Talking General Practice Dr Katie Bramall on why the new GP contract is unsafe and how GPs can fight back
Mar 5, 2026
Dr Katie Bramall, Chair of the BMA England GP Committee and practising GP, explains why she believes the 2026/27 GP contract is unsafe. She discusses risks from same-day access rules, funding and recruitment pressures, and mandatory advice-and-guidance requirements. She outlines the referendum, possible timelines for collective action, and how neighbourhood NHS plans could reshape local general practice.
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Same Day Access Will Add Hidden Workload
- Same-day access rules may be framed as already in practice but legal/regulatory wording and mandatory data reporting change impact radically.
- Bramall warns SNOMED codes and extra ticks will consume hundreds of thousands of GP hours for political KPIs.
Financial Winners Depend On Many Unknowns
- Financial impact on practices is unclear and likely negative; outcomes depend on DDRB, local population mix and how reimbursements flow.
- Bramall highlights unknowns like the DDRB uplift, workforce costs and whether PCN funds are redistributed into core funding.
Use New Recruitment Funds Flexibly For Local Needs
- Do preserve flexibility when PCN capacity funding shifts to practice-level GP recruitment reimbursements.
- Bramall advises tailoring recruitment to local context (rural/coastal/under‑recruited) and prioritise investing in GPs over other staff.