Primary Care Bulletin - February 2026

Contents

In this month's newsletter:

• GP Contract 2026/27: Key Changes Confirmed
• GP practice online access campaign and resources
• Introducing the new South Yorkshire COPD Treatment and Adult Asthma Guidelines
• National Cancer Plan for England
• Reminder: submit your Pharmacy Quality Scheme 2025/26 declaration
• Dental contract reform webinars
• New guidance on writing and sending NHS App messages, text messages, emails and letters to patients and the public
• Reminder of the importance of medication reviews in Pregnancy
• Social Prescribing Link Worker consultation
• Webinar Resources: South Yorkshire Data Sharing Programmes
• Tirzepatide for Weight Management: Understanding Wrap-Around Support
• South Yorkshire Paediatric Palliative and End of Life Care Education Package
• NHS Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission Programme – Training Webinar
• Upcoming Diabetes Learning Events: March 2026
• Important Update: Changes to ICE Microbiology Test Requesting – Effective 2 February

News

GP Contract 2026/27: Key Changes Confirmed

NHS England has confirmed the final arrangements for the 2026/27 GP Contract, following the recent national consultation.

Investment will increase by £485 million, bringing the total contract value to £13.863 billion. Key changes focus on strengthening GP capacity, improving access and refining prevention measures.

A new practice-level GP reimbursement scheme will support recruitment of additional GP sessions to improve same-day urgent access. PCNs will also be able to recruit a wider range of GPs through ARRS.

Practices will be required to:

• Provide a same-day response for clinically urgent requests

• Offer a clear next-step response for non-urgent requests by the next working day

• Avoid capping online consultation requests

QOF changes include new obesity indicators, updates to diabetes and heart failure measures, and revised childhood vaccination thresholds.

Further guidance will follow ahead of the April 2026 implementation.

Read the full letter and annexes from NHS England and DHSC here.

GP practice online access campaign and resources

A new GP online access campaign has been launched to increase knowledge and use of online forms as another route for patients to contact their GP practice, helping to reduce the 8am rush. 

The campaign, which runs until the end of March, highlights how members of the public can contact their GP practice for non-urgent requests during the day, anytime between 8am to 6.30pm, by filling out an online form on their GP practice’s website or by using the NHS App.

Introducing the new South Yorkshire COPD Treatment and Adult Asthma Guidelines 2026

We are pleased to launch the newly approved South Yorkshire Adult Asthma Guidelines 2026 and COPD Treatment Guidelines 2026.

You can find the Adult asthma guideline here: SY ICB Medicines Optimisation

You can find the COPD Treatment Guideline here: SY ICB Medicines Optimisation

To support the launch of these guidelines Deb Leese (Clinical Lead Pharmacist Respiratory, NHS South Yorkshire ICB) will be hosting a number of webinars throughout March for you to book onto.  The webinars will run at breakfast time, lunch time and evening on a variety of days.  Please use the links below to book onto the sessions.

National Cancer Plan for England

Last week, the National Cancer Plan was published, setting out a bold, long-term approach to improving cancer outcomes, experience and equity over the next decade.

The central ambition is that by 2035, three in four people diagnosed with cancer will be cancer-free, or living well with cancer after five years, delivering the fastest improvement in cancer survival this century.

Reminder: submit your Pharmacy Quality Scheme 2025/26 declaration

Community Pharmacy contractors should submit their Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS) 2025/26 declaration through the Manage Your Service (MYS) portal by 11:59pm on Friday 27 February 2026.

Further information, including the full PQS requirements and guidance, is available on the NHS England website. Contractors should review the criteria, gather evidence and plan their submission ahead of the declaration deadline. The declaration questions are available on the NHSBSA website.

Dental contract reform webinars

Join a webinar at 6.00- 7.30pm on 11 March on the dental contract reforms with Ali Sparke, Director for Community Pharmacy, Dentistry and Optometry, NHS England and Jason Wong, Chief Dental Officer, NHS England. The webinar will provide information on how the contract reforms will be implemented and what commissioners and providers will need to do to prepare, including details on service requirements; how the changes will be set up in systems and how contract reconciliation will work. Register a place on the NHS England website.

Chief Dental Officer Jason Wong will also be chairing a webinar from 7.00– 8.30pm on 24 February, which will look at the clinical guidance published in support of contract reform. Register a place. 

New guidance on writing and sending NHS App messages, text messages, emails and letters to patients and the public

NHS England has issued new messaging best practice guidance and a content guide on writing and sending NHS App messages, text messages, emails and letters. This new guidance is to help teams design clearer, safer and more effective messages for patients and the public across the NHS.

The guidance explains when and how to contact patients, the benefits of digital‑first messaging, and tips on how to start using NHS Notify, the national NHS messaging service. Explore the guidance to improve your messaging and support better patient outcomes.

Reminder of the importance of medication reviews in Pregnancy

Colleagues are reminded of the importance of timely and thorough medication reviews during pregnancy, particularly where patients are prescribed long-term or potentially teratogenic medicines.

A recent Prevention of Future Deaths report relating to maternity care has highlighted the critical role of primary care in reviewing, documenting and clearly communicating medication risks and plans when pregnancy is identified or planned. Early review, shared decision-making and appropriate liaison with specialist services are essential to ensure safe care for both mother and baby.

The full report can be accessed here: Avery Hall: Prevention of Future Deaths report – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Social Prescribing Link Worker consultation

The National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP) has launched its second national consultation with Social Prescribing Link Workers (SPLWs) across England to inform the future of social prescribing. All SPLWs working in England, including those employed through PCNs, GP practices, community providers and voluntary organisations, are invited to respond. The survey is anonymous and takes up to 30 minutes to complete. The findings will inform NASP’s work on national policy, workforce development and practice improvement.

Please share with SPLWs within your networks and support participation. Input from SPLWs in PCNs is essential to ensure views of primary care are reflected in future national development. Complete the survey by 11 March 2026.

Webinar Resources: South Yorkshire Data Sharing Programmes

The Sheffield PCN Development Team recently hosted a webinar (7 January) for GPs and PCNs to support a better understanding of the South Yorkshire data-sharing landscape. The session was aimed at GPs, Practice Managers, Practice Caldicott Guardians, PCN Clinical Directors and Network Managers.

The webinar covered key programmes including GP Connect, the Yorkshire and Humber Care Record (YHCR), the SY Insights Data Warehouse, and Eclipse.

A recording of the session, presentation slides, and a Q&A document are now available to access via the Primary Care InSYghts Portal.

Tirzepatide for Weight Management: Understanding Wrap-Around Support

Primary care colleagues are invited to attend an online information session on Tirzepatide for Weight Management and the associated Behavioural Support for Obesity Programme (BSOP), also known as Wrap Around Support.

Wednesday 4 March | 12:30–13:30
Register via: Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams

Delivered by Reed Wellbeing (provider of the Diabetes Prevention Programme), this session will outline eligibility criteria, the patient journey from referral to programme delivery, key talking points for consultations, and how to refer patients. There will also be time for questions and discussion.

South Yorkshire Paediatric Palliative and End of Life Care Education Package

We are pleased to share the South Yorkshire Paediatric Palliative and End of Life Care Education Package, bringing together a range of learning opportunities to support professionals working with babies, children and young people with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions.

The programme includes study days, simulation training and education sessions suitable for staff across acute, community, hospice, voluntary and hospital settings, and for all levels of experience. Full details, including dates and booking information, are available in the attached brochure (below), which also includes an Education Day hosted by Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice.

Please see the attached event flyers and brochures below for sharing widely within your teams.

NHS Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission Programme – Training Webinar

Primary care colleagues are invited to a national webinar on the NHS Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission Programme on Thursday, 5 March - 12:30–13:15. Register here. 

The session will share the latest outcomes, referral processes, practical support from Momenta, and an update on the programme’s extension and future integration into the Healthier You framework. A patient story will also be included.

Open to all primary care roles involved in identifying or referring patients.

Upcoming Diabetes Learning Events: March 2026

Two upcoming online sessions in March offer valuable updates and practical support for primary care teams managing type 2 diabetes.

On Wednesday, 4 March (13:00–14:00), NICE will host a webinar on the updated NG28 guideline, outlining the shift from a glucose-focused model to a more personalised approach to type 2 diabetes care. The session will cover key methodological changes, clinical implications, and how to drive quality improvement locally. Register here.

On Friday, 20 March (12:30–13:30), a session on Improving Care for Women with a History of Gestational Diabetes will explore prevention, screening and practical approaches to reducing future risk. Local clinicians will share learning from a successful improvement project. Register here.

Book via the links provided in the event listings above.

Updates

Important Update: Changes to ICE Microbiology Test Requesting – Effective 2 February

Following a recent Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspection, changes are being introduced to the ICE system for requesting Microbiology tests. These updates are required after a potential laboratory staff exposure incident and are designed to strengthen safety processes.

From Monday, 2 February, the mandatory high-risk sample question on ICE has been updated. It now includes additional prompts relating to recent foreign travel, contact with imported animals, and consumption of unpasteurised milk.

If ‘Yes’ is selected for any of these high-risk indicators, a further pop-up will request relevant clinical information. An additional comment will automatically appear on the sample label to alert laboratory staff (e.g. ‘RISK: Travel’ and/or ‘RISK: Milk/Animal’). There are no additional handling requirements for staff collecting samples.

Samples that may contain Hazard Group 3 or 4 pathogens pose a significant risk if clinical details are incomplete. It is therefore essential that all relevant information is provided at the point of request. If new information becomes available after a sample has been sent, please contact the Microbiology laboratory as soon as possible.