Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the 2026/27 GP contract on continuity of care; and whether he has made an assessment of the cost-effectiveness of reduced continuity, as a result of mandating urgent appointments, in terms of increased hospital admissions and overall NHS expenditure.

Where a patient presents with a clinically urgent need, it is for the general practitioner to determine the appropriate course of action, and the patient should receive a clinically appropriate response on the same day. Where a request is ‘dealt with’, this does not always mean a same‑day appointment, but that the patient has received an appropriate clinical response. This could include advice, an appointment, including one that delivers continuity of care, or signposting to another suitable service, depending on the patient’s needs.

The Government recognises that continuity of care plays an important role in patient experience and outcomes, particularly for those with ongoing health challenges. As part of the 2026/27 contract, we have made it a core requirement for primary care networks to identify and prioritise cohorts for continuity of care using risk stratification tools as part of their core activities. This will make continuity a core expectation within primary care and support future work to embed more meaningful continuity models in subsequent contract reform.