One in 20 Northern Ireland GP practices hand back contract over two years

More than one in 20 GP practices in Northern Ireland have handed back their contracts over the last two years, according to the Government. 

Speaking in the Assembly, health minister Mike Nesbitt said there have been 16 hand-backs over the financial years 2023/24 and 2024/25.

BMA NI GP Committee chair Dr Frances O’Hagan confirmed to Pulse that a further GP practice has handed back its contract in the current financial year, bringing the total to 17 hand-backs since April 2023.

According to official figures from February, the total number of GP practices in Northern Ireland is 307, meaning over 5% of the total have given up their contracts over this period.

This comes as GPs in Northern Ireland prepare for collective action following the Government’s imposition of the 2025/26 contract.

Dr O’Hagan said the increasing numbers of hand-backs is ‘really scary’, telling Pulse that it ‘usually’ means the practice is ‘no longer financially viable’ or that they have lost GPs through retirement or sickness.

‘If a practice hands back, that is the absolute last resort for that practice – GPs will do everything in their power to try and keep the practice open,’ she said. 

The NIGPC chair said the country does not have ‘some of the big, big practices you get in England’, nor a similar level of GP locums.

She continued: ‘The vast majority of GPs are either partnered or salaried doctors. So if you have a loss in staff – a big percentage loss in staff – it can be very hard to backfill those and hence that can lead to closure.’

After a hand-back, a practice is usually taken on by a trust, a federation or a local practice, Dr O’Hagan told Pulse.

Following the health secretary’s comments in the Assembly last month, the Department of Health confirmed to Pulse that there were 11 contract hand-backs in 2023/24 and five in 2024/25.

Pulse previously reported that just under 5% of Northern Irish practices had handed back their contracts in the 12 months leading up to April 2023.

Almost 100% of GPs across the country voted to reject the Department of Health’s contract offer for 2025/26. The BMA said this showed they do not think the offer ‘is enough to stabilise or save general practice’.