GPC England's LMC Update: 16 October 2026
Dear colleagues
Important changes to the GP Reimbursement Scheme
Following negotiations with NHSE and DHSC we are pleased to advise you that the GP Reimbursement Scheme, first introduced as part of the 26/27 GMS contract changes, has been updated. From October 1st practices are able to claim for locum sessions under the scheme, which means that any GP (salaried GP, locum or partner) can provide additional sessions and invoice on a locum basis where appropriate. There are some requirements to fulfil for these claims, and these are explained further in our refreshed guidance linked below.
The updated SFE also provides additional flexibility around transitional claims and the transfer of unspent funding, which should help practices make full use of the funding available, and other changes around claim amounts and periods.
If your ICB is being difficult about claims, please let us know at info.gpc@bma.org.uk
Single Point of Access and Advice & Guidance
NHSE has published new guidance (technical guidance, implementation guidance) on developing and implementing Single Point of Access (SPoA) for referrals into specialist care. Importantly, this now states that SPoA proposals must be developed with the relevant LMCs and local GPs, with clear escalation routes for disagreement, uncertainty, delayed or unclear responses, or safety concerns, and that that SPoA does not override GP clinical judgement/right to refer.
Whilst this is welcome, GPCE are still pushing for a pause in implementation of SPoA and A&G pathways following the patient safety concerns raised in the report published by the HSSIB in August and the consequent ongoing external review commissioned by NHS England.
FP69 national list validation funding
Practices continue to experience an unprecedented acceleration in patient list cleansing, which is becoming one of the most significant financial and operational challenges facing general practice this year. In this financial year it is expected that around 2,000,000 patients will be de-registered as they are not patients residing in the practice area and have moved elsewhere. We continue to liaise with NHSE around this process and seek improvements to the way it is being applied.
Following discussions, we formally wrote to NHS England to confirm urgent meetings to discuss and agree the reinvestment of funding released through the patient list validation programme during 2026/27. Given the scale of the pressures facing General Practice as we approach winter, and the financially de-stabilising effect list validation will have had on some practices, we will say that it should be paused now ahead of winter, until we know what is going to happen with the funding.
Read the PCSE guidance on FP69 process
Read the PCSE FAQs on FP69
2027/28 contract discussions
In the last bulletin, we reported that the Government agreed to return to formal bilateral discussions with us, and that we have temporarily postponed any further escalation of collective action.
Contract negotiations for 2027/28 are now due to start in November, after further discussion with NHS England, and we are in the process of finalising GPC England’s strategy.
In entering these negotiations, our focus remains on securing a confirmed roadmap with the Government for a £50 per patient increase in core practice funding and clarity on turning unsafe demand into manageable care for our patients.
Patient petition for better funding and support for general practice
In August, we sent practices posters and other materials to help spread the word about a petition for better funding and support for general practice. Have you displayed them in your practice and have you had any feedback from patients? Please take a minute to fill in our short three-question form.
We’re promoting a patient petition calling for better funding and support for general practice and over 7,000 people have already signed. We want to hear from GPs who can share what better funding would mean for their practice and the care they provide. Get in touch at info.gpc@bma.org.uk.
View and share the petition here
MMRV
An MMRV catch-up programme has begun for children who were aged 3 years 4 months to under 6 on 31 December 2025 (born 1 January 2020 to 31 August 2022) and who have no history of chickenpox or have not received two varicella-containing vaccine doses.
NHSE has advised that, due to issues with IT systems, in November and December 2026, automated CQRS payments will apply only where children are aged 5 or under when vaccinated. Practices vaccinating eligible children aged 6 during this period must make a manual CQRS adjustment.
NHSE will provide further information via the primary care bulletin and CQRS before November.
Childhood immunisation indicators
As part of the October update to the SFE, and as previously announced for the 26/27 contract, NHSE have introduced additional improvement thresholds for the 3 childhood vaccination QOF indicators (VI001, VI002 and VI003).
Practices will be able to earn QOF points for these indicators by improving against their average over the previous 2 years and will receive whichever points allocation is higher of either their points based on existing achievement thresholds, or their points awarded on a sliding scale for improvement from their baseline.
Whilst we welcome recognition of the ongoing issues surrounding the childhood immunisation indicators, GPCE do not believe that this approach will resolve those and will continue to lobby for more fundamental change.
MenB uptake
We’re aware that UKHSA have recently announced uptake data for the one-off MenB vaccination programme, which shows that only 26.6% of school leavers have received their first dose. It’s concerning to see such a low coverage, especially following the outbreaks earlier this year. GPCE has already raised its concerns that this has been commissioned as a pharmacy only programme and the position that allowing GP practices to sign up to deliver these vaccinations would help to increase uptake.
National Workforce Reporting Service
Contractors are reminded that they should be regularly reviewing the data held against their practice workforce within the National Workforce Reporting Service. Accurate data on the GP workforce is vital to the work of GPCE and the Sessional GPs Committee. All work should be recorded in hours and all work servicing the NHS contract should be accounted for.
Salaried GPs are advised to check personally with practice managers that the hours recorded against their work are appropriate. The next collection will take place on the last day of the month, so please review and update records before then. GP-specific statistics are published monthly and can be viewed here
Labour Party Conference
The GPCE chair, Dr Clare Bannon, attended this year’s Labour Party conference to address the current crisis facing general practice. The chair questioned the new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP about the importance of investment in general practice and the role of GPs in neighbourhood models, and she responded by outlining her commitment to general practice, but not committing to specific funding.
We will continue to meet with parliamentarians and political figures from across the political parties with a view to securing further parliamentary support for our funding and policy asks. We will also be asking MPs to continue to support Early Day Motion 329 on the future of General Practice and Plan B.
GPC England byelection – Hampshire and Isle of Wight representative
Nominations are now open for the byelection for a Hampshire and Isle of Wight rep to GPC England. The term of this post is to June 2028. You must be a GP in the Hampshire and Isle of Wight region to stand.
Submit your nominations here - the deadline is 29 October 2026 at 12pm.
If you have any questions or require assistance, please contact elections@bma.org.uk.
GPCE bulletin: GP reimbursement scheme changes | single point of access update | 2027/28 contract discussions
Dr David Wrigley
GPC England deputy chair
Email: DWrigley@bma.org.uk
Email: info.lmcqueries@bma.org.uk (for LMC queries)
Email: info.gpc@bma.org.uk (for GPs and practices)
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