13 August
Fit for the Future: What the NHS’ 10 – Year Plan Means for General Practice
The NHS’ 10-year plan
On the 3rd of July, the Government released it’s long-awaited 10-year plan, entitled ‘Fit for the Future’. Anticipated as the most significant NHS reform in years, the plan aims to reform healthcare delivery by shifting the balance of care away from hospitals and into communities, embracing technology and prioritising prevention.
At the heart of the strategy is a reimagining of the NHS as a Neighbourhood Health Service. Instead of patients having to navigate complex hospital systems for routine issues, care will increasingly be delivered close to home in new neighbourhood health centres. These hubs will bring together GPs, nurses, physiotherapists, pharmacists, mental health professionals, and diagnostic services under one roof, creating a truly integrated, multi – disciplinary model.
The second major pillar is the transition from analogue to digital. By 2028, every patient will have access to a fully integrated digital health record, accessible across the NHS. The NHS App will expand to allow more appointment bookings, test result access, and prescription management, while new tools – including AI diagnostics, genomics, and wearable health devices – are expected to make care faster and more personalised.
Moving from sickness to prevention
The third shift focuses on moving from sickness to prevention. The plan commits to tackling the root causes of poor health, with measures such as improved school meals, restrictions on unhealthy food advertising, weight management support, and expanded access to weight-loss medications. This emphasis on prevention is intended to reduce demand on acute services in the long term.
For general practice, the implications are significant. While the traditional GP partnership model receives little direct attention in the 168-page plan, a new single neighbourhood contract will be introduced. These contracts will be awarded by Integrated Care Boards and could be held by GP partnerships, hospital trusts, or GP – led federations. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for practices to secure their place at the centre of local care delivery.
Thousands more GPs
Workforce development is also a central theme. The Government has pledged to train thousands more GPs and other primary care clinicians, with a clear intention to make the UK more self – sufficient. By 2035, overseas recruitment will be capped at 10% of the workforce, with the remaining roles filled by UK-trained professionals.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has been keen to frame the plan as a genuine opportunity for GPs. He has thanked the profession for improving access and patient satisfaction – highlighting the positive results from the 2025 GP Patient Survey. He reiterated his commitment to ending the notorious “8 am scramble” for appointments. His vision is to restore the idea of the family doctor, ensure same-day consultations where clinically appropriate, and place practices at the heart of neighbourhood-based services.
For the primary care workforce, this plan signals a decade of change and growth. Practices will need clinicians who are not only clinically skilled but also digitally confident and comfortable working in multi-disciplinary, prevention – focused teams.
What This Means for Recruitment
For healthcare professionals, this is more than a policy shift – it’s a call to be part of the future of primary care. Over the next decade, opportunities will expand for GPs, nurses, physician associates, pharmacists, physiotherapists, and other allied health professionals who want to work in innovative, team – based environments.
For practices and providers, securing the right people will be critical to delivering on the Government’s vision. The demand for adaptable, forward-thinking clinicians will grow, and so will competition for their skills.
We are primary care recruitment specialists, we’re here to connect the right talent with the right opportunities. We’re helping build the neighbourhood health teams that will define the next era of the NHS.
Whether you’re a clinician ready for your next role or a practice looking to strengthen your team, now is the time to position yourself for the future.
Arrange a call with our team here.
