Cogora’s second major white paper was launched at an event during the Labour Party conference in Liverpool attended by MPs and some of the biggest names in general practice.

There were around 50 delegates at the Revolucion de Cuba bar in the Albert Docks on Monday 29 September, to hear a panel discussion around AI and GP access, and the launch of the Access All Areas white paper.

The report was hailed by the BMA’s GP lead negotiator as a ‘must read’ for ministers, who said the findings will be ‘central to our discussions with the Government’. Download the white paper in full here.

The panel discussion was chaired by Pulse editor in chief and author of the report Jaimie Kaffash, GPC England deputy chair Dr Samira Anane, GP and Stroud MP Dr Simon Opher, Londonwide LMCs CEO Dr Lisa Harrod-Rothwell and Re:State research manager and head of health Rosie Beacon.

The white paper is based on a survey of 2,000 general practice staff, interviews with more than 100 and an analysis of more than 25 data sets on each practice in England. It reveals that practice staff are facing more pressure and complaints around access since Covid, that initiatives such as extended hours have had negative effects of the quality of care and that appointment numbers are going up while patient satisfaction is going down.

The Access All Areas report calls for a complete reconfiguration of policy on general practice access, including:

• Urgent reform of the Carr Hill funding formula to reflect deprivation.
• Centralised staff funding, freeing government to invest without fear of ‘GP pay’ headlines.
• Strengthening the GP partnership model by reducing personal risk and encouraging more GPs into leadership.
• Ensuring GP practices remain GP-led, preventing hospital trusts from taking over routine care via neighbourhood health centres.
• Investment to modernise small practices, which deliver higher satisfaction and continuity.
• Consolidating funding into simple capitation payments with ringfenced staff costs.
• Shifting the debate from ‘more appointments’ to better care, built on continuity.

Report author and Pulse editor in chief Jaimie Kaffash says: ‘Our research shows that high-performing practices don’t succeed by chasing appointment numbers – they succeed by focusing on continuity, quality, and what their patients actually need. If government really wants to improve GP access, it must trust practices, fund them fairly, and stop reducing general practice to a numbers game.’

Dr Katie Bramall, chair, BMA GP Committee (England), who leads on negotiating for the GP profession in England, said: ‘The Cogora Access All Areas report has been published at the perfect moment. It is a vital tool for understanding the severe mismatch between demand and capacity in GP practices across England. It provides a stark and evidence-based picture of the pressures facing GPs, their teams and on the communities and patients who rely on them.’ 

‘The report’s findings will be central to our discussions with government, particularly around the urgent need for more flexibility, resource and workforce sustainability. It’s a must read for any commissioner or MP – not least Mr Streeting.’

Dr Steve Taylor, GP spokesperson for the Doctors Association UK, said: ‘This report is an excellent addition to the gathering evidence of General Practice providing more with less. It also highlights the importance of listening to GPs providing care on the ground and the feedback that those patients give. 

‘There is need for an alternative 10 year plan than provides a clear direction from the bottom up not the top down. Reading this report is an essential part of thinking through how things should be set for the future of patient care.’

Professor Victoria Tzortziou Brown, Vice Chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: ‘Clear, well-researched reports, such as this, are vital for getting the message across to politicians and decision makers about what the situation is really like in general practice, to highlight challenges and suggest solutions to address them. This report is particularly useful in making clear that issues around GP access are not simple, and that a multi-faceted approach will be needed to enhance GP access for patients.’

Kay Keane, Chair, Institute of General Practice Managemen, said: ‘Improving access is essential, but it cannot be reduced to appointment numbers or digital portals. Practice managers see first-hand that real progress comes from sustainable funding, safe use of technology, and trusting practices to tailor access to their communities. Without transparency and investment in the workforce, new policies risk raising expectations without improving patient care. This report serves to shine a light on some of these long-standing issues and calls for clear urgent solutions particularly around funding.’

Commercial partner of this white paper: General Practice Solutions

Cogora will be continuing to produce more of these heavyweight reports throughout 2026, using our knowledge of primary care data and unparalleled access to professionals within the sector.

For more information on these reports and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Jaimie Kaffash [email protected].  

Our Access All Areas White Paper is the latest from Cogora’s editorial and insight. GP access is the biggest issue facing patients in the NHS. Bringing together the knowledge and reach of all our award-winning primary care brands, Cogora’s latest white paper covers the issue in a way it has never been covered.

While access is usually and understandably seen from the point of view of patients, this white paper uses Cogora’s unmatched reach of primary care professionals to produce a comprehensive, in-depth look into it from the standpoint of those dealing with the issue of a day-to-day basis – general practice staff.

We have surveyed more than 2,000 primary care professionals, conducted interviews with more than 100 and analysed more than 20 sets of data on every practice in England to develop a series of recommendations on how we can solve the problems around access.

The report asks what access is, looking at all the various forms, from waiting times, to appointments with GPs, to face-to-face consultations and being able to contact the practice through the phone or online. It looks into what patients prioritise around access, and what general practice staff see as most important.

We ask whether there can be a system in which GP practices can offer everything require – face to face appointments with the appropriate member of staff at a convenient time – while maintaining quality of care. We look at systemic issues around workforce, funding, deprivation and patient demographics to see what is holding practices back, and how policy-makers can address structural barriers.

The report evaluates the various schemes that have been implemented to improve access, and looks at what has been lost in the rush for more appointments. It concludes by looking at the importance of continuity of care, and provides policy-makes with a list of potential solutions.

Download the white paper in full here.

This is the second major white paper produced by Cogora, following our report on workforce in January 2025. This paper launches today at a panel event in Liverpool during the Labour Party conference, which will be attended by GP leaders and MPs.

This report is coming out at a vital time for general practice. The Government’s 10 Year Plan proposes a reconfiguration of general practice, and the most significant GP contract negotiations for more than 20 years are due to take place before the end of this Parliament. This report is going to inform the debate at this crucial time.

Commercial partner of this white paper: General Practice Solutions

Cogora will be continuing to produce more of these heavyweight reports throughout 2026, using our knowledge of primary care data and unparalleled access to professionals within the sector.

For more information on these reports and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Jaimie Kaffash [email protected].