Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the report by GPOnline entitled Registrars delaying GP qualification because they can’t find jobs, says LMC, published on 7 February 2025, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of reports of registrars putting off qualification as GPs due to a limited number of roles available.

We hugely value the critical role that general practitioners (GPs) play and are determined to address the issues they face by shifting the focus of the National Health Service beyond hospitals and into the community.

The Government committed to recruiting over 1,000 newly qualified GPs through an £82 million boost to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) over 2024/25, as part of an initiative to address GP unemployment and to secure the future pipeline of GPs. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has confirmed that recently qualified GPs who are employed via the ARRS will continue to be supported through the scheme in 2025/26. We also announced an £889 million uplift to the GP Contract in 2025/26, which will support practices to increase capacity. Changes to the GP Contract in 2025/26, including ARRS adjustments and other important reforms, will be confirmed, along with more details on the uplift and ARRS adjustments, following consultation with the GP Committee of the British Medical Association before April 2025.