Royal College of General Practitioners Northern Ireland

08/06/2026

Last chance to register for our upcoming webinar on managing obesity. Register now: https://tinyurl.com/RCGPNIObesity

07/06/2026

Celebrate General Practice in Northern Ireland by nominating your GP or GP Practice for the GP and Practice of the Year Awards: https://tinyurl.com/GPoftheYear2026

05/06/2026

How can GP capacity grow when its share of funding is falling?

RCGP NI Chair, Dr Ursula Mason said:
“The latest General Medical Services (GMS) statistics highlight a deeply concerning picture for general practice and a reality that GPs and their teams are all too familiar with.”

“Since 2024, funding for GP practices has increased by just £2 per patient, around a 1% rise, while inflation is closer to 3%. Once again, this means GPs are being asked to do more for patients with fewer real resources."

“The cost of delivering services continues to rise in real terms, this minimal uplift represents a real-terms squeeze on already stretched practices.”

“This meagre increase falls well short of what’s needed and does not move us closer to a fairer share of the healthcare budget for general practice.”

“RCGP NI continues to call for an incremental increase for general practice within the health and social care spend, but worryingly, percentage spend is going the other way for general practice– it is falling.”

“At the same time, although the statistics show that GP headcount has increased, this does not reflect the full reality on the ground. These figures are based on headcount rather than whole-time equivalent (WTE), meaning they do not account for changing GP working patterns, and therefore risk overstating the capacity available to patients.”

“Without a significant and sustained uplift in investment, the gap between demand and capacity for GP services will continue to widen, placing further strain on patients, GPs and the wider health and social care system.”

04/06/2026

Do you have a special interest you'd like to explore? RCGP Special interest groups (SIGs) serve as vibrant communities for RCGP members who share a common interest for areas within general practice. These groups are designed to foster collaboration, innovation, and knowledge sharing among members.

Learn more and join today:

Our committees help govern our work and engagement with our members, GPs, and healthcare professionals. Here's an overview of their roles and responsibilities.

02/06/2026

Medical students are warmly invited to submit a blog detailing their experience of working in a rural GP practice during their elective. Submit your blog now: https://tinyurl.com/ruralelective

28/05/2026

Our Chair, Dr Ursula Mason, along with BMA NI GP Committee Chair, Dr Frances O’Hagan, was delighted to welcome Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn MP, deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly MLA, Health Minister Mike Nesbitt MLA and Finance Minister John O’Dowd MLA to Carryduff Surgery today, to discuss the benefits that ePharmacy will bring to General Practice in Northern Ireland.

Dr Mason highlighted that the most important benefit of ePharmacy will be improved patient safety, supported by more accurate and efficient handling of prescriptions. The system will also streamline data processes, reduce unnecessary bureaucracy, and cut the administrative burden on GP practices.

This is a very welcome step forward.

British Medical Association Northern Ireland

27/05/2026

Last chance to register for our free webinar on sustainability in primary care. The entire practice team is invited to attend. Register now: https://tinyurl.com/RCGPNIsustainability

26/05/2026

RCGPNI Welcomes E-Prescribing in Northern Ireland

Chair of RCGP NI, Dr Ursula Mason said:
“I very much welcome the rollout of electronic prescribing as an important and long-overdue step forward for patients and GPs across Northern Ireland.”
“E‑prescribing is a step change for safety, efficiency and access. It will reduce errors, streamline processes, and give patients faster, more convenient access to their medicines."
“Crucially, it will also cut some administrative burden on GPs, freeing up valuable time to focus on patient care, where we want our efforts to be focused.”

Dr Mason added:
“E-prescribing will also support climate and sustainability goals by reducing paper use and cutting carbon emissions across General Practice and the wider health system, helping to reduce environmental impact while continuing to deliver high-quality patient care."

23/05/2026

Managing obesity in a sensitive and supportive way can be a challenge in healthcare. Register now for our upcoming CPD webinar: https://tinyurl.com/RCGPNIObesity

18/05/2026

RCGPNI are delighted to launch the GP and Practice of the Year Awards 2026. Nominate your GP or Practice today: https://tinyurl.com/GPoftheYear2026