Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has his department made of the potential impact of funding levels for primary care on levels of demand for secondary and urgent care.

We are investing an additional £1.1 billion in general practice (GP) to reinforce the front door of the National Health Service, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.4 billion in 2025/26, which is the biggest cash increase in over a decade. The 8.9% boost to the GP Contract in 2025/26 is greater than the 5.8% growth to the NHS budget as a whole. Over 10 million more GP appointments have been delivered in the 12-months to September 2025 compared to the same period last year, building capacity and improving access so that patients can be seen when they need to be in primary care.

As part of GP Contract funding, since 1 October, GPs must allow patients to contact them via an online form at any time during core hours to request an appointment or to raise a query, in addition to telephone and in-person requests. By expanding ease of contact via online access, we will reduce pressure on accident and emergency, as we know that many patients seek medical care in accident and emergency if they fail to make contact with their GP.

We are also funding the expansion of Advice and Guidance to improve two-way communication between GPs and hospital specialists and to ensure care is delivered in the right setting. We expect this to increase the usage of Advice and Guidance and to help patients receive the care they need in primary and community settings where appropriate, reducing referrals to secondary care.