Welsh health minister Eluned Morgan has announced a new contract with GPs in what is being labelled the most significant contract reform since 2004.

The new contract includes a new pay deal for all staff working in general practice. GPs along with general practice staff will receive a 4.5 per cent pay increase, as recommended by the Doctors and Dentist Review Body.

Access standards will also become mandatory from April 2023. This is intended to make it easier for people to get appointments.

The Unified Contracted will be implemented from autumn 2023, after being consulted on in spring 2023.

Health Minister Eluned Morgan said: "GPs and their staff have worked tirelessly in the face of ongoing pressure, to meet the needs of their patients. They have remained agile and responsive in these challenging times, and this agreement and investment acknowledges that commitment to delivering services to patients.

"We recognise that more still needs to be done to improve access to GP surgeries and this new contract will go some way in addressing that. However, there have continued to be challenges faced by some people in accessing their GP practice which need to be resolved and we will ensure we continue to pursue improvement.

"As we move forward, a new simplified and streamlined contract will not only remove unnecessary bureaucracy for GPs and their teams but will also reinforce the standards by which we expect GP practices to operate – with patient access an integral part of those standards.

"In April next year, I will set out more detail on how this new contract will work."

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