Addressing the Welsh conference of representatives of local medical committees, Dr Gareth Oelmann, Chair of GPC Wales, said:

Bore Da, Cyfeillion.

It’s a privilege to speak to you today here in the heart of ‘Golden Gwent’.   

It is especially meaningful for me, because I was actually born in the old maternity hospital that used to stand where the Celtic Manor Hotel now proudly sits. But it is your presence here today demonstrating your commitment to our profession, and to the people of Wales, that gives this conference its purpose and its power. This last year has been one of resilience, collaboration and ultimately progress.  

Together, we have shown that when we unite behind a common cause, we can achieve remarkable things. Evoking the imagery of the Conference Agenda booklet - we can see that just as the mists are lifting on Offa’s Dyke, revealing the first rays of sunlight, our determination and unity have begun to break through the challenges we face. 
 
Today, I want to recognise the progress we have made together—and to look confidently toward the brighter days ahead.For the avoidance of any doubt, if any of our visitors today are wondering – The sun, as ever, is shining on Wales - ‘God’s own country’! Twelve months ago, we stood on shaky ground: fragile funding, low morale, and a future that felt uncertain.  

Just weeks before the 2025 conference, 99% of Welsh GP members had rejected the then contract offer — an unprecedented mandate that forced the Welsh Government back to the table. It delivered much needed investment, though largely non recurrent. We accepted it because practices needed immediate relief. But we knew then — and we know now — that it was only a sticking plaster. 

Promises of early and meaningful discussions for 25/26 never materialised, despite GPC Wales being ready from day one. When talks finally began, the financial envelope was nowhere near enough to reach a credible agreement.  

We therefore continued our preparations for a collective action ballot and made the position crystal clear to the Cabinet Secretary. With the referendum result still loud and clear, improved financial terms followed—enough for GPC Wales to return to the table and continue negotiations. 

In December last year, after months of robust negotiations, we reached a credible settlement for the 2025/26 GMS contract; 

•  £41.9 million of recurrent investment into general practice, backdated to April 2025
• A full DDRB matching 4% pay uplift for GP partners, salaried GPs, and practice staff, plus, an expenses uplift to help practices manage unavoidable rising costs
• Crucially, there was also a guaranteed recurrent ringfenced uplift of 5.8% for 2026/27, around £30 million – separate and additional to any pay awards —giving practices stability and certainty ahead of the forthcoming Senedd elections. 

This is not just a contractual uplift; it is a signal that the Welsh Government has begun to grasp the severity of the situation and the value inherent in GMS. 
For years, we said: “Invest in general practice, it benefits the entire NHS.”  

This year, that message landed. The recurrent nature of this investment means stability for practices, not short-term solutions.  This agreement is absolutely a step forward. But, let me be clear; we must continue this momentum onward to address and reverse what has been over a decade of underfunding. 

The contract agreement also includes measures that directly support our teams: 

• There are enhanced reimbursement rates for sickness and parental leave, up by 24%, giving practices the ability to cover absences.
• A Partnership Premium uplift of 10.5%, ensuring partners are properly rewarded for leading their practices.
• We have a commitment to scope a review of the Global Sum Allocation Formula, unchanged since 2004, to ensure fairer distribution of resources.
• Alongside this, a commitment to modernise Dispensing Practice in Wales to ensure it remains viable in the long term.  

Ahead of the new financial year there are additional funds, earmarked for workforce expansion, service transformation, and resilience that will enable practices to play a central role in the NHS Wales transformation agenda. 

The Community by Design programme, led by the Welsh CMO, and the work on Directed Collaborative Services are giving us the first real glimpses of sunlight breaking through — a future where general practice leads at scale, unwarranted variation is finally reduced, and diagnostic capacity is rebuilt within our communities.  

This change will be driven by GP led collaboratives that strengthen sustainability, drive equity, and improve patient care across Wales. Underpinning all of this is a simple, unshakeable principle: Resources Must Follow the Cost. 

On behalf of GPC Wales, I want to thank the Cabinet Secretary Jeremy Miles for his thoughtful address today, for his commitment during his time in office, for his genuine advocacy for general practice, and for his clear understanding of the challenges facing our profession in Wales; I am confident he has laid a strong platform for the next administration to build upon – whoever they may be! 

As Wales prepares for a new Senedd and the fresh choices that will shape our nation’s future, let us be absolutely clear; GPC Wales has never shied away from the hard conversations, the difficult negotiations, or the responsibility of working with government to win a better contract and a better deal for the people we serve.  

Time and again, we have stepped up and shown what partnership can achieve, progress that is real, tangible, and hard‑won. But now we must aim higher still.  

Our priorities for 2026 are unmistakable:  

• A workforce strategy that moves from rhetoric to reality;  
•  A fair funding model, both in quantum and allocation. A model that truly reflects the weight of complexity, demand, and the rising cost of modern care;  
• The creation of a collaborative service‑delivery arm that strengthens General Medical Services. 

All of which can ensure that general practice remains the beating heart of the NHS in Wales.

Conference, our strength has always been our unity. Time and again, we have shown what is possible when we stand shoulder to shoulder, when we refuse to be divided or diminished. Together, we will build a future where general practice in Wales thrives, not just survives.  

Let us leave here today with this certainty: Better times are ahead. The sun will rise again on Welsh general practice, and we will rise with it. 

Diolch. 

Ends

 

 

Notes to editors

The BMA is a professional association and trade union representing and negotiating on behalf of all doctors in the UK. A leading voice advocating for outstanding health care and a healthy population. An association providing members with excellent individual services and support throughout their lives.