Talking General Practice
Episodes
What happens now GPs have rejected the contract, plus will GP pay rise by 3.5%?
03 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Emma and Nick discuss the results of the BMA referendum on the GP contract and what happens next, including whether GPs will take action and what heal...
RCGP registrar co-chairs on the jobs crisis, the future of GP training and IMG GP visas
27 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma speaks to the RCGP’s registrar co-chairs, Dr Tom France and Dr Molly Dineen about the issues currently facing GP registrars across th...
What NHS guidance reveals about neighbourhoods, advice and guidance shake-up, GP locum rates
20 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma, Nick and Kimberley talk about the government’s plans for neighbourhoods - after the long-awaited neighbourhood health framework was ...
Tackling the GP jobs crisis and standing up for salaried and locum GPs
13 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma speaks to the co-chairs of the BMA sessional GP committee Dr Amy Small and Dr Kim Rollinson about the jobs crisis and how they hope to ...
Dr Katie Bramall on why the new GP contract is unsafe and how GPs can fight back
05 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
BMA England GP committee chair Dr Katie Bramall speaks to Emma about the 2026/27 GP contract and the BMA’s referendum on the deal, which launched th...
What does the 2026/27 GP contract mean for general practice in England?
27 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Nick and Emma explain how the GP contract for 2026/27 in England is set to change, how it will impact on practices and what it means for the current d...
What's coming in the 2026/27 GP contract, plus narrowing the GP workforce gap
20 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The GPonline team discusses the latest news affecting general practice.This week Emma and Nick look at how the GP workforce is changing across England...
How CQC regulation of general practice is changing
13 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Emma speaks to Professor Bola Owolabi, a practising GP in the Midlands and the chief inspector of primary care and community services at the CQC. Befo...
Will the next GP contract mean a return to collective action, plus signs of rising pressure on GPs
06 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Nick and Emma discuss how the BMA plans to respond when details of the 2026/27 GP contract are published, which are expected at some point this month,...
How neighbourhoods could affect GP and PCN contracts
30 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Emma talks to Robert McCartney, a senior associate in the corporate commercial team at the law firm Hempsons to discuss the shift toward a neighborhoo...
Young GP partners in freefall, IMG GPs hit hard by jobs crisis, PA legal action
23 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma and Nick discuss a significant fall in the number of young GP partners, the reasons behind this and what the long term impact of this w...
Adopting new tech and AI in general practice
16 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Emma speaks to Patrick Denston about how GP practices can make the best use of new tech and what the next five years could hold.Patrick is a PCN digit...
GP contract predictions, uncertainty over neighbourhoods, tackling the GP jobs crisis
09 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Emma and Nick talk about some key news stories from the end of December and the start of this year linked to issues where we are expecting some major ...
New RCGP chair Dr Victoria Tzortziou Brown on how to restore joy and pride in general practice
02 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Emma speaks to the new chair of the Royal College of GPs Dr Victoria Tzortziou Brown, who took on the post at the end of November.Victoria is the firs...
Super partnerships, AI regulation and the future of general practice
19 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Emma speaks to Dr Vish Ratnasuriya, a GP partner and the elected chair of Our Health Partnership, one of the UK’s largest super partnerships. Vish w...
BONUS EPISODE: Understanding genetic kidney risk in South Asian populations - sponsored by Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
16 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this special bonus episode Talking General Practice speaks to consultant nephrologist Dr Shafi Malik about the heightened risk of genetic kidney co...
Wes Streeting complaint, BMA GP committee split, how GPs are using AI
12 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The GPonline team discusses the ongoing dispute between the government and the BMA GP committee in England after a GP and member of the BMA Council an...
Dr Katie Bramall on navigating the GP dispute, future GP contracts and the 10-year health plan
05 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Emma speaks to Dr Katie Bramall, chair of the BMA’s GP committee in England.In this conversation, Katie talks about the current dispute with the gov...
Are GPs heading for an imposed contract next year, plus what the budget means for general practice
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The GPonline team discusses the key news stories affecting general practice.The team talks about GP contract negotiations after the government confirm...
Why GP continuity of care matters - and how practices can deliver it
21 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Emma speaks to Dr Luke Sayers, a GP partner and the lead for clinical continuity of care at North Tyneside ICB, and Dr Tom Kennedy, a GP registrar and...
Why GPs could 'go nuclear' in escalating dispute, neighbourhood threat, 10 years of GP workforce promises
14 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The GPonline team discusses the key news stories affecting general practice’Nick, Emma and Kimberley look at what went on at last week’s England L...
Improving care for veterans in general practice
07 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Emma speaks to Royal College of GPs veterans clinical champion Dr Emily Brookes, about the health needs of military veterans and their families, and w...
Will online access row trigger industrial action, Scotland agrees GP contract, Premises funding
31 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Emma and Nick discuss the key news stories affecting general practice. They talk about how the GP contract change that requires practices to keep thei...
The importance of promoting physical activity in primary care
24 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Emma speaks to GP Dr Callum Leese about the importance of physical activity and how primary care professionals can promote it to their patients.Callum...
How will genomics change medicine in general practice?
17 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week we look at the rapidly advancing field of genomics, which is becoming increasingly relevant to everyday primary care. Emma speaks to Dr Jude...
RCGP conference: Minister rejects online access fears, securing GP investment, valuing GP continuity
10 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
GPonline is the media partner for the RCGP annual conference and this is the second of two special episodes of Talking General Practice from the event...
Professor Kamila Hawthorne on GP retention, partnerships and three years as RCGP chair
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Emma speaks to Royal College of GPs chair Professor Kamila Hawthorne ahead of the RCGP’s annual conference in Newport in Wales, which starts on Thur...
Why online access triggered a new GP dispute, workforce plan priorities, GP premises crisis
03 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma and NIck talk about the BMA’s decision to re-enter dispute with the government in England, the online access plans that have led us t...
AI and the future of general practice
26 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma speaks to Professor Brendan Delaney, a GP in London and Professor of Medical Informatics and Decision Making at Imperial College London...
Streeting angers GPs, BMA rejects 10-year plan, plus how many GPs does England need?
19 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The GPonline team discusses the key news stories affecting general practice.This week Emma and Nick talk about the BMA special representative meeting ...
Smartphone use and young people’s mental health - what GPs need to know
12 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma speaks to Dr Helen Thomas, a GP in Hampshire and a member of the group Healthcare Professionals for Safer Screens.Helen has been involv...
Is GP partner income rising, BMA 10-year plan fears, and are GPs heading for industrial dispute
05 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The GPonline team discusses the latest news affecting general practice. This week Emma and Nick look at the latest GP earnings and expenses data and w...
Recognising the vital role of practice managers
29 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma speaks to Adrian Down, who is the managing partner of a practice in Lincolnshire and a director of the Institute of General Practice Ma...
Wes Streeting’s letter to GPs, PA legal fight, solving the GP workforce crisis
22 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week the GPonline team discusses health and social care secretary Wes Streeting’s letter to the profession and asks whether what he had to say ...
How to address the challenges facing dispensing GP practices
15 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma speaks to Dr Richard West, a GP partner in a dispensing practice in Suffolk and chair of the Dispensing Doctors’ Association.Dispensi...
Has the ARRS boosted the GP workforce, plus BMA red lines to avert GP dispute
08 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma and Nick talk about how adding GPs to the additional roles reimbursement scheme has impacted on the workforce in different parts of the...
How a pioneering at-scale model has strengthened grassroots general practice
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma talks to Dr Andy Hilton, a GP partner and chief executive of Primary Care Sheffield a not-for-profit company, owned by the city's GP pr...
Do PAs have a role in the NHS, patient satisfaction, next steps for neighbourhood health
25 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In our news review Emma and Nick talk about the findings of the independent review into the use of physician associates in the NHS and what this means...
How can existing at-scale models help GPs prepare for a neighbourhood NHS?
18 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma speaks to Dr Duncan Gooch, a GP in Derbyshire and the chair of the NHS Confederation's Primary Care Network, which represents at-scale ...
What does the 10-year health plan mean for general practice?
11 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s podcast the GPonline team looks in detail at the government’s 10-year health plan and what it means for general practice.They talk ...
Understanding the financial pressures facing general practice
04 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Emma speaks to Lizzy Lloyd, chair of AISMA, the Association of Independent Specialist Medical Accountants, and a partner at the accountancy firm Larki...
Shaping the future for GPs in London
27 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma speaks to Dr Lisa Harrod-Rothwell, chief executive of Londonwide LMCs and a GP in Islington, North London. Londonwide LMCs represents l...
What do we know about the 10-year NHS plan?
20 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma and Nick discuss what the spending review had to say about the NHS and look ahead to what we know about the government’s 10 Year Heal...
How does general practice fit into a neighbourhood NHS?
13 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Emma speaks to Dr Caroline Taylor, chair of the National Association of Primary Care and a GP in Calderdale, West Yorkshire.The NAPC has been at the f...
GP pay rise, job prospects for the next generation, NI contract imposed
06 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week the GPonline team talks about the pay rise GPs and other doctors have received this year, what GPs think about this year’s contract deal a...
The community worker scheme from Brazil that could be part of the 10-Year Health Plan
30 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The government is expected to publish its 10-year Health Plan in June and neighbourhood health will form a key part of the plan.In an interview with t...
The challenges and rewards of working as a prison GP
23 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma speaks to Dr Caroline Watson, who is chair of the Royal College of GPs Secure Environments Group and has over a decade of experience wo...
The value of a GP, blueprint for ICB reforms, fall in GP partners accelerating
16 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
(Please note in this episode we mistakenly refer to a report on GP partner numbers as being produced by the Health Foundation. It was in fact produced...
Professor Dame Helen Stokes-Lampard on her move to New Zealand
09 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma speaks to Professor Dame Helen Stokes-Lampard, who is a GP and the national chief medical officer in New Zealand.Helen took on her new ...
Advice and guidance hotspots, GP pay recommendations, funding GP premises
02 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The GPonline team discusses the key news stories affecting general practice.This week Emma and Nick look at the new advice and guidance directed enhan...
Dr Katie Bramall-Stainer on shaping a new contract to rebuild general practice
25 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma speaks to Dr Katie Bramall-Stainer, the chair of the BMA England GP committee, about what the future holds for general practiceKatie ex...
Is the ARRS GP scheme a success, how ICB cuts affect general practice
18 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The GPonline team discusses the key news stories affecting general practice.This week the team looks at GP recruitment under the additional roles reim...
How a groundbreaking biomedical data project could transform medicine
11 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma speaks to Professor Naomi Allen, chief scientist at UK Biobank, a biomedical database and research resource that contains data, informa...
How this year’s contract affects practices’ bottom line, local funding win, NHS satisfaction
04 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this week’s podcast Emma and Nick talk about how this year’s GP contract will affect practices’ finances and look at details of the advice an...
How GPs with extended roles could reshape the NHS
28 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week’s episode looks at GPs with extended roles and how they could help move services out of hospitals and into the community, reduce waiting t...
Green light for GP contract reform, farewell NHS England, alternatives to GP partnership
21 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma and Nick talk about the government agreeing to negotiate a completely new GP contract within the term of this parliament and what that ...
Dr Iain Morrison on securing a better future for Scotland's GPs
14 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma speaks to Dr Iain Morrison, chair of the BMA Scotland GP committee Scotland, about the critical challenges facing general practice in S...
What does the 2025/26 GP contract mean for general practice?
07 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma and Nick look at the GP contract deal for England for 2025/26. They discuss what exactly is in the deal and what it means for GP p...
An evidence-based approach to addressing health inequalities
28 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma speaks to Dr John Ford and GP Dr Liam Loftus from the Health Equity Evidence Centre at Queen Mary University in London about health ine...
Tackling GP unemployment, locum rates slump, GP premises
21 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week the team talks about the GP jobs’ crisis after the BMA held a virtual rally last week to help the union shape its plans for how to address...
How to ensure safe remote patient care in general practice
14 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma speaks to GP and researcher Dr Rebecca Payne about what general practice can learn from the research she’s been involved with on remo...
GP recruitment scheme faces axe, contract negotiations update, NHS planning guidance
07 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s episode the GPonline team discusses the future of the Targeted Enhanced Recruitment Scheme (TERS) – an initiative to attract GPs to...
How can we create a neighbourhood NHS?
31 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma speaks to Ruth Rankine, director of primary care at the NHS Confederation, about how to create a neighbourhood NHS and the role general...
Will 1,000 ARRS GPs materialise, how GPs became a minority in general practice, CQC crisis
24 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The government is aiming to create 1,000 new GP jobs through the additional roles reimbursement scheme (ARRS), but are they on track to hit this targe...
How valuing locum GPs can maximise their benefit to the NHS
17 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you do locum GP work complete our annual survey on GP locum rates here - https://surveys.haymarket.com/s3/Locum-rates-survey-2025 - you will be ent...
Will £889m save general practice - and how plans to cut NHS waits affect GPs
10 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Just before Christmas the government announced an £889m funding uplift for the GP contract in 2025/26 - Nick and Emma discuss whether that funding is...
General practice finance in the year ahead
03 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Emma speaks to GP Dr Tommy Perkins and accountant Andy Pow from Medics Money about the year ahead for general practice finance and how practices can e...
How the NHS can get the best from social prescribing
20 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma speaks to chief executive of the National Academy for Social Prescribing Charlotte Osborn Forde and Dr Radha Modgil, a GP and TV and ra...
Winter pressures, falling locum pay, how one area transformed its patient per GP ratio
13 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The GPonline team talks about some of the challenges the NHS could face this winter and what all this means for general practice.They also look at how...
How can we solve problems at the primary/secondary care interface?
06 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
NHS England has estimated that practices spend around 10-20% of their time on 'lower-value administrative work and work generated by issues at the pri...
Will GPs step up collective action? Plus the growing gap in underdoctored areas
29 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week Nick and Emma discuss whether GPs are likely to step up collective action after GPs at last week’s England LMCs conference voted in favour...
What does the future hold for GP premises?
22 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma speaks to Kent GP Dr Gaurav Gupta who is a member of the BMA England GP committee and the committee lead for premises.In this conversat...
Fallout from the budget, how the job shortage has hit GP pay
15 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Emma and NIck discuss the fallout from the budget and what the increase in employer’s national insurance contributions will mean for GP practices, i...
How can we make GP funding fairer? With Dr Becks Fisher from the Nuffield Trust
08 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma speaks to GP Dr Becks Fisher who is director of policy and research at the health think tank the Nuffield Trust.Becks has long been an ...
Is the GP workforce turning a corner? Plus what the budget means for general practice
01 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week the GPonline team looks at the GP workforce in England after latest figures show it has risen to a five-year high despite an ongoing jobs cr...
Labour’s GP MP Dr Simon Opher on adjusting to life in parliament
25 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Emma speaks to GP Dr Simon Opher, who was elected as the Labour MP for Stroud in Gloucestershire in the general election in July this year. Simon was ...
Future of the GP contract, what RCGP guidance means for PAs, assisted dying
18 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s episode Emma and Nick discuss the GP contract in England, where it could go next and what the BMA, the government and NHS England mig...
Eliminating hepatitis C - the role of general practice
11 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Emma speaks to GP Dr Rik Fijten and consultant hepatologist Dr Kosh Agarwal about the NHS in England’s drive to eliminate hepatitis C.The World Heal...
RCGP conference: Wes Streeting on ‘bulldozing’ bureaucracy and collective action, challenges facing new GPs
04 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
GPonline is the media partner for the RCGP annual conference and this is our third and final special episode from the event.In this episode we look at...
RCGP annual conference: Health inequalities, new safeguarding standards, end-of-life care
03 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
GPonline is the media partner for the RCGP annual conference and this is the second of three special episodes from the event in Liverpool this week.In...
RCGP chair Professor Kamila Hawthorne on GP retention, health inequalities and physician associates
02 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the first of three daily episodes we’re producing from the RCGP annual conference Emma speaks to college chair Professor Kamila Hawthorne.Kamila ...
What next for general practice and the NHS after the Darzi review?
20 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
GPonline editor Emma Bower and deputy editor Nick Bostock discuss the review of the NHS by Lord Ara Darzi, the government’s response to the report a...
Improving care for LGBTQ+ patients in general practice
13 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Emma speaks to Alex Matheson from the LGBT Foundation about the charity’s Pride in Practice programme, which helps GP practices improve the experien...
How much are GPs earning, AI doctors, GP exam ruling
06 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Please note: In this episode, we mention that the RCGP allows four attempts at GP exams - but in fact the college allows five in exceptional cases.The...
The importance of research and teaching in primary care
23 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma speaks to GP and co-chair of the Society of Academic Primary Care Dr Duncan Shrewsbuy about the role academia has to play in primary ca...
GP contract uplift, will ARRS GP jobs work, plus GP working hours
16 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma and Nick discuss the additional uplift to the GP contract for 2024/25, how it is being applied and what it means for GP practices, GP p...
Dr Katie Bramall-Stainer on GP collective action and what happens now
07 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma speaks to Dr Katie Bramall-Stainer, chair of the BMA England GP committee, about collective action by GPs, what it means for practices ...
Preventive medicine in general practice - with Dr Adrian Hayter from the RCGP
02 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma speaks to Dr Adrian Hayter, the Royal College of GPs medical director of clinical policy and a GP in Windsor, about the college’s new...
A BMA GP manifesto, next steps on collective action and the future of PAs
26 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week the GPonline team discusses the BMA’s vision for how to rebuild general practice in England, what both the BMA and the RCGP want from the ...
Gambling harms - how GPs and practices can help their patients
19 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Emma Ryan, a GP in South East London and the Royal College of GPs clinical champion for gambling harms, explains the role general practice can play...
What does a new Labour government mean for general practice?
12 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma talks to Tim Gardner, assistant director of policy at the Health Foundation think tank, about what a new Labour government could mean f...
Underfunding and practice closures, GP collective action, the GP standing to be a Green MP
04 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The podcast is out a bit early this week because of the election.In this week’s episode Emma and Nick discuss the BMA ballot on collective action, a...
Wes Streeting on Labour’s plans for general practice
28 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Emma speaks to Labour’s shadow health and social care secretary Wes Streeting about the party’s plans for general practice if it wins next week’...
Rebuild General Practice: How politicians can end the GP crisis
21 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Emma speaks to Nottinghamshire GP Dr Carter Singh from the Rebuild General Practice campaign about what the campaign is hoping to achieve, what it is ...
GP unemployment crisis, general election manifestos, physician associate regulation
14 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The GPonline team looks at the GP employment crisis and concerns about what job opportunities await the many GP registrars due to qualify this summer....
Wellbeing in the NHS and how to develop mental resilience
07 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Emma speaks to GP Dr Farnaaz Sharief who is also the chief executive of Manage your Mind which works with NHS and social care staff to help develop me...
BMA GP ballot and the general election, GP funding and deprivation, LMCs conference
31 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The GPonline team discusses the BMA ballot on collective action, which launches in June and what the general election could mean for that and general ...
Are primary care networks here to stay and how can practices make the most of them?
24 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week Emma talks to Tara Humphrey, founder and CEO of THC Primary Care, which provides management support and training to primary care networks ac...
ICBs pilot new GP models, BMA GP contract demands, premises funding
17 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In our regular news review the GPonline team looks at NHS England's plans to pilot new ways of working in general practice in a bid to ‘optimise the...
How general practice can achieve 'parity of esteem' in the NHS
10 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Earlier this year the Royal College of GPs published a statement setting out a number of steps it said needed to be taken to ensure general practice w...