Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the GP contract 2026/27, whether every non-cancer referral will need to go through Advice and Guidance.

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.