Better access to GPs with same-day urgent appointments

The government has agreed a new GP contract backed by a £485 million uplift that requires same-day appointments for patients with urgent needs and will ringfence about £292 million to recruit or increase GP sessions, taking effect 1 April 2026.

The government has placed general practitioners at the centre of its 10 Year Health Plan and introduced a new GP contract for 2026/27 backed by additional funding. The contract is described as a real-terms increase in GP funding and is intended to shift more care into the community and reduce pressure on hospitals. It includes measures to recruit more GPs and to expand access routes such as online requests. The contract is due to come into force on 1 April 2026. Key points: - The contract carries a £485 million uplift for 2026/27, described as a real-terms increase and a 3.6% cash rise, bringing general practice funding to £13.863 billion. - Around £292 million will be ringfenced for GP practices to recruit additional GPs or increase sessions, an amount the government equates to roughly 1,600 full-time equivalent GPs across England. - The contract requires that patients with urgent needs have access to a same-day GP appointment. - Experienced GPs will be able to be recruited through the Additional Roles and Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS), not only newly qualified doctors. - Online request forms were rolled out from October 2025 and NHS data for December 2025 show nearly 7.4 million patient GP requests submitted online; ONS data reported 75.1% of people in December 2025 saying contacting their GP was “easy”, up from 61% in July 2024. Summary: The contract is intended to strengthen primary care, expand same-day urgent appointments, and shift more services into the community to reduce hospital demand. It takes effect on 1 April 2026 and combines new funding, ringfenced resources, and workforce measures to increase GP capacity. Further details on local implementation and outcomes will become clearer as the contract is applied.