Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that those who are unwell can secure an appointment with their general practitioner.

The Government is determined to work with the National Health Service to fix the front door of our health service and ensure that everyone who is unwell can access general practice (GP) appointments and services. Through our 10-Year Health Plan, it will be easier and faster to see a GP. The 8:00am scramble will end, we will train more doctors, and we will guarantee digital consultations within 24 hours.

In October 2024, we invested £82 million into the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme to support the recruitment of 1,900 individual GPs into primary care networks across England, helping to increase appointment availability and improve care for thousands of patients. We have also delivered the biggest boost to GP funding in years, an £889 million uplift, with GPs now receiving a growing share of NHS resources. The new £102 million Primary Care Utilisation and Modernisation Fund will create additional clinical space within over 1,000 practices across England. This investment will deliver more appointments and improve patient care.

Health is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland, and responsibility for GP services lies with the Northern Ireland Executive and at Stormont.