New GP contract ‘could address’ practice nurse pay and conditions

The government has hinted at changes to general practice nurse (GPN) terms and conditions as part of a new GP contract due before the end of this parliament, Nursing in Practice can reveal.

This comes as it was last week confirmed that the government once again expects GP practices to pass on a 4% pay rise to employed GPNs in England for 2025/26.

But fresh concerns have since been raised around the volume of practice nurses who miss out on pay rises because funding is not ringfenced, and around a lack of enhanced maternity, paternity or sick pay for the profession.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care told Nursing in Practice that the government ‘highly values’ GPNs and reiterated that ‘core funding’ for GP practices was being increased ‘to allow for pay uplifts’.

However, they added: ‘As self-employed contractors to the NHS, it is up to GP practices how they distribute pay and benefits to their staff.

‘The government has committed to a new substantive GP contract within this parliament which could address issues such as general practice nurse terms and conditions.’

Reform of the GP contract was promised to the British Medical Association (BMA) by the government earlier this year.

The DHSC’s comment came in response to concerns raised on social media by England’s primary care nursing lead, Louise Brady, who urged the government to ensure general practice nurses (GPNs) are given an annual pay rise and above statutory maternity, paternity and sick pay.

Ms Brady said these conditions should be delivered nationally as part of the GP contract and ‘must be a priority for patient safety’.

She also warned that without action on GPN pay and conditions, the government’s 10-year plan for the health service could be at risk.

Including GPN conditions in GP contract ‘long overdue’

Today, chief executive of the Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing (QICN), Steph Lawrence, said the suggestion that the GP contract would include terms and conditions for GPNs was ‘long overdue’ – especially given the inconsistency in pay between practices and primary care versus secondary care nurses.

‘The current pay award is welcomed too, but as stated by DHSC, individual practices can choose how they distribute it,’ she told Nursing in Practice.

‘There needs to be one set of terms and conditions for all GPNs to ensure consistency and parity to ensure GPNs feel properly valued.’

Practice nurses face ‘deep inequalities’

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has long called for ringfenced funding for GPN pay rises and today reiterated that GP nursing staff ‘must be involved in any contract negotiations affecting them including about their pay, terms and conditions’.

Executive director of RCN England, Patricia Marquis, said: ‘There are deep inequalities in general practice nursing which means nursing staff working in general practice don’t have the same pay, terms, and conditions as their counterparts elsewhere in the NHS.

‘This leaves many without protections beyond statutory sick pay and maternity leave. This must be urgently addressed.’

She added: ‘For this year we need to see ringfenced funding for pay to ensure staff receive the pay increase they are due, and we must see commitment and action from government to ensure there is not a repeat of last year where many staff were left without promised pay rises.

‘For the government to achieve its ambitions to create a neighbourhood health care system it has to start with general practice and ensure staff are protected and rewarded for their vital contribution to the NHS and are part of the voice influencing the changes.’

‘GPNs need a seat at the decision-making table’

Meanwhile, Dr Helen Anderson, registered nurse and research fellow at the University of York, said GPNs must be included in any future negotiations to get the changes they deserve.

‘Unless GPNs themselves and their representative associations, have a seat at the decision-making table and have parity with other interested parties in negotiations.

‘It is likely that their contribution will continue to go unrecognised and remuneration and associated conditions such as above statutory sick and maternity pay and inequitable annual leave will persist,’ she said.

In December, the RCN asked the independent pay review body for GPs – the Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration Body (DDRB) – to investigate why many GPNs are not being given an annual pay rise and to ensure its future recommendations ‘expressly and explicitly’ include the nursing profession.

The RCN used the findings of a Nursing in Practice survey to inform its case – including that half of practices nurses had not received any pay uplift for 2024/25 as of autumn 2024.

A separate survey by the RCN some months later at the start of 2025 found that almost a third of general practice nursing staff were still waiting for a pay increase.

And in April, a General practice nurse pay: A salary survey of the profession 2025 report, produced with our sister title Management in Practice, revealed that the average salary of a full-time (or full-time equivalent) GPN working in the UK is only £35,057 and lags behind those working in NHS hospitals.

The report, based on a survey of more than 500 GP nursing staff, suggested very few are given maternity pay beyond statutory (5%) and less than a third (32%) say they are given occupational sick pay above statutory levels.

The British Medical Association (BMA) has also been calling for government action on GPN pay – including that those in primary care are given ‘parity of terms’ with those working in secondary care.

The BMA’s GP Committee (GPC) chair, Dr Katie Bramall, has also previously called for action to recruit and retain practice nurses who she said have been ‘diminished and belittled’ in their roles.

While employed practice nurses should be given a 4% pay increase in 2025/26 in line with the DDRB recommendations this year, those employed under the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme should be given a 3.6% uplift in line with the recommendations of the NHS Pay Review Body for Agenda for Change.

This month, Nursing in Practice launched its ‘How Nurses Count’ campaign, highlighting the clinical, leadership and financial contributions GPNs bring to primary care.

We want to hear your story, to champion the power and expertise of practice nurses in every corner of the UK.