The week has been marked by several high-impact announcements that could significantly reshape the delivery and leadership of general practice services in England. From ambitious proposals to dissolve traditional sector boundaries, to targeted winter planning strategies and local digital transformation, this update explores the developments that matter most to primary care professionals and commissioners.

Structural Reform: GP Practices Could Run Hospitals Under 10-Year NHS Plan

In a headline announcement, Health Secretary Wes Streeting outlined plans within the forthcoming 10-year NHS strategy that propose a fundamental realignment of service accountability across the NHS. Under these proposals, high-performing GP practices may be invited to take on the leadership and operational management of local hospitals, effectively reversing the long-standing separation between primary and secondary care.

This reform aims to unlock new models of integrated service provision, with the belief that general practice—being closely embedded within communities—is best placed to coordinate care across settings. In parallel, hospital trusts could also be permitted to assume direct responsibility for managing general practices, particularly in areas facing significant recruitment and access challenges.

The initiative is intended to deliver care that is better coordinated, more financially sustainable, and more responsive to population health needs. However, implementation will require significant structural, legal and workforce planning to ensure safe, equitable and effective transitions of service leadership.

NHS England Confirms a “GP-Centric” Approach with Cautious Resource Shift

Speaking at a leadership briefing, Dr Amanda Doyle, NHS England’s National Director for Primary and Community Care, affirmed that general practice is at the centre of the forthcoming NHS vision. While welcoming the increased recognition of primary care’s leadership potential, Dr Doyle stressed that there will be no immediate redirection of funding from hospitals to GP practices.

Instead, the strategy will favour innovation-led resourcing—where funding follows outcomes and service improvement. This phased approach intends to avoid destabilising existing services and to build confidence among system partners. It places responsibility on integrated care boards (ICBs) and local providers to develop and implement new models of delivery that demonstrate measurable benefit before attracting increased investment.

This measured stance is a response to sector concerns about resource overload and burnout, recognising the operational pressures already faced by general practice.

Urgent and Emergency Care Plan for 2025–26: Primary Care’s Pivotal Role

NHS England’s updated Urgent and Emergency Care (UEC) Plan for 2025–26 places general practice and community services at the centre of efforts to reduce A&E attendances and manage rising winter demand. The plan outlines a suite of targeted interventions to support care delivery closer to home, which include:

• Expanding urgent community response (UCR) services across all ICBs to offer two-hour crisis response and same-day reablement support
• Strengthening the role of general practice in delivering same-day access to urgent care appointments, either directly or through primary care hubs
• Increasing the delivery of COVID-19 and flu vaccinations through GP-led services to maximise reach and uptake
• Enhancing coordination between 111, general practice, and community pharmacy to manage patient flows more effectively

The plan is not only operational in nature but also underpinned by an expectation of closer collaboration between general practices, ICBs and system partners. Practices will need to ensure adequate capacity, digital interoperability and workforce planning to fulfil their expanded role under the plan.

Practice Innovation: Digital Engagement in Action

At practice level, several organisations continue to drive forward the digital transformation agenda, aligning with NHS England’s ambitions for modern, responsive, and patient-centred care. Paxton Green Group Practice in South London provides a noteworthy example. The practice has undertaken a comprehensive programme to digitise all patient records, moving away from paper-based filing entirely.

In parallel, they have invested in improving patient communications by introducing web-based contact forms, text message updates, and a tailored strategy for engaging younger patients, including social media and app-based messaging. These initiatives are part of a wider shift to modernise access pathways, improve patient satisfaction, and reduce unnecessary administrative burden on reception and clinical teams.

Such local efforts demonstrate the practical and immediate benefits of digital innovation in primary care and serve as a model for other practices preparing for the future of NHS service delivery.

Looking Ahead

The direction of travel is clear: general practice will increasingly be asked to lead, coordinate and integrate with wider health and care systems. The challenge for practices will be to scale their capabilities while preserving clinical autonomy and maintaining the quality of personalised care that defines primary care.

With the NHS’s full ten-year strategy expected to be published in July to coincide with the organisation’s seventy-fifth anniversary, practices are encouraged to begin assessing their readiness for expanded system responsibilities, including leadership, innovation capacity and digital maturity. The coming months may well represent one of the most significant turning points in the evolution of general practice in recent decades.

How General Practice Solutions Can Support You

General Practice Solutions (GPS) is uniquely positioned to support practices navigating this changing landscape. We provide bespoke consultancy and hands-on support to enable general practice providers to adapt, innovate and lead with confidence.

Our strategic consultancy services include tailored guidance on integrated care collaboration, partnership structuring with hospital trusts, service redesign, and legal governance models that protect your autonomy while enabling growth. We work closely with PCNs, ICBs, and individual practices to ensure alignment with national policy while maintaining local relevance.

Operationally, we help practices implement winter planning measures through support with urgent care delivery models, vaccination campaign coordination, and workforce capacity planning. For practices looking to modernise digitally, our team delivers end-to-end digitisation of Lloyd George records, migration support for clinical systems, and training in patient-access tools, ensuring both compliance and usability.

We also offer high-quality resourcing solutions, including NHS-trained clinical coders, call-handling staff, and temporary administrative support—all of whom are experienced in working remotely within EMIS and SystmOne environments, with full adherence to UK GDPR and CQC requirements.

Additionally, GPS provides CPD-certified leadership development programmes to prepare GP partners, practice managers, and operational leads for the demands of future integrated care leadership. Our training covers key areas such as NHS contracting, digital strategy, financial oversight and workforce planning.

To explore how we can help you prepare for the future of general practice, click here to find out more or to book a free, no-obligation consultation with our advisory team. We would be delighted to speak with you about your goals, challenges, and how GPS can support your success at this critical time.

Workforce Wednesdays: HR Hot Topics with Jordan

Staying informed about workforce issues is key to building resilient primary care teams—especially during times of operational change and staffing pressure. Join us every week for Workforce Wednesdays, where our HR lead Jordan explores topical issues in primary care staffing, employment law updates, and practical solutions for managing teams effectively.

From handling absences to navigating contract changes, Jordan shares clear, actionable insights that help practice leaders stay ahead.

Click here to explore Workforce Wednesdays and tune in to the latest HR hot topics.

Stay Updated with Primary Care News

For more up-to-date primary care news, tune in to Tuesday Talks! Each week, we discuss key industry updates, policy changes, and how they impact healthcare providers. We also highlight the latest services and solutions offered by GPS, helping practices stay ahead in an ever-changing NHS landscape.

Join us for expert insights, practical advice, and in-depth discussions tailored to primary care professionals.

See the latest episode below!