The week commencing 30 June 2025 has brought a series of announcements that collectively represent the most substantial changes to primary care policy and delivery in decades. With a newly launched 10-year NHS vision, sweeping reforms to GP contracts, landmark progress on digital infrastructure, and intensified local integration efforts, primary care is poised for profound transformation.

A 10-Year Strategy to Rebalance Health and Care

On 3 July, Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Health Secretary Wes Streeting formally launched the NHS “Plan for Change.” This ten-year blueprint aims to shift the centre of gravity of health services away from acute hospitals and into local communities, placing far greater emphasis on prevention, early intervention and multidisciplinary support.

A centrepiece of this vision is the establishment of “Neighbourhood Health Service” centres. These hubs will consolidate a wide range of services—covering diagnostics, mental health, nursing, rehabilitation and social care—under a single roof. Operating with extended hours into evenings and weekends, they are intended to improve patient access, reduce A&E and hospital pressures, and ensure patients receive coordinated, holistic support closer to home.

This model explicitly seeks to tackle longstanding health inequalities, directing investment towards areas of highest deprivation, and embedding care teams within the neighbourhoods they serve.

New GP Contractual Frameworks from 2026

Integral to this strategy are two new GP contractual models, set for phased introduction from early 2026. The first, termed “single neighbourhood providers,” is designed to serve populations of approximately 50,000—closely aligning with the scale of existing Primary Care Networks but with significantly broadened accountabilities. These providers will be expected to deliver an extended range of integrated services, coordinate community teams, and ensure proactive management of long-term conditions and prevention programmes.

The second, “multi-neighbourhood providers,” will cover much larger populations of around 250,000, tasked with overseeing more complex, system-wide care such as end-of-life coordination and advanced frailty pathways.

Together, these contracts mark a decisive step towards scaled, neighbourhood-based care models, raising important operational and governance considerations for existing GP partnerships and PCNs.

First New Core GP IT System in 25 Years Approved

In another milestone for modernisation, NHS England announced the approval of the first new core GP electronic patient record system in over a quarter of a century. Developed by Medicus Health, this cloud-based system has passed rigorous NHS digital assurance standards and is now being piloted across four practices serving 42,000 patients.

Designed to facilitate interoperability across care settings and enable seamless use across multiple devices, the system is expected to cut down duplication, streamline referrals, and reduce administrative burden. This move signals the beginning of a broader programme to refresh digital infrastructure across general practice, with significant implications for future workload and training.

GP Contract Funding and Updated Quality Priorities for 2025/26

Against this backdrop of structural change, NHS England has confirmed the GP contract arrangements for 2025/26. An additional £889 million has been allocated to general practice, representing a 7.2% cash uplift. This funding will continue to support the Capacity and Access Improvement Payments, incentivising practices to expand appointment availability and manage demand effectively.

Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) indicators have also been updated to place greater emphasis on cardiovascular disease prevention and vaccination uptake, alongside fresh requirements to employ more sophisticated risk stratification tools—aligning closely with the 10-year plan’s preventative care ambitions.

Integrated Neighbourhood Teams Expanding Locally

In practical terms, Integrated Care Boards across the country are pressing ahead with the rollout of local multidisciplinary teams. In North Central London, for example, 18 Integrated Neighbourhood Team (INT) sites have already been identified, bringing together healthcare, social care, and community partners to coordinate proactive support for patients—particularly those in deprived communities and those with complex needs.

These developments underscore the shift from fragmented service delivery to joined-up, locality-based models, where care extends well beyond traditional GP appointments.

How General Practice Solutions Can Support Practices Through This Transition

The scale and pace of these changes present both opportunities and substantial challenges for general practice. Practices, PCNs and federations will need to adapt rapidly to evolving contractual structures, increasing local integration demands, heightened quality expectations, and new digital platforms—all while continuing to manage the day-to-day pressures of patient demand and workforce shortages.

General Practice Solutions is uniquely positioned to assist practices in navigating this new landscape. Our services are already closely aligned with many of the key objectives set out in the NHS Plan for Change, and include:

• Comprehensive Telephony Support: ensuring that practices meet expanding access targets under the Capacity and Access Improvement framework. Our teams handle high volumes of incoming and outgoing calls, reducing the pressure on reception staff and supporting compliance with new contractual access requirements.

• Expert Clinical Coding and Administrative Support: helping practices maintain high standards in data quality and supporting QOF delivery—particularly critical as new indicators around CVD prevention and vaccination are rolled out.

• Workforce Resilience: providing experienced, trained personnel to cover periods of sickness, leave or increased demand, enabling practices to sustain service provision while building the capacity needed for future neighbourhood-based models.

• Digital Readiness: preparing practices for transitions to new electronic systems by offering staff training, workflow reviews and supportive change management, ensuring that the introduction of new platforms is as seamless as possible.

• Governance and Compliance: assisting with the documentation, processes and reporting required to meet evolving NHS England and ICB expectations, whether under existing PCN frameworks or the future “single” and “multi-neighbourhood” provider models.

As primary care moves decisively into this new era of neighbourhood-centred, prevention-focused, digitally enabled care, we stand ready to partner with practices, PCNs and wider systems to ensure that they not only adapt but thrive. Click here to find out more.

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!