Primary care networks (PCNs) across Greater Manchester have hired the most GPs through the additional roles reimbursement scheme (ARRS), new NHS England data has shown.
There have been 143 GPs hired through the PCN employment mechanism across Greater Manchester ICB since October, when the role was first added to the scheme.
PCNs in Somerset and Cornwall ICBs have employed the least, with six and nine respectively.
A total of 1,503 ARRS GPs have been hired across England so far. This is the first standalone figure that NHS England has reported for the role.
The confirmed full-time equivalent figure as of February stands at 851, for March, this figure is 979 although NHS England has said the figure will be a ‘significant’ undercount due to when the data was extracted from the ARRS claims portal.
NHS England added: ‘By 31 March, claims for a further 93 GPs employed between 1 October 2024 and 31 March 2025 had been submitted by PCNs and were awaiting ICB approval. These GPs are not yet included in the figures in these tables.’
The recent contract confirmed the role would continue into the next financial year (2025/26), with an increase in funding and the removal of the ringfence around the £82m funding that was initially to be used to recruit 1,000 GPs.
Health secretary, Wes Streeting, said: ‘Rebuilding our broken NHS starts with fixing the front door. We inherited a ludicrous situation where patients couldn’t get a GP appointment, while GPs couldn’t get a job. By cutting red tape and investing more in our NHS, we have put an extra 1,503 GPs into general practice to deliver more appointments.
‘The extra investment and reforms we have made will allow patients to book appointments more easily, to help bring back the family doctor and end the 8am scramble.
‘It is only because of the necessary decisions we took to increase employer National Insurance that we are able to recruit more GPs and deliver better services for patients. The extra investment and reform this government is making, as part of its Plan for Change, will get the NHS back on its feet and make it fit for the future.’
Dr Amanda Doyle, national director for primary care, said: ‘I would like to thank the general practice teams that have employed significantly more than the 1,000 extra GPs promised to provide care for patients.
‘Improving access to general practice is an NHS priority and GP teams are delivering 29 million appointments every month – up a fifth since before the pandemic.
‘But we have more to do to make it easier for patients to see their local GP, so practice teams should continue to use this funding to best effect by recruiting more GPs, so more patients can be seen more quickly.’
Responding to the figures, Ruth Rankine, director of the primary care network at the NHS Confederation, said: ‘We welcome the news on the recruitment of an extra 1,503 GPs which is a positive step towards getting the additional GPs we need and securing employment for newly qualified doctors. This has been helped by the extra funding invested in the additional roles reimbursement scheme (ARRS) to address workforce challenges.
‘Like the rest of the NHS, general practice is seeing unprecedented demand with 60 million more appointments since before the pandemic, so the additional workforce is severely needed to meet patient needs.
‘But we shouldn’t stop there – we know that patients value the relationship they have with their GP. Continuity plays a vital role in helping to manage demand on the rest of the system. We look forward to a greater commitment to invest in primary care as part of the ten-year plan and upcoming Spending Review.’
*Data is extracted from the ARRS claims portal. NHS England notes that headcount figures are calculated by counting the number of unique GPs for whom at least one claim has been made over the whole period from 1 October 2024. Unique GPs are identified by their GMC number. But headcount totals may not equal the sum of components, due to individuals working across multiple PCNs and areas.
