10 Year Health Plan for England
The UK Government has published its 10 Year Health Plan setting out a range of reforms due to take place over the next decade. Much of the plan describes significant impact upon general practice, with the proposal for ‘neighbourhood health services’ – which are expected to see general practice and other services co-located in new centres, some of which may be run by acute trusts. The BMA has produced an initial summary of the plan, with more detailed analysis to follow.
You may have read the headlines and have more questions than answers. In particular “Where is the commitment to a new GP practice contract within this parliament?” as promised in writing earlier this Spring by Mr Streeting himself. That, and many more questions besides, will be put to Stephen Kinnock MP next week, as the Minister for Care (primary, community and social care) comes to GPC England with other senior Government counterparts. The plan is full of big ideas, but light on delivery, detail, and funding. I would encourage the profession to engage with what is prioritised for delivery within the next three years - anything else is largely aspirational.
I have been told by Ministers, that the 10 Year Health Plan is not a list of instructions, and neither are its contents set in stone, but that it is “the beginning of an iterative process”. That’s just as well given the lack of input from those of us tasked with delivering it. You can be assured that GPC England will be feeding back at every opportunity in the weeks and months ahead.
There is an ongoing focus on at-scale working, digitisation of services, and use of nascent technologies. An inconvenient truth perhaps, is the lack of evidence base. Where there is strong evidence, is in the small practice model - for continuity of care, patient trust, health outcomes, and financial value. GPs have delivered a ‘Neighbourhood NHS’ since 1948. We cannot risk diminishing the value of cradle-to-grave, personalised, family care; neither can we support being subsumed into a monolithic, anonymous hospital trust which will only serve to accrue greater financial deficit.
The success or failure of this ambitious and highly political paper will rest on GPs feeling safe and secure enough in their practices to have capacity to seize opportunities ahead.
Top of Form
What the 10 Year Health Plan says on priority issues in General Practice:
Read more about the 10 year plan here
Watch this video where I go into more detail: GP Contract Updates | British Medical Association
Referral of NHS England to the ICO
Following revelations that data collected for COVID-19 purposes has been used in the training of an AI model under the authority of NHSE, the BMA and RCGP via the Joint GP IT Committee urgently spoke with key stakeholders involved in the programme to ascertain the facts.
Following this engagement and out of an abundance of caution, we wrote to the ICO (Information Commissioners Office) to raise the facts of the case with them and to enable an appropriate response to be given by them in their capacity as regulator. We will provide an update as and when we know more.
GP Premises Survey 2025
We’re calling on all practice managers and premises-owning partners across England to take part in our GP Premises Survey 2025, to help us gather essential data on the condition of GP buildings. This evidence will directly shape our proposals and negotiations with Government – supporting our case for the urgent investment and backing your practice needs.
Help us advocate for better premises and stronger support for general practice - take the survey
HELP SPREAD THE WORD – JOIN THE BMA REGISTER
The GMC is failing you and is failing patients. Ahead of expected changes to the Medical Act later this year, the BMA is now calling on all doctors to add their name to the new BMA register.
In a recent survey, only 16.2% of BMA members were found to have confidence in the GMC’s ability to protect the public, while only 10.8% believe they can regulate in a way that distinguishes doctors from medically unqualified providers. Now is time to send a message that change must be made.
By signing the BMA register, any GP will be adding their voice to the thousands of others who have already signed up in support of a new professional regulator. One that
Find more information – and crucially add your name – by visiting www.bma.org.uk/BMAregister
As well as adding your own support, we would also ask that you encourage as many GPs within your LMC to do the same.
BMA sessional GP conference 2025 – Hold the date
The BMA’s conference for sessional GPs will take place on Friday 19 September 2025 at BMA House, London and online. This conference is free of charge to attend for BMA members, and it will include a mix of plenary presentations, discussion sessions and breakout groups to give practical tips on key issues for sessional GPs. Register your interest at confunit@bma.org.uk for priority notification when registration opens.
Visa challenges for International Medical Graduates (IMGs)
The BMA’s GP Registrars Committee and the RCGP Registrar reps are conducting a survey to raise awareness of the lack of employment opportunities for GPs getting their CCTs, and to push for better visa options and earlier access to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), with the Government. Please share with all practice trainees. Complete the survey by 18 July 2025.
Blended learning survey for GP registrars and trainers
If you are a GP registrar or GP trainer in England and have direct experience of blended learning as part of GP training, we’d like to hear your views. The ssurvey should take less than 5 minutes to complete.
GP wellbeing resources
A range of wellbeing and support services are available to doctors, and we encourage anybody who is feeling under strain to seek support, such as the BMA’s counselling and peer support services, NHS practitioner health service and non-medical support services such as Samaritans. The organisation Doctors in Distress also provides mental health support for health workers in the UK. We have produced a poster with 10 top tips to help support the wellbeing of you and your colleagues.
The Cameron Fund supports GPs and their families in times of financial need and the RCGP also has information on GP wellbeing support.
Visit the BMA’s wellbeing support services page or call 0330 123 1245 for wellbeing support.
Read the GPCE bulletin: 10-year health plan analysis | NHS England referral to ICO | GP premises survey
Dr Katie Bramall
GPC England chair
