GP contract strips out key cancer and mental health targets

Targets designed to improve mental health and cancer outcomes in primary care have been removed from the new GP contract agreed between the profession and government.

The 2025-26 general medical services contract sees core funding increased by £889m. GP leaders accepted the deal in principle following two months of intense negotiations.

However, the deal is contingent on the government confirming in writing by the middle of next month that it will negotiate a completely new contract within the current parliamentary term. 

The contract’s Quality and Outcomes Framework, which seeks to incentivise GPs to provide care in priority areas, has been radically reformed. 32 indicators which carried a total value of £298m have been removed. £198m of the total will be ”redistributed proportionately across nine CVD prevention indicators”. The remaining £101m will be reinvested into the global contract sum and in paying GPs to carry out routine childhood vaccinations instead.

Gone from the contract is the requirement for practices to hold dedicated registers of patients with cancer, chronic kidney disease, dementia, diabetes, learning disabilities, schizophrenia, asthma and COPD, as well as those receiving patient palliative care. The contract requires practices to keep accurate patient records, but no longer maintain dedicated registries.

Other abolished targets include tracking cancer care reviews, and the review of patients with depression and schizophrenia. 

Read full story (paywalled)

Source: HSJ, 28 February 2025