GP Surgery Refits to Ease Appointment Access

Patients across England are set to benefit from over 8.3 million additional GP appointments each year, as part of a government-funded programme to modernise more than 1,000 GP surgeries.

Backed by over £102 million from the government’s Primary Care Utilisation and Modernisation Fund, the investment will provide much-needed upgrades to GP premises, creating additional consultation and treatment rooms and improving the use of existing space. The aim is to help surgeries accommodate more patients, boost productivity, and enhance the quality of care.

This marks the largest investment in GP facilities in five years and forms part of the government’s wider £26 billion Plan for Change, which seeks to shift more healthcare services from hospitals into local communities.

Projects under the programme include improvements at the Prospect Medical Practice in Norwich, which serves nearly 7,000 patients and will create new clinical rooms to deliver more consultations. In the Black Country, vacant office spaces at Harden Health Centre will be converted into consulting rooms, increasing access to primary care services.

The programme is scheduled to begin in summer 2025, with refurbishments taking place throughout the 2025 to 2026 financial year.

Healthcare leaders have welcomed the investment, highlighting its importance in addressing long-standing issues with outdated and inefficient GP premises. It is also seen as a step towards reducing appointment waiting times and bringing care closer to communities.

This initiative complements ongoing NHS reforms, including expanding the NHS App, cutting bureaucracy through a new GP contract, and enabling community pharmacists to prescribe for routine conditions.

The Rural Services Network will continue to monitor how this investment is implemented, particularly its impact on rural communities where access to GP services remains a key concern.

For further details, the full list of supported schemes can be found in the Primary Care Utilisation and Modernisation Fund 2025 to 2026.