In an encouraging development for UK primary care, Health Secretary Wes Streeting has confirmed that funding to recruit GPs through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) will continue beyond March 2024. This commitment aims to offer stability and certainty for newly qualified GPs entering the workforce, particularly under the Celsus Group recruitment initiatives.
Speaking at the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) conference, Mr. Streeting responded to concerns about job security for newly qualified GPs, reassuring attendees that the £82 million allocated for hiring 1,000 GPs under the ARRS will extend into the next financial year. This move, described as essential for providing “certainty and stability,” ensures that GPs entering the profession can rely on continued support and employment opportunities.
The ARRS expansion was initially introduced by Mr. Streeting as an emergency response to address GP unemployment during the summer’s collective GP action. The scheme specifically supports GPs who qualified within the past two years, according to details released in the updated Primary Care Network Directed Enhanced Service (PCN DES).
Earlier this week, the RCGP wrote to NHS England, urging them to make a long-term commitment to secure funding beyond this emergency measure. They called for the ARRS funding to be integrated into the core GP contract, providing a permanent solution to ensure consistent GP recruitment in the years to come. Although Mr. Streeting stopped short of confirming whether this funding would be part of the core contract, he did pledge support beyond 2024/25.
Professor Kamila Hawthorne, RCGP chair, raised concerns about the uncertainty facing many GPs, expressing fears that their roles might not be sustained beyond March 2024. Mr. Streeting addressed these concerns, assuring the audience that continued funding would help reduce job insecurity and encourage GPs to remain in or join the profession.
He acknowledged the broader challenge of transforming primary care funding, confirming the government’s commitment to shifting more NHS resources into primary care and general practice. However, he cautioned that while there are plans to increase funding, changes will take time and will not happen immediately.
“It’s a marathon, not a sprint,” said Mr. Streeting, referring to the long-term approach required to overcome more than a decade of underinvestment in primary care. He also confirmed that the government would revisit the NHS long-term workforce plan, placing greater emphasis on GPs and primary care to ensure their central role in the future healthcare system.
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