GP practices across Scotland will receive more than £531 million in funding over three years to boost staffing, capacity, and patient access, marking the largest investment in primary care the country has ever seen
GP leaders across Scotland have struck a deal with the Scottish Government to stabilise and rebuild GP practices. On Tuesday 28 October, Health Secretary Neil Gray announced that general practice would receive over £500 million in additional funding over the next three years, the largest investment in core GP services in Scotland ever recorded. After three years, the funding boost will reduce to £249 million per year.
Addressing a £290m funding gap
This funding agreement follows months of negotiations after the British Medical Association (BMA) Scotland lodged a formal dispute with the Scottish Government, citing the need for urgent action to address a £290 million funding gap. BMA Scotland had been considering balloting for industrial action if an agreement was not reached.
Iain Morrison, chair of the BMA Scotland GPs Committee, said: “We have been clear that the only way to put general practice in Scotland on a sustainable footing for the future and to improve access for patients was direct investment into practices to recruit and retain GPs.
The announcement secured after a robust but constructive set of negotiations is a welcome recognition of that fact and reflects the level of funding needed to stabilise and rebuild GP practices across Scotland, in both urban and rural areas.
It is a significant step in the right direction and, importantly, a vote of confidence in the long-term future of the independent contractor model of general practice that has served local communities across Scotland so well.
This investment should finally enable the profession to feel optimistic about the future and provide the opportunity to make working in general practice in Scotland the rewarding, safe, and sustainable career it should be once again.”
Largest investment in GP practices to date
Neil Gray said he had been listening to GPs:
“I am pleased the BMA has accepted the Scottish Government’s offer to increase funding by £249 million, which takes total investment in general practice to more than half a billion pounds over the next three years.
This is the largest investment in core GP services to date in Scotland and will significantly boost recruitment from next year, helping to deliver the capacity needed to improve services for patients.”
Mr Gray emphasised that the investment was not a pay deal, but was designed to fund increased staffing and stabilise practices. He noted that it would help shift the focus from acute care to community-based services and support digital prescribing, aimed at improving efficiency within primary care settings.
The announcement is subject to Parliament agreeing future budgets and will involve an initial investment of £98 million in 2026–27, followed by £183 million in 2027–28 and £249 million in 2028–29.
