Mutual benefit in general practice – is it really possible?

Earlier this year the Prime Minister reaffirmed his commitment to making the NHS a service that ‘both patients trust and staff take pride in’. Underlying this goal is the idea of mutual benefit. Whereby health services are transformed in such a way that works for patients and staff alike. As general practice teams across England face unprecedented demand with limited resources, it would be easy to conclude that further increases to capacity could only be achieved to the detriment of staff. But the experience of those delivering and taking part in the General Practice Improvement Programme (GPIP) in 2024/25 would strongly suggest that with the right support, we can indeed make life easier for both patients and staff.

Tailored support for your practice

In 2025/26, the RCGP is continuing as one of 5 partners working with NHS England to deliver the latest version of GPIP - Practice Level Support (PLS). There are a limited number of funded places available this year.

Our expert facilitators work directly with practices to help them adopt modern approaches to general practice. This means matching your capacity with patient demand, improving how patients access your services, and creating a better working environment for your team.

What makes this programme special, is its flexibility, we tailor the support to fit each practice's unique needs. No one-size-fits-all solutions here. Here's what one practice we supported had to say about their experience:

“Participating in the GPIP PLS has been an incredibly impactful experience for our practice. The programme has enabled us to make significant improvements in several key areas, ultimately enhancing both our operational efficiency and patient care. The structured, expert-led support offered by the programme has been invaluable in addressing the complex challenges we face in today’s primary care environment. By applying the principles and strategies shared, we’ve seen clear, measurable benefits such as increased appointment availability, improved telephony outcomes, enhanced patient satisfaction, and better operational efficiency” - Assistant Practice Manager, Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent

The improvement to patient access and reduction in workload achieved by this practice is by no means unusual. Many practices have reported an increase in use of on-line consultations, and a reduction in telephony waiting times, abandoned calls and avoidable appointments, leading to both administrative and clinical time savings.

Building a culture of continuous improvement

The GPIP PLS programme helps create a culture where teams are always looking to improve. During the support process, we identify what each team needs to make positive changes happen and help them build on these strengths. The feedback from another practice shows how the programme creates lasting change in how teams work:

“GPIP has opened a channel of conversation to identify gaps and find ways to fill them. We've moved from a 'hit and miss' approach to a systematic approach with a clearer strategy for quality improvement. Going forward we know how to do it." - Practice Manager, Coventry and Warwickshire

I recently presented the programme to dozens of GP practices in an ICB, alongside their Medical Director for Primary Care. After my presentation, she made a comment that really stuck with me. She told her colleagues, "I know this might sound too good to be true, but it really works."

What made her endorsement so powerful? Her own practice had just completed the programme and experienced all the benefits firsthand.

Limited places available

There are only a limited number of funded places available for PLS in 2025/26. If your practice is offered the chance to take part, I'd strongly encourage you to consider it. You can find more details on the NHS England and the RCGP website.

Free, expert-led support that can benefit both your patients and your team. It might sound too good to be true, but the results speak for themselves.