Streeting reconfirms commitment to new GP contract and partnership model

The health secretary has written to all GP practices in England thanking them for their ‘tireless efforts’ and reaffirming the Government’s commitment to the partnership model and a new GP contract.

In a letter to practices, Wes Streeting said the Government ‘remains committed to the partnership model’ and that it will work with the BMA’s GP committee on ‘a new substantive GP contract within this Parliament’.

He added that this is about ‘retaining and reforming the practice-based contract for general practice (GMS)’ and that ministers will start working with the GPC next month ‘to define the process and scope of the reforms’.

The letter pointed to recent Office of National Statistics data showing improvement in patient satisfaction as well as the 2025 GP patient survey showing an increase in satisfaction over the last year.

Mr Streeting said: ‘I am writing to thank you for the contribution you are making to improve access to, and experience of, general practice for the public.

‘Encouraging new figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) were published recently, showing a marked improvement in patient satisfaction.

‘The 2025 GP Patient Survey has also shown an increase in satisfaction over the past year, with over three-quarters of patients now reporting a good overall experience with their GP practice.’

Mr Streeting added that the 10-year plan ‘represents a real opportunity’ for general practice to ‘help build a better NHS’ for staff, patients and the public.

The letter mentioned that the plan will give GPs the opportunity to take on new single neighbourhood contracts, bringing together and leading multi-disciplinary teams, and added that GPs ‘are in the best position to do this’, given their experience managing complexity.

It said: ‘All this is possible through your tireless efforts to deliver the best quality care for your patients.

‘Whilst there is still more to do to, there are clear improvements to be seen in general practice, and I commend you and your teams for the work you do every day to get the NHS back on its feet and make the NHS fit for the future.’

It comes after Pulse revealed that GP leaders had raised concerns over a lack ‘any meaningful progress’ from the Government to deliver the promise of a new GMS contract, and were considering going back into dispute with the Government over its 10-year plan.

The plan does not mention a new GMS contract for general practice, only two new contracts for neighbourhood services which ICBs will be able to award to other providers, including NHS trusts, and grassroots GPs and GP leaders have since expressed concern that the plan could threaten GP partnerships.

A survey of GPs in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire found that 87.8% see the plan ‘as a threat’ and that 83.4% believe the Government has ‘no intention of delivering a wholesale new practice-based contract’.

The GPC has recently laid out a list of demands for the Government to avoid further GP collective action, including ‘explicit’ preferences for GPs to run neighbourhood services and called for ‘clear financial arrangements’ to underpin the new neighbourhood care models proposed by the Government.