GP funding: New contract will make is 'easier' to get GP appointments, says health minister

A new contract with general practitioners (GPs) will make it "easier" for patients to get appointments, the health minister has said.

The Department of Health (DoH) said it will give an additional £40m across two years for "improvements in patient access and primary care activity".

Last year, GP partners in Northern Ireland voted in favour of taking collective action as part of their fight for increased funding for general practice.

Robbie Butler said he welcomes the NI General Practitioners Committee's (NIGPC) "commitment to rebuild a constructive working relationship with the department and to end the current collective action".

A GP contract is a formal agreement between GP partners or practices and the DoH to provide general medical services.

The total in-year value for the 2026/27 General Medical Services Contract agreed between the department and the NIGPC is worth a further £17.384m, including £13.3m of recurrent funding into core GP services, according to the DoH.

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In a statement, Butler said: "Difficulties getting an appointment with their GP is one of the issues people raise with me the most, which is why during negotiations I have been very clear that the financial package must deliver more appointments and services for people who need them."

Adding that he is "pleased" that the NIGPC is to take part in the Neighbourhood Model of Health and Wellbeing.

The neighbourhood plan commits to establishing a neighbourhood-centred health and social care system.

In May 2025, the former health minister Mike Nesbitt imposed a disputed financial package on Northern Ireland GPs after they rejected the deal.

The move had triggered a work to rule , which included doctors ignoring non-essential paperwork, limiting appointments to the British Medical Association (BMA) recommended safe limit of 25 per day and the withdrawal of noncontractual services.

Analysis: Funding falls short of what GPs say is needed

BBC News NI health correspondent Marie-Louise Connolly

Northern Ireland needs more GPs to deliver much needed appointments for the public.

Acquiring more GPs needs considerable long-term investment and what the department has announced appears to fall short of what general practice has said is required.

Recently GPs told Stormont's Health Committee that general practice in Northern Ireland received less than 6% of the entire health budget.

Dr Frances O'Hagan said that wasn't nearly enough to fund the number of doctors required in each practice to meet growing demand.

While she said 10% of the health budget was the minimum they could accept - 15% was a longer term ambition.

Those figures translate closer to £80m per year as opposed to the £20m allocated by the health minister

Clearly what is good about the funding announcement is that it ends a 12 month dispute between the department and GPs.

At least, if required, new negotiations can begin again.