Welsh Government hands GPs £41m pay boost after threat of dispute
The deal, struck between ministers, NHS Wales and the General Practitioners Committee (GPC) Wales, includes a 4% uplift to the general medical services contract in 2025‑26 — in line with independent DDRB recommendations — and a guaranteed 5.8% recurrent funding uplift from 2026‑27.
Health Secretary Jeremy Miles said the package “demonstrates our unwavering commitment to general practice in Wales,” adding:
“The 4% pay uplift ensures fair recognition for GPs and practice staff who work tirelessly to deliver care for communities across our country.”
What’s in the deal
The settlement delivers £37.9m in fresh investment, backed up by £4m re‑deployed from capacity funding, to shore up surgeries for 2025‑26. Alongside the pay rise, there’s a 1.77% uplift for expenses to help practices cope with spiralling costs, and a recurrent £20m injection to stabilise services and prepare for reform.
The partnership premium is also being boosted to keep experienced GPs in the system and make partnerships more attractive — a move aimed at securing continuity of care for patients. And in a significant step, the government has promised the first full review in more than 20 years of the allocation formula for the General Medical Services contract, raising hopes that funding will finally reflect the realities of today’s communities.
Hard‑won agreement
But the deal didn’t come easily. Doctors had warned they were prepared to enter a formal contract dispute and even ballot for collective action if ministers failed to meet their demands.
Dr Gareth Oelmann, chair of the BMA’s GP committee in Wales, said:
“This settlement provides much‑needed stability for practices and recognises the tireless work of GPs and their teams. But it comes against a backdrop of years of underinvestment, and we will continue to press for a fairer share of NHS funding for general practice.”
Committee members unanimously backed the final package, describing it as a stabilising step that gives practices the certainty they need to plan ahead. The profession, however, made clear that trust has been strained by years of underfunding — and that the promised review of the allocation formula will be a crucial test of whether funding really reflects the needs of today’s communities.
Wider concerns
Critics warn the funding boost doesn’t undo a decade of decline. The BMA has pointed out that the share of NHS Wales spending on general practice has dropped from 8.7% to just 6% since 2005 — a slide described as “like turning a supertanker.” Only last year, almost 99% of Welsh GPs rejected a government contract offer, underlining how fragile confidence remains.
Miles insisted the multi‑year deal will allow practices to invest in transformation and deliver more care closer to home. Working groups are also being set up to improve access standards and tackle diabetes prevention, with GPs actively involved in shaping new service models.
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