General Practitioners: Contracts
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his Department's publication entitled Changes to the GP contract in 2026/27, updated on 4 March 2025, when will the exact requirements for advice and guidance be published.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock
As part of the 2026/27 GP Contract, we are embedding the current Advice and Guidance enhanced service funding within core practice funding. The core expectations for general practices (GPs) broadly remain unchanged, and practices will be required to use Advice and Guidance prior to or in place of a planned care referral, where clinically appropriate, and to follow locally agreed referral pathways.
As part of the usual annual cycle, NHS England will refresh the operational delivery framework to ensure it remains aligned with the updated contractual requirements. The GP Contract changes for 2026/27 are underpinned by regulations, which will be laid before Parliament in the usual way, alongside an explanatory memorandum. Framework updates will happen in line with, or prior to, regulations coming into force. NHS England will continue to ensure that operational delivery frameworks remain clear, robust, and supportive as the use of Advice and Guidance expands. A draft technical guidance is already available to ICBs to support preparation for implementation.
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