General Practitioners: Contracts
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether Advice and Guidance will be mandatory for GPs to use in the context of the GP contract 2026/27.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock
As part of the 2026/27 GP Contract, we are embedding the current Advice and Guidance (A&G) enhanced service funding within core practice funding. Practices will be required to use A&G prior to or in place of a planned care referral, where clinically appropriate, and to follow locally agreed referral pathways.
A&G has shown clear value in supporting timely specialist input, reducing unnecessary referrals, and ensuring patients receive timely care in the most appropriate setting.
Between April 2025 and December 2025, A&G has avoided 1.3 million patients being added to waiting lists.
Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →