RCGP Northern Ireland Calls for urgent action to safeguard the future of general practice

The Royal College of General Practitioners Northern Ireland (RCGPNI) today launched its new policy paper, "Safeguarding the future of general practice in Northern Ireland", at Parliament Buildings, Stormont, warning that the future sustainability of GP services is at risk unless urgent action is taken.

The paper sets out six key recommendations for government and health leaders to protect and strengthen general practice, which delivers the vast majority of patient care within communities across Northern Ireland.

The launch comes at a critical time for the profession. GP practices are facing unprecedented pressures from rising patient numbers, increasing complexity of care, workforce shortages, financial instability and growing expectations around health service transformation.

Although the Department of Health's 2025 Reset Plan recognised the need to shift more care into communities, a strategic plan for general practice has yet to be developed to support and deliver this vision.

Dr Ursula Mason, Chair of RCGPNI, said:

"General practice is the foundation of our health service. General practice provides 90% of patient contacts within our health system and is essential to delivering care closer to home.

"If we are serious about transforming health and social care, then general practice must be at the centre of those plans. Yet the reality is that the future of general practice remains fragile and uncertain."

Dr Mason highlighted the growing mismatch between patient demand and available resources.

"While the number of GP practices has continued to fall, the number of registered patients continues to rise. GPs are managing increasingly complex care needs, with fewer resources and under significant pressure.

"These challenges are affecting GPs throughout their careers. We are finding it harder to attract doctors into general practice, harder to retain experienced GPs because of excessive workload and burnout, and harder to provide the continuity of care that is proven to deliver the best outcomes for patients."

RCGPNI warns that years of underinvestment have left many practices struggling to remain viable.

"With only 5.4% of total health spending being invested in general practice in Northern Ireland, we are lagging well behind the other devolved administrations. The continued erosion of funding has left many practices struggling to meet basic operating costs and invest in services for patients.

"The consequences are already being felt. Twenty-Nine GP practices have handed back their contracts since July 2022 (1). Further instability will inevitably follow without urgent intervention."

The College is calling on the Minister of Health and the Department of Health to urgently implement six recommendations outlined in the paper:

Six actions to safeguard the future of general practice

1. Prioritise continuity of care
2. Increase investment in general practice
3. Build workforce capacity and improve GP recruitment and retention
4. Safeguard the GP partnership model
5.  Improve digital and physical infrastructure
6. Develop and deliver a comprehensive General Practice Strategy

Dr Mason concluded:

"General practice is not a cost pressure to be managed; it is the solution to many of the challenges facing our health service.

"Investing in general practice improves patient access, supports prevention, reduces pressure on hospitals and delivers better value for the health system as a whole.

"The decisions made now will shape the future of general practice for years to come. We urge the Minister and the Department of Health to act on these recommendations and provide the sustainable support that general practice, and our patients, urgently need."

ENDS

Further information

RCGP press office: 0203 188 7659

Notes to Editors

• Safeguarding the future of general practice in Northern Ireland is published by the Royal College of General Practitioners Northern Ireland.
• The policy paper was launched at Parliament Buildings, Stormont, on 22.9.26.
• The paper sets out six recommendations to secure the future sustainability of general practice and improve patient care across Northern Ireland.
• The Royal College of General Practitioners is a network of more than 54,000 family doctors working to improve care for patients. We work to encourage and maintain the highest standards of general medical practice and act as the voice of GPs on education, training, research and clinical standards.
• Reference - (1) https://online.hscni.net/our-work/gps/update-on-gps-practices/