A funding pot for PCNs will be raided to pay for the recruitment of more GPs and increase the number of sessions at practices, NHS leaders have said.

A letter to GP practices and PCN leaders, seen by Pulse PCN, said that the new GP contract for 2026/27 will introduce a new practice-level GP reimbursement scheme to enable practices to recruit new GPs or increase the number of sessions from GPs already working in the practice.

This will be paid for by 'repurposing' £292 million in funding from the PCN level capacity and access payment (CAP).

The letter, signed by NHS England’s national primary care and community services director Dr Amanda Doyle, added: “We will introduce a new practice-level GP reimbursement scheme to enable practices to recruit new GPs or increase the number of sessions from GPs already working in the practice.

'We will repurpose £292 million of funding currently allocated to the primary care network (PCN) level Capacity and Access Payment (CAP) for the scheme. The changes will support clinically urgent same day access in general practice.'

The letter goes on to say that the 'Capacity and Access Payment (CASP and CAIP) will be removed from the Network Contract DES [Directed Enhanced Service]'.

The CAP scheme was introduced in October 2022 as a monthly support payment, but in the 2023/24 Network DES this was split into two sections: 70% through a capacity and access payment (CAP) to be paid monthly based on adjusted population, and 30% as a capacity and access improvement payment (CAIP), based on PCN performance relating to access.

In order to be eligible for the CAP payment, PCNs had to submit plans to improve their patient access.  

For CAIP, PCNs needed to demonstrate they had met the targets within the plans, with the available funding divided equally across three key areas of improvement. These are:

  • Patient experience of contact.
  • Ease of access and demand management.
  • Accuracy of recording in appointment books.

Dr Duncan Gooch, GP and chair of the Primary Care Network at the NHS Confederation, said: “We welcome the additional investment in primary care and the clear intent to stabilise core general practice through funding and streamlining unnecessary workload. After years of sustained pressure, these commitments are both necessary and overdue.

“Primary Care Networks and GP Federations may be concerned to see a continued erosion of funding for at-scale provision to improve access and patient experience. Strong, at-scale infrastructure is not a 'nice-to-have' - it is absolutely essential now and for the future if neighbourhood health services are to be delivered effectively, sustainably and equitably.

The letter from NHS England also says that PCNs will be allowed to hire experienced doctors through the additional roles reimbursement scheme (ARRS).

It also sets out that the new contract, which comes into force on April 1, will require all patients with urgent needs to have access to a same day GP appointment and will be backed by a real-terms funding increase of £485 million.

*This story was updated at 16:12 to include the quote from the NHS Confederation.