Overview
- The £102 million investment, the largest in GP facilities in five years, will expand and modernize over 1,000 surgeries across England.
- The upgrades are expected to create up to 8.3 million additional GP appointments annually, easing access for patients and reducing appointment backlogs.
- The funding, financed by a national insurance rise, is part of a broader NHS recovery plan focused on decentralizing care to community settings.
- Work on the upgrades is set to begin in summer 2025, with efforts targeting outdated and inflexible buildings identified in Lord Ara Darzi's NHS review.
- While welcomed by patient groups and healthcare leaders, critics argue the funding is insufficient to address widespread infrastructure challenges across the system.