Government announces changes to GP contract – what this means for patients

Healthwatch Cambridgeshire and Peterborough welcomes the government’s announcement of changes to the GP contract, which will see £300 million of existing NHS funding redirected to GP practices. The funding is intended to help practices recruit more doctors and expand opening hours, with the aim of improving access to appointments.

Nationally, Healthwatch England responded to the announcement, highlighting how important these changes could be for patients who have struggled to access GP services in recent years.

Deputy Chief Executive Chris McCann said:

“The new contract will be welcome news for people who have struggled to access GP services. Plans to recruit more doctors should make it easier for patients to get appointments and ensure urgent cases are handled more quickly.

People consistently tell us that GP services are becoming harder to use and that simply getting through the door for care can be a challenge. For example, we often hear from individuals who wait in long telephone queues for an appointment, only to be told that all slots have been taken for the day and that they must try again tomorrow.

We also hope the changes to the contract will reduce the technological barriers people face when trying to access GP care, such as online booking systems being unavailable or switched off.

Thanks to the experiences shared by the public, we were able to support the government in highlighting the public's top priorities so it could develop a new GP contract that better meets patients’ needs. Their feedback enabled us to highlight the importance of clarity, fairness, and accessibility, and to ensure that people with complex needs, low digital confidence, or limited options are not left facing additional barriers to care.”

Your experiences helped shape this change

For the first time, Healthwatch England was invited by the government to provide evidence to help shape the GP contract. This marks an important step in ensuring that patients’ voices are heard at the highest level of decision-making.

Here in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, we regularly hear from residents who struggle to:

• Get through on the phone to their GP practice
• Book appointments online
• Access face-to-face appointments when needed
• Navigate digital systems with confidence

The experiences you share with us directly contribute to national conversations like this. They help ensure that future services are clearer, fairer, and more accessible for everyone — particularly people with complex health needs or limited digital access.

What happens next?

We will continue to monitor how these changes affect local GP services and whether patients begin to see real improvements in:

• Appointment availability
• Waiting times
• Ease of booking
• Support for people who are not confident using digital tools

If you have recent experiences of using GP services in Cambridgeshire or Peterborough, good or bad, we want to hear from you. Your feedback makes a difference!