Healthcare data analytics company Demand and Capacity Optimisation Tool (DCOT) has welcomed Health Secretary Wes Streeting's announcement of a new GP contract worth an additional £889 million, describing it as an important step toward addressing key challenges in primary care.
The deal, which represents a 7.2% increase in the total value of the GP contract for the 2025/26 financial year, has been described by Streeting as a "breakthrough moment" that will "deliver an end to the 8am scramble for appointments."
At the heart of the agreement is a focus on reducing administrative burdens by cutting what the government describes as "box-ticking targets." This, ministers say, will free GPs to take the first steps toward ending the notorious morning rush for appointments that patients across the country experience daily.
From October, patients will have enhanced ability to book appointments online, intended to free up telephone lines for those with urgent enquiries.
Perhaps most significantly, the contract reinforces continuity of care by supporting a return to what Streeting called the "family doctor" model. This will allow patients to request to see their usual GP, improving the management of complex and chronic conditions through consistent care.
Max Pardo-Roques, Healthcare Specialist at Develop Consulting and the Demand and Capacity Optimisation Tool (DCOT), said: "We welcome this significant investment in primary care. The focus on reducing administrative burdens while supporting continuity of care through the 'family doctor' model addresses key challenges we've observed in our work with GP practices.
"For practices implementing these changes, especially the enhanced online booking capabilities by October, there will be a need to carefully analyse patient demand patterns and optimise processes. Our experience shows that successful transformation requires both the right funding and the right approach to implementation.
"We look forward to supporting practices as they navigate these positive changes to deliver improved patient access and continuity of care," he added.
DCOT is an innovative solution designed to help GP practices visualise and manage patient demand more effectively. By revealing hidden data patterns not captured by standard clinical systems, DCOT enables practices to optimise resource allocation, reduce waiting times, and improve overall patient care.
The British Medical Association's GP Committee for England chairwoman Dr Katie Bramall-Stainer said previous governments had "driven general practice to desperation with patients bearing the brunt of years of chronic underfunding", but these changes "mark a turning point."
She said: "The green shoots of recovery will be seen when we start to see a fall in the numbers of practices being forced to close – closures that leave patients waiting far too long to see their GP."
The Department of Health said the changes will also help to "ease pressures" on other parts of the NHS, including A&E departments.
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