Budget 2025 introduces several measures that will directly influence general practice, primary care providers, urgent care centres and prison healthcare teams. For organisations that rely on GP Locums, ANPs, Practice Nurses and other primary care clinicians, these changes will shape service delivery, workforce planning and recruitment strategies in 2025–26 and beyond.
This blog breaks down what the Budget means for frontline services, how staffing needs may evolve and what practices can do to stay prepared.
1. Increased Investment Into Primary Care and General Practice
Budget 2025 confirms additional investment into general practice services, with a portion directed towards:
• Expanding access and reducing GP appointment pressures
• Improving the quality and capacity of primary care estates
• Supporting digital transformation and modernisation within practices
• Funding to integrate GP, nursing, pharmacy and allied roles through community-based care models
This increased funding aims to ease pressure on GP surgeries and create a more joined-up, accessible primary care system.
Impact on staffing:
With more resources and expanded patient demand, practices may require increased clinical support from GP Locums, Advanced Nurse Practitioners, Practice Nurses, Clinical Pharmacists and Mental Health Practitioners.
2. Expansion of Neighbourhood Health Centres
The Budget supports the continued rollout of multidisciplinary “Neighbourhood Health Centres”, where GPs, nurses, pharmacists, dentists and community teams operate under one roof.
What this means for primary care settings:
• A need for broader clinical coverage and shared staffing models
• More integrated roles such as ANPs, Physician Associates and Care Coordinators
• Increased opportunities for locum clinicians to support flexible workforce gaps
• Better access to wider clinical teams in areas with workforce shortages
For healthcare providers in community or prison settings, the shift toward multi-disciplinary hubs may also impact care pathways and staffing requirements.
3. Capital Funding for Surgeries, Clinics and Primary Care Estates
Budget 2025 confirms capital funding streams for:
• Practice refurbishments
• Infrastructure improvements
• Digital systems and telehealth technology
• IT upgrades to support modern clinical systems
• Improved accessibility and patient-flow design
Modernised estates can help practices increase capacity, reduce bottlenecks and improve working environments for GPs, ANPs and nurses.
Staffing impact:
Better facilities can support more clinics, extended hours and larger multidisciplinary teams — increasing demand for locum and permanent staff.
4. Financial Pressures Could Still Affect Workforce Budgets
Although primary care receives targeted funding, broader Budget measures may still influence staffing costs:
• Frozen tax thresholds increasing operational pressures
• Rising employer contributions due to future pension tax reforms
• General inflation affecting salary expectations and operational budgets
Smaller practices and prison healthcare teams may feel these pressures most acutely, with increased reliance on flexible, cost-efficient staffing such as GP Locums and sessional ANPs.
5. What This Means for GP Locums, ANPs and Nurses
For clinical professionals working in primary care, the Budget may create:
• More locum opportunities due to increased patient demand
• Wider roles within multidisciplinary community hubs
• Improved working environments in modernised practices
• Greater emphasis on flexible workforce models
• Rising demand for specialist skill sets such as urgent care, long-term conditions, mental health and complex care
Locum GPs, ANPs and Nurses remain essential to maintaining service continuity — especially as workloads grow.
How Practices Should Prepare for Workforce Needs
To adapt to Budget 2025 changes, primary care providers should:
• Review workforce gaps and plan for 6–12 months ahead
• Build a flexible staffing pool including GP Locums, ANPs and Practice Nurses
• Use agencies proactively to secure clinicians during peak times
• Prepare for increased demand linked to expanded services and improved accessibility
• Benchmark pay rates to remain competitive in a shifting market
• Host workforce planning discussions ahead of new funding releases
With patient demand rising and multidisciplinary working becoming the norm, proactive planning is crucial.
FAQs: Budget 2025 and Primary Care
How does Budget 2025 affect GP surgeries?
It provides additional funding for capacity, estates improvements and digital transformation. This may enable practices to expand services and require more clinical staff.
Will Budget 2025 increase demand for locum GPs?
Likely yes. As practices expand access and participate in community-based care models, locum GPs will play a key role in covering increased workload and supporting continuity.
What does the Budget mean for ANPs and Nurse Practitioners?
ANPs and Primary Care Nurses may see more opportunities, especially within multidisciplinary Neighbourhood Health Centres and expanded general practice services.
Does the Budget impact staffing costs?
While primary care receives new funding, broader financial pressures remain — such as frozen tax thresholds and long-term pension reforms — which could affect workforce budgets.
What should practices do now?
Start workforce planning early, assess expected demand and partner with trusted staffing agencies to secure GP Locums, ANPs and Nurses for 2025 and beyond.
Does this apply to prison healthcare teams too?
Yes. Prison healthcare providers often rely heavily on locum GPs and nurses, and the broader push for integrated community-style care can influence staffing models within secure environments.
In Summary
Budget 2025 presents both opportunities and challenges for general practice, primary care and community healthcare services. While increased funding and estate improvements may support expanded patient access, pressures around workforce supply remain.
Practices, clinics and prison healthcare teams that plan early, secure flexible staffing resources and adapt to changing care models will be best positioned to deliver high-quality patient care throughout 2025–26.
If you would like support with GP Locums, ANPs, Practice Nurses or multidisciplinary staffing, our team is here to help.