It’s part of a national scheme to update ageing facilities
GP checking a patient’s blood pressure(Image: PA)
More than 138,000 extra GP appointments will be made available across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire thanks to a government-backed funding boost aimed at modernising outdated surgeries.
The area will receive over £1.7 million as part of a nationwide £102 million initiative designed to upgrade more than 1,000 GP practices across England. The funding will be used to create additional clinical space, improve working conditions and boost patient care, following years of what officials described as neglect.
Specific improvements in the South West will include expanding an existing admin room into a courtyard to create a new consultation room, as well as converting vacant space into three clinical rooms and building a single-storey extension housing five additional consulting rooms.
While many GP surgeries currently have the capacity to take on more patients, a lack of suitable facilities has limited the number of appointments they can offer. These upgrades are expected to help alleviate this by increasing the capacity of premises, enabling faster patient access and making better use of available space.
Health and social care secretary Wes Streeting said: “It will be a long road, but this government is putting in the work to fix our NHS and make it fit for the future. These are simple fixes for our GP surgeries but for too long they were left to ruin, allowing waiting lists to build and stopping doctors treating more patients.
“It is only because of the necessary decisions we took in the Budget that we are able to invest in GP surgeries, start tackling the 8am scramble and deliver better services for patients. The extra investment and reform this government is making, as part of its Plan for Change, will transform our NHS so it can once again be there for you when you need it.”
Dr Amanda Doyle, national director for primary care and community services, said: “We know more needs to be done to improve patient access to general practice and this investment in over one thousand primary care premises will help do this.
“Bringing GP premises up to a similar condition across England is important to improve patient experience of NHS services, while making primary care a better working environment as we seek to retain and recruit more staff.
“It will also help to create additional space and extend the capacity of current premises as we improve access further and bring care closer to the communities where people live as part of the 10-Year Health Plan.”
The upgrades come in response to recommendations from Lord Ara Darzi, whose independent review found that outdated buildings were a major barrier to delivering high-quality care and hampered staff productivity.
Lord Darzi said: “My review found that the primary care estate is simply not fit for purpose, with many GP surgeries housed in inflexible, outdated buildings that cannot enable safe, high-quality care. Today’s investment marks a crucial turning point in addressing this long-standing issue, helping create the modern, purpose-built primary care facilities that patients and staff deserve.”
Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patients Association, added: “Our reporting shows nearly one-third of patients struggle to book GP appointments, and we have long highlighted what matters in healthcare facilities: truly accessible spaces where everyone receives care with dignity. The potential for 8.3 million additional appointments from these refurbishments will make a real difference to communities waiting for care.
“Crucially, it delivers on what patients themselves have called for: modern, accessible spaces that support high-quality care. We look forward to seeing these upgrades rolled out, with a continued focus on ensuring patients everywhere get timely support in settings that support their dignity. This investment represents a meaningful step toward realising what patients have long been asking for.”
The work is expected to begin in summer 2025 and will be delivered during the 2025-26 financial year. It forms part of the government’s wider reform efforts under its Plan for Change, which aims to shift care from hospitals into communities and reduce red tape in GP services.