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GP nursing pay: what the DDRB announcement means for you
The Westminster government has accepted the recommendation of a 3.5% increase in the pay elements of general practice contracts
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The Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration (DDRB) has recommended a 3.5% increase to the pay elements of contracts from 1 April 2026 in England.
Health secretary Wes Streeting confirmed that general practitioners and other practice staff are expected to receive a 3.5% uplift to the pay elements of the general practice (GP) contracts.
The RCN expects the uplift to be passed on to nursing staff working in general practice, but recognises that the final decision rests with individual employers, leaving uncertainty for GP nursing staff about how – and whether – the recommended increase will be applied. Support, guidance on negotiations, and tools to support your discussions with your manager can be found here.
The Westminster government also confirmed that funding will be increased for the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) to facilitate pay uplifts for staff in line with DDRB and NHS Pay Review Body recommendations. The ARRS allows Primary Care Networks in England to claim reimbursement for 17+ roles (including nursing staff) to expand the workforce and to boost patient access to services.
We wrote to the DDRB calling for practice staff to be specifically mentioned in its recommendations, as they regularly do not receive the pay increase from their employers. The DDRB report referenced our research showing that thousands of GP nursing staff are still waiting to see their pay increases from previous years.
We surveyed our members directly employed in GPs in England in February 2025, with three in 10 telling us they’d received no pay rise in 2024/25. Fewer than one in five (18.9%) had received the full 6% uplift as provided by the Department of Health and Social Care to enable practices to uplift GP and staff pay.
Executive Director of RCN England Patricia Marquis said: “As salaried general practitioners see their pay increase, many nursing staff working in general practice are still waiting to see any uplift in their salary from last year. The government is clear in its message that general practice staff should be included in this pay uplift, and we expect this to be honoured.
“General practice nursing staff are essential in delivering NHS services and supporting their communities, and yet they continue to be let down by both government and employers when it comes to pay.
“We now need an urgent commitment from governments across the UK to ringfence funding so that nursing staff working in general practice receive the pay they deserve and are never again left behind.”
The Welsh Government has also confirmed a 3.5% increase for general practitioners and practice staff in Wales.
All four UK countries have different mechanisms for agreeing and implementing pay uplifts for GP nursing staff and ensuring employers hand this on to staff.
For nursing staff working on Agenda for Change (AfC) contracts in England, the Westminster government announced a 3.3% pay award in February. The RCN believes this DDRB announcement of 3.5% highlights the need for talks to begin on structural pay reform in the NHS.
RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive Professor Nicola Ranger said: “Our profession deserves a fair award negotiated directly, not one that sees them fall further behind the colleagues they work closest with to provide care.”
Find out more at our GP nursing webinar
All GP nursing members across the UK are welcome to join this online event on 16 April 2026 at 1pm, to hear the latest on general practice pay, terms and conditions and what to expect in 2026.
