Investment in Northern Ireland’s general practice services reached £435.055 million in 2025-26, representing a 5.55 per cent increase on the previous year, according to new figures published by the Department of Health. The department describes this as the seventh time it has published these statistics, which are now produced separately from other UK nations after the discontinuation of comparable UK-wide data.
The figures show that general practice investment has grown in cash terms, though the real-terms increase of 2.04 per cent may raise questions about whether funding is keeping pace with rising demand and costs across the health service. The department has not stated how current investment compares to peak pandemic-era funding levels.
What the figures show
The Investment in General Practice report reveals that total investment rose from £412.168 million in 2024-25 to £435.055 million in 2025-26. This includes reimbursement for drugs dispensed in GP practices.
The increase comprises several elements tied to pay review body recommendations:
- A 4.0 per cent uplift for GP pay
- A 4.0 per cent uplift for practice staff expenses
- A 4.1 per cent uplift for other expenses
- Total investment for these uplifts: £11.717 million
The Department of Health notes that higher investment levels during 2020-21 and 2021-22 reflected the “key role” general practice played in the Covid-19 pandemic response.
Context: workforce pressures and access concerns
While the department highlights percentage increases, the publication does not include GP workforce numbers or patient list sizes—essential context for understanding whether investment is keeping pace with demand.
Separate official statistics published in June show that Northern Ireland had 304 active GP practices at the end of 2025-26, down from 350 in 2014. The average number of registered patients per practice has risen by almost a quarter (24 per cent) to 6,838 over the same period.
These figures emerge against a backdrop of significant tension between the Department of Health and GP representatives. The British Medical Association’s Northern Ireland GP committee has been in dispute over the 2025-26 contract, with collective action continuing after what the union describes as “undelivered commitments” on funding. The BMA has previously stated that general practice receives only around 5 per cent of the health budget despite its central role in patient care.
A Stormont Public Accounts Committee report in December 2025 found GP services to be “in crisis,” with patients reporting significant difficulty accessing appointments. The committee noted that Department of Health officials “did not know how many full-time equivalent GPs are employed across Northern Ireland”—a gap that hampers workforce planning.
UK comparisons now impossible
The press release notes that this is the seventh year the department has published these figures independently. Previously, NHS Digital produced a UK-wide series, but this was discontinued because “changes to general practice contractual arrangements in each country over recent years mean the data are no longer comparable.”
This leaves patients and policymakers without an official mechanism to compare Northern Ireland’s investment levels with England, Scotland, and Wales. Department of Health figures show Northern Ireland has 72 GPs per 100,000 registered patients, compared to 62 in England—though these headcount figures do not reflect differences in working patterns or full-time equivalent hours.
Questions raised
The publication prompts several questions that analysts have raised:
- How does the 2.04 per cent real-terms increase compare to inflation in specific cost areas affecting practices, such as energy, insurance, and medical supplies?
- What is the breakdown of the £435.055 million between GP practices, dispensing practices, and other components?
- Given the documented difficulties patients face accessing GP services, what assessment has the department made of whether current investment levels are sufficient to meet demand?
- With the UK-wide comparison series discontinued, how will policymakers and the public track Northern Ireland’s performance relative to other regions?
- Does the department now hold full-time equivalent GP workforce data, as recommended by the Public Accounts Committee?
What to watch
The 2026-27 contract negotiations will be critical. The BMA has indicated that “negotiations for 2026-2027 have not offered sufficient improvement” and has paused engagement with work on the “neighbourhood model” of care until funding commitments are delivered.
With the Northern Ireland health system facing broader financial pressures—including a projected gap between available funding and the cost of maintaining existing services—the trajectory of general practice investment will be a key indicator of whether Stormont’s health policy ambitions can be matched by resources.
The full report and data tables are available on the Department of Health website.