GP practice-level reimbursement scheme will not be finalised until next month

The Government is aiming to formalise a new GP practice-level reimbursement scheme next month, according to the BMA. 

In an update to its members, the union said NHS England had ‘begun discussions’ with the Government about adding the scheme to an amended statement of financial entitlements (SFE).  

Details of the scheme were not included in the SFE that was published last week, but NHS England said it aims to amend it by 1 May. However, NHS England ‘cannot yet confirm’ the 1 May date because the Government Legal Department (GLD) ‘is still considering the complexity of the drafting’, the BMA said.  

Practices will be able to submit backdated claims for the whole financial year regardless of when the amendment is published, NHS England has clarified. 

Introduced as part of the 2026/27 GP contract, the reimbursement scheme moves £292m from PCNs for GP practices to recruit new GPs or increase GP sessions.  

NHS England told the BMA’s GP committee for England (GPCE): ‘DHSC and NHSE are working at pace to identify the least bureaucratic and most sensible way to stand the scheme up and will continue working with GPCE on its development. Scheme details will be communicated in due course via an amendment to the SFE and accompanying guidance.  

‘However, we want to reassure practices that funding will continue to be claimable for the whole of the financial year, regardless of when the SFE amendment comes into force and the claims portal comes online, i.e. claims can be backdated.’ 

The £292m was ‘repurposed’ from a PCN-level Capacity and Access Payment (CAP) which was part of the Network Contract DES. 

While some GPs welcomed the transfer of funds to the GP practice level, others warned reallocating and ringfencing the money in this way could be ‘disastrous’ for PCN finances and more restrictive for practices. 

NHS England DES guidance published last week revealed GPs employed through CAP are eligible to transfer to the reimbursement scheme. 

GP practices looking to access the reimbursement scheme that have a higher patient-to-GP ratio (more than 3,000) will first need to engage with their local ICB and explain their ratio. 

Pulse has contacted NHS England for updates on its discussions with the Government.