Labour's GP reforms will bring back family doctors and end 8am appointments scramble, says Blackpool South MP

The plan includes reinstating the family doctor and ending the 8am scramble for appointments.

Under the new proposals, patients, particularly those with complex needs, long-term conditions or the elderly - will benefit from more consistent and personalised care.

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These reforms are part of the new GP contract for 2025/26, which is currently under consultation with the British Medical Association’s General Practice Committee.

The proposals are supported by a significant funding boost – an extra £889m on top of the existing budget for general practice.

The reforms also aim to reduce outdated performance targets, cutting down on unnecessary paperwork and enabling doctors to focus on patient care.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting emphasized the need to relieve GPs from excessive red tape, allowing them to spend more time treating patients.

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“We promised to bring back the family doctor, but we want to be judged by results, not promises,” he said.

“That’s why we will incentivise GPs to ensure more and more patients see the same doctor at each appointment.

“Through our Plan for Change, we are acting to fix the front door to the NHS and we have already started hiring an extra 1,000 GPs into the NHS.

“We are proposing substantial additional investment and greater flexibility to employ doctors so patients get better care.

“I call on GPs to now work with us to get the NHS back on its feet and end their collective action.”

Chris Webb said heard about the difficulties residents have in making GP appointments “time and time again”.

He added: “Labour promised we would help bring back the family doctor and I’m delighted to see proposals to deliver on that promise.”