What does the new GP Reimbursement Scheme mean for practices?

Recent details of the GP reimbursement scheme have raised concerns about funding access, administrative burden and financial risk for GP practices—particularly those in deprived, rural and coastal areas.

The new scheme, which has been introduced as part of the 2026/27 GMS contract, aims to reimburse practices for additional GP capacity, moving £292m of funding – repurposed from the Capacity and Access Payment - closer to individual practices, rather than being held at PCN level.

It links funding strictly to employed salaried GP sessions and introduces tight claim requirements, with no transitional support for previous funding changes. For GP practices, the new scheme brings both opportunities and risks.

Risk to GP practices

• Unequal access to funding
  In deprived, rural and coastal areas, practices may struggle to recruit salaried GPs. Where practices rely heavily on partners or locums, there is a risk that funding will not reflect the reality of how capacity is delivered on the ground, disadvantaging smaller or resource-constrained practices. There is also a risk that communities with the highest need will receive less support.
• Workforce and recruitment challenges
  The scheme’s reliance on salaried GPs exacerbates existing recruitment difficulties, and smaller practices may be unable to meet scheme requirements, limiting participation.
• Financial uncertainty
  If reimbursement is not guaranteed beyond 31 March 2027, practices risk committing to employment contracts without long-term funding assurance.
• Cashflow pressure
  Claims must be made in arrears, and reimbursement delays could create liquidity challenges, particularly for smaller practices.
• Administrative burden and compliance risk
  The scheme introduces a heavier administrative and compliance burden. Claims must be submitted within a three-month window via CQRS, and missed deadlines could result in a loss of income.
• Removal of previous funding (Capacity and Access)
  The absence of transitional support for ending prior funding streams may leave some practices carrying unfunded ongoing costs linked to services or staffing models that were previously funded but are no longer covered.

Key opportunities

Despite the challenges, the scheme could offer meaningful benefits for practices that are able to align workforce plans with the new criteria. These include:

• Incentive to expand salaried workforce
  Practices able to recruit salaried GPs can access additional funding, which could improve continuity of care and workforce stability.
• Operational review and efficiency
  The scheme creates a timely prompt for practices to reassess staffing models - balancing salaried vs locum and partner roles – while strengthening internal controls, financial discipline and claim management processes.
• Strategic workforce planning
  Practices can align recruitment strategies with funding criteria. There is also a strategic opportunity for PCNs and practices to collaborate on shared workforce solutions.

How will the scheme impact your practice?

Practices should take a proactive, joined-up approach to protect income and reduce risk by planning for uncertainty now—stress-testing budgets for the possibility that funding ends in March 2027, building flexibility into any new salaried GP employment contracts, and monitoring cashflow closely to manage the impact of reimbursements paid in arrears.

Workforce planning will be critical in determining whether the scheme is an opportunity or a risk for your practice. Start by reviewing staffing models and assessing the feasibility of increasing salaried GP roles, as well as exploring shared recruitment across the PCN.

At the same time, it’s important to tighten administration by putting robust systems in place to track CQRS claim deadlines, assigning ownership for submissions, and ensuring there is sufficient internal capacity (or trusted external support) to manage the additional finance and compliance workload.

While the scheme provides potential funding opportunities, it may place operational and financial strain on practices. Proactive planning, strong financial governance, and workforce adaptability will be critical to mitigating risks and maximising benefits.