Health trusts to get into the property business to try to provide cheaper homes for health workers closer to their places of work
Patient satisfaction with GPs in London is improving, with NHS London hopeful that the government’s 10-year capital plan, aimed at unlocking 1million extra appointments for Londoners every year, will provide further improvements.
Prompt attention: the NHS is looking to provide 1million extra GP appointments a year in London
Figures from the 2026 GP Patient Survey show more than 8-in-10 Londoners (83%) find their GP practice’s reception and administrative team helpful, while 6-in-10 (60%) say it is easy to contact their practice by phone.
The results maintain an upward trend over the past two years, with GP surgeries in Croydon and Sutton and across London to receive a share of nearly £18million to fund further upgrades, increasing capacity for all those extra appointments.
The improvements include converting unused space into consulting and treatment rooms, modernising buildings and redesigning layouts so practices can see more patients.
Dr Chris Streather, medical director for NHS London, said: “We know how much it matters to people to be able to see their GP quickly and conveniently, so this investment will make a real difference to patients and staff across London. Nearly 1million extra GP appointments every year means patients can get the care they need faster, and closer to home.
“It’s encouraging to see patient satisfaction rising in London, and the investment will help us build on that progress.”
To fix crumbling NHS buildings, the government is investing at least £6.75billion over nine years to repair hospitals and tackle the maintenance backlog, alongside a separate £2billion programme to remove unsafe RAAC building material from affected hospitals.
The plan also outlines how surplus NHS land will be used to build affordable homes for healthcare workers, helping staff live closer to where they work in areas where housing costs are highest.
NHS trusts will lease unused land to specialist developers, who will build and manage the homes while the NHS keeps ownership of the land.
Most homes will be offered to NHS staff at discounted rents, although some may be let at market rates – for example, as short-term accommodation for consultants moving to a new area. The programme will begin with a small number of pilot NHS trusts before wider rollout if successful.
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