, 2025-05-07 12:17:00
More than 1000 GP surgeries across England will receive government funding to upgrade outdated premises and boost patient access, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has announced.
The £102 million investment for 2025-2026 will be delivered through the Primary Care Utilisation and Modernisation Fund. The fund was announced during the 2024 Spending Review.
The initiative aims to increase capacity, support the workforce, and enable over eight million additional appointments, the DHSC said.
Many Premises ‘Unfit for Purpose’
An independent report by Lord Ara Darzi last year found that outdated, inefficient buildings created barriers to delivering high-quality patient care and reduced staff productivity. The NHS Confederation reported that one fifth of GP estates pre-dated the NHS, while half were more than 30 years old.
“Our last survey of members found that two in five GPs considered their premises unfit for purpose,” said Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, in a statement. “Nearly 90% of respondents said their practice did not have enough consulting rooms, and three-quarters did not have enough space to take on additional GP trainees,” she said.
Simple Fixes, Greater Impact
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting described the changes as “simple fixes,” such as converting unused offices into consulting rooms and creating new clinical spaces.
A BMJ Open study published in 2024 found that over the course of 10 years (2013-2023), the number of NHS general practices fell by 20%, from 8044 to 6419. In the same period, the average practice list size increased by 40%, from 6967 to 9724 patients.
The DHSC said many surgeries could see more patients if they had adequate space and facilities.
‘Turning Point’
Ruth Rankine, primary care director at the NHS Confederation, said the lack of investment in estates had blocked improvements in productivity and care delivery. “If we are serious about shifting care from hospital to community, from sickness to prevention, and from analogue to digital, then sustained investment in primary and community estates, equipment and technology is vital,” she said.
In a statement, Darzi said the investment marked “a crucial turning point” in addressing the long-standing issue of a primary care estate that is “simply not fit for purpose.”
Dr Amanda Doyle, national director for primary care and community services, emphasised the need to improve facilities to enhance patient experience and support workforce recruitment and retention.
Projects are due to be delivered during the 2025-2026 financial year, with the first upgrades expected to begin this summer, according to the DHSC.
Dr Rob Hicks is a retired NHS doctor. A well-known TV and radio broadcaster, he has written several books and has regularly contributed to national newspapers, magazines, and online. He is based in the UK.
