreement between NHS England and the BMA that defines how general practices are funded and what services they are required to deliver.
- What are the key changes in the 2025/26 GP Contract?
Key changes include new access standards, simplified funding for PCNs, a revised Global Sum formula, and a stronger emphasis on digital services and outcomes.
- How are GP practices funded?
GP practices are funded through a mix of Global Sum payments, QOF, enhanced services via PCNs, and other performance-based incentives. Learn more from BMA’s funding breakdown.
- What is a PCN and how does the contract affect them?
A Primary Care Network (PCN) is a group of GP practices working together. Under the new contract, PCNs have more control but must meet performance and workforce expectations.
