How does funding per patient for GPs compare in NHS England and NHS Scotland?

In NHS England it’s between £155 and £165.¹

In NHS Scotland it’s around £210, a third, 33% higher.²

Is that it? Is the SNP now resting on it’s laurels? Nope, see this:

General Practice in Scotland is set to receive a record £531 million investment over the next three years, marking the largest funding boost to core GP services in the country’s history. The announcement follows an agreement with the British Medical Association and is subject to future budget approvals by the Scottish Government. The funding will support recruitment, day-to-day operations, and digital innovation, helping improve access to GP services for patients across Scotland.

The phased investment includes:

• £98 million in 2026–27
• £183 million in 2027–28
• £249 million in 2028–29

This builds on Scotland’s current annual investment of over £1.3 billion in General Practice, including more than £100 million in additional funding over the past two years.3

And the trends? Up in Scotland⁴ down in England⁵.

Sources:

1. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/sites/default/files/2025-11/public-services-performance-tracker-2025-nhs.pdf?
2. https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/nhs-payments-to-general-practice/nhs-payments-to-general-practice-financial-year-2024-to-2025/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
3. https://www.nationalhealthexecutive.com/articles/scotlands-record-investment-general-practice?utm_source=chatgpt.com
4. https://www.nationalhealthexecutive.com/articles/scotlands-record-investment-general-practice?utm_source=chatgpt.com
5. https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/sites/default/files/2025-11/public-services-performance-tracker-2025-nhs.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com

• Or is that ‘Patients in Scotland get 33% more GP?’