GP surgery upgrades to create 8.3 million more annual appointments

Over 1,000 GP surgeries will have their premises modernised to meet the needs of a further 8.3 million appointments each year, the government has announced.

Backed by a cash injection of over £102 million, the surgeries will have additional space to “see more patients, boost productivity and improve patient care”.

The government said this latest step is part of its £26 billion investment into the NHS and a part of its Plan for Change campaign to shift care out of hospital and into the community.

“It will be a long road, but this government is putting in the work to fix our NHS and make it fit for the future,” said health and social care secretary, Wes Streeting, said:

“These are simple fixes for our GP surgeries but for too long they were left to ruin, allowing waiting lists to build and stopping doctors treating more patients.

“It is only because of the necessary decisions we took in the Budget that we are able to invest in GP surgeries, start tackling the 8am scramble and deliver better services for patients.

“The extra investment and reform this government is making, as part of its Plan for Change, will transform our NHS so it can once again be there for you when you need it.”

Lord Darzi’s independent report found that outdated, inefficient buildings create barriers to delivering high-quality patient care and reduce staff productivity.

“Our last survey of members found that 2 in 5 GPs considered their premises unfit for purpose. This not only makes for a poor experience for both patients and practice staff, but it restricts the care and services a practice can provide. Nearly 90 per cent of respondents to our survey said their practice did not have enough consulting rooms, and three-quarters did not have enough space to take on additional GP trainees” said professor Kamila Hawthorne, chair of the Royal College of GPs.

“Today’s announcement is an encouraging interim measure that shows the government is listening and acknowledges that inadequate GP infrastructure needs to be addressed. We now need to see this followed up by further long-term investment.”

The investment will allow GP surgeries to create new consultation and treatment rooms whilst also making better use of existing space.

Projects will be delivered during the 2025 to 2026 financial year, with the first upgrades expected to begin in summer 2025.

In Norwich, Prospect Medical Practice - serving nearly 7,000 patients in some of the city’s most deprived areas - will create new clinical rooms to deliver more patient consultations.

In the Black Country, vacant office spaces in Harden Health Centre will be converted into clinical consulting rooms, allowing more patient access to primary care.

“Bringing GP premises up to a similar condition across England is important to improve patient experience of NHS services, while making primary care a better working environment as we seek to retain and recruit more staff,” said Dr Amanda Doyle, national director for primary care and community services.

“It will also help to create additional space and extend the capacity of current premises as we improve access further and bring care closer to the communities where people live as part of the 10 Year Health Plan.”