General Medical Services for Northern Ireland: Annual Statistics 2025/26

General Medical Services for Northern Ireland: Annual Statistics 2025/26

An Accredited Official Statistics Publication
Published by: BSO Family Practitioner Services Information Unit

Contact: Gerard McMullan
Telephone: 028 9536 3689
Email: Gerard.McMullan@hscni.net

Theme: General Medical Services
Coverage: Northern Ireland
Frequency: Annual

Publication date: 04 June 2026

Key Facts

• Northern Ireland had 304 active GP (General Practitioner) practices. This was a reduction of 1 compared to 2025 and a reduction of 46 (13%) since 2014.

• There were 1,505 GPs (excluding Locums). Of these, 61% were female and 39% were male, a notable shift in gender profile since 2014 (46% female, 54% male).

• A total of 2,079,000 individuals were registered with a GP practice. During 2025/26 there were approximately 44,000 new patient registrations and 43,000 patients transferred between NI GP practices.

• BSO processed £383.3m of payments towards overall cost of GP services in Northern Ireland. This was an average payment of £184 per registered patient, 48% more than in 2017/18.

1. GP Practice Statistics

This section contains basic summary statistics on GP Practices including number of practices and their distribution geographically and proximity for patients. Where a practice is split over more than one site the location of the primary practice is used for analysis.

1.1 Number of GP practices

There were 304 GP practices in Northern Ireland on 31 March 2026 note 1. This is a reduction of 1 practice since 2025 and a reduction of 46 (13.1%) since 2014. The change in the number of practices is as a result of closures, as well as mergers (where practices have combined).

Belfast Local Government District (LGD) has the largest number of GP practices at the end of March 2026 (72) while Lisburn and Castlereagh LGD has the smallest number (15).

Figure 1.1: Number of GP practices by Local Government District (LGD), 31st March 2014 and 31 March 2026

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Since 2014 all LGD’s have witnessed a decrease in number of GP practices. The proportionate decreases range from 4.0% in Causeway Coast and Glens to 29.6% in Fermanagh and Omagh.

At Local Commissioning Group (Health Trust) level, Western had the largest proportionate decrease in GP practices between 2014 and 2026 (17.5%). The smallest decrease in GP practices during this period is in the South Eastern LCG (9.3%). For further information see Annex Table 3.1

Note 1:

Figures presented are as at 31st March and include only those practices which will be open on 1st April.

1.2 GP practices per 100,000 registered patients

Clearly the number of registered patients in any given LGD will have an influence on the service required. Figure 1.2 presents the number of GP practices per 100,000 registered patients in order to provide a better indication of service provision. Note, however, this does not take account of the different age profiles or levels of morbidity across areas which will also impact on service requirements. It should also be noted that GP practices vary in size and number of live GP contracts associated with them. Similarly, GP contract headcounts may not be comparable as they do not take account of individual work patterns.

Figure 1.2: GP practices per 100,000 registered patients, by Local Government District (LGD), 31 March 2026

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Newry, Mourne and Down LGD has the highest number of GP practices per 100,000 registered patients (17.2), almost one and a half times the number in Antrim and Newtownabbey LGD (11.5). However, when considering the number of GPs per 100,000 registered patients, Newry, Mourne and Down has 64.3 compared with 70.4 in Antrim and Newtownabbey meaning that, in general, GP practices in Antrim and Newtownabbey are larger and have more GPs operating out of them. For further information on the average number of GPs per practice and the number of GP practices per 100,000 see Annex Tables 4.5 and 5.2

At GP Federation level, North Belfast had the highest number of GP practices per 100,000 registered patients (18.3), followed by Newry & District, (17.8). The number of GP practices per 100,000 registered patients has decreased across all GP Federations since 2016 with a reduction of 17.5% at Northern Ireland level during this time. This decrease across GP Federations ranges from 31.1% in Ards to 5.4% in North Down. For further information see Annex Table 5.3

1.3 Distance to nearest GP practice

At Northern Ireland level, 97.7% of the population [note 2] live within five miles of a GP practice. At least 88.1% of the population live within a three mile radius of a GP practice; with the more urban LGDs (Belfast, Antrim and Newtownabbey, Lisburn and Castlereagh and Ards and North Down) showing upwards of 92.0%.

Figure 1.3: Average distance to nearest GP practice by Local Government District (LGD), 31 March 2026

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GP registration data were analysed using Northern Ireland multiple deprivation measure (NIMDM) quintiles where 1 represents the most deprived areas and 5 represents the least deprived areas.

Figure 1.4 shows that patients from the most deprived (0.8 miles) and least deprived (0.9 miles) deprivation quintiles lived closest to a GP practice on average, while those in the middle quintile (1.8 miles) lived furthest away on average. These findings may be influenced by the often urban location of GP practices typically characterised by areas of high and low deprivation.

Figure 1.4: Population weighted average distance to nearest GP practice, by deprivation quintile, 31 March 2026

Multiple Deprivation Measure (MDM) 2017	Average distance to nearest GP practice (miles)
Quintile 1 Most Deprived	0.8
Quintile 2	1.5
Quintile 3	1.8
Quintile 4	1.5
Quintile 5 Least Deprived	0.9
Northern Ireland	1.3

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For average distances to nearest GP practice by Local Commissioning Group (Health Trust), Local Government District, and, deprivation quintile detail refer to Annex Tables 7.1, 7.2 and 7.3

Note 2:

Population is defined as active GP registration person counts at postcode level at 31 March 2026. Distance is calculated as the straight line distance between the centroids of the population home postcode to the postcode of the nearest GP practice.

2. GP Workforce

This section contains basic summary statistics on GP Practitioners (GP) (excluding Locums) including number, age and gender and patients per GP Practitioner. GP figures presented are headcount and do not reflect different working patterns individual GPs may operate. Age data is unavailable for a small number of GPs meaning average age figures and proportions in each age group are based on those where age is known.

2.1 GPs by gender and age profile

There were 1,505 active GPs (headcount) across Northern Ireland at 31 March 2026. This is a 2.5% increase in the number of GPs since 2025 and a 27.5% increase since 2014. It should be noted that not all GPs work full-time hours so changes in headcount may not reflect the change in full time equivalent GPs.

While quality-assured data on GP working patterns are not currently available, unpublished management information from the Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency (NIMDTA) provides additional context to the published Business Services Organisation (BSO) GP headcount figures.

Analysis of GP appraisals up to 2023/24 (the latest report presenting data as Whole Time Equivalent (WTE)) suggests that the sustained increase in headcount has not been fully reflected in WTE GP numbers. WTE levels for GP Partners and salaried GPs remained broadly stable until 2018/19, before falling by over 5% between 2018/19 and 2021/22, and subsequently increasing by around 17% by 2023/24. Overall, while BSO-reported headcount increased by 23.2% between 2014 and 2024, the corresponding increase in NIMDTA-derived WTE for Partners and salaried GPs was more modest at 10.8% between 2014/15 and 2023/24.

More recent NIMDTA data, including sessional activity up to 2024/25, provides a further perspective on service capacity, with sessions by GP type used as a measure. Focusing on the period from 2022/23 onwards (as 2021/22 may have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic), headcount increased by approximately 1.1%, while sessions delivered rose by around 1.2%, indicating that recent changes in workforce numbers and activity have been broadly aligned.

These figures should be interpreted with caution. The NIMDTA data is self-reported and largely unvalidated, methodologies may vary over time, some GPs may not have undergone appraisal, and locum-delivered sessions may not be fully captured. Nonetheless, the comparison highlights that headcount alone may not fully reflect underlying GP workforce capacity or service delivery.

Between 2018 and 2026 the proportion of all GPs that are salaried has increased from 8.8% to 26.0% (see Annex Table 2.5).

In terms of gender profile of GPs, 60.8% are female and 39.2 % are male. Figure 2.1 shows that since 2014 there has generally been a gradual downward trend in the number of male GPs with a steeper increase in the number of female GPs.

The number of male GPs is 8.2% lower than in 2014, while the number of female GPs has increased to almost two thirds more (70.4%) during the same period. Again it should be noted that this takes no account of changes in male and female working pattern over the period.

Figure 2.1: Number of GPs in NI by gender, 2014 to 2026

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The changing demographics of the GP workforce are reflected in Figure 2.2. Over half of GPs in the 60+ age-group are male, while there are significantly more female GPs in the younger age groups.

The 25-39 age band is made up of 32.8% male and 67.2% female GPs. As age increases, so broadly does the percentage of male GPs until the oldest age bracket (60+) where the figures are 65.0% male and 35.0% female.

Around one-third of female GPs (33.6%) are in the 25-39 age band compared to just over a quarter of male GPs (25.5%). Conversely only 4.9% of female GPs are aged 60 and over compared to 14.1% of male GPs.

Figure 2.2: GPs in Northern Ireland by age and gender, 31 March 2026

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The average age of Northern Ireland GPs is 46 years old. At GP Federation level, average age ranges from 44 years old in Craigavon, East Antrim, Mid-Ulster and North Down to 49 years old in South West and West Belfast.

The GP Federation with the highest proportion of GPs aged 55 and over is South West where just over one third (35.4%) of GPs are in this age group. Down has the next highest proportion of GPs aged 55 and over (29.8%) followed by West Belfast (29.5%).

Ards, Craigavon, Derry, East Antrim, East Belfast, Lisburn, Mid-Ulster, Newry & District, North Belfast, North Down and South Belfast GP Federations have a lower proportion of GPs aged 55 and over than the Northern Ireland average of 18.9%.

Figure 2.3: Number of GPs in Northern Ireland, by GP Federation, 31 March 2026

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Figure 2.4: Percentage of GPs aged 55 and over in Northern Ireland, by GP Federation, 31 March 2026

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2.2 GPs per head of population

Belfast LGD has the largest number of GPs (349) and registered patients [note 3] (443,247). Fermanagh and Omagh LGD has the smallest number of GPs (79) while Lisburn and Castlereagh LGD has the fewest registered patients (124,933). Figure 2.5 presents the number of GPs per 100,000 registered patients.

Mid and East Antrim LGD has the highest number of GPs per 100,000 registered patients (91.4), more than 50% higher than the number in Mid Ulster LGD (60.4) which had the lowest. The Northern Ireland average is 72.4 GPs per 100,000 registered patients (or 1 GP for every 1,381 registered patients). Again, this analysis takes no account of varying levels of full and part-time working by GPs across areas which may, in part, help explain some of the differences.

Figure 2.5 GPs per 100,000 registered patients, by Local Government District (LGD), 31 March 2026

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Note 3:

Patients may not necessarily reside in the same LGD as the GP practice to which they are registered.

3. Registered Patients

This section contains basic summary statistics on registered patients including new patient registrations during 2025/26.

3.1 Total registered patients

There were a total of 2,078,635 individuals on the index of patients registered with a GP practice at 31 March 2026. [note 4]

At 31 March 2026, Belfast Local Government District [note 5] had the highest number of patients registered with GP practices within its boundary (443,247) and is almost 90% higher than the next highest LGD (Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon: 234,953). Lisburn and Castlereagh had the smallest number of GP registered patients (124,933).

Figure 3.1: Registered patients, by Local Government District (LGD), 31 March 2026

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At GP Federation level, Derry has, by a considerable margin, the highest number of registered patients (212,304), while Down (80,581), Mid-Ulster (81,896) and Ards (83,364) have the smallest numbers. With the exception of South Belfast (1.8%), all GP Federations have seen patient numbers grow by less than 1% when compared to 2025. For further information see Annex Table 1.3

Figure 3.2: Registered patients, by GP Federation, 31 March 2026

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Note 4:

There are differences between the figures for GP registered patients and the NI residential population. For more detail see Data Quality Summary in the Technical Notes section at the end of this report.

Note 5:

Patients may not necessarily reside in the same LGD as the GP practice to which they are registered.

3.2 Patients registering with a GP practice during 2025/26

During the 2025/26 financial year, GP practices in Northern Ireland registered 87,507 patients. This comprised 44,358 new patients (first time registrations in NI) and 43,149 patients transferring from another Northern Ireland GP practice.

Figure 3.3 shows the trend in registrations since 2014. The drop in registrations during 2017/2018 may be explained by the introduction of a new registration form. Issues with this new form resulted in a backlog building up in 2017/2018 that was relieved in 2018/2019 leading to the 2018/2019 figure being slightly higher than expected. A further significant drop can be observed during 2020/2021, in large part driven by the impact of Covid-19 on registration services and population movement, with activity returning to expected levels in subsequent years. A decline is evident in the most recent year across total registrations, new registrations and within NI transfers; however, this appears more pronounced due to a relatively high level of transfers in 2024/2025.

Figure 3.3: Total GP registrations (new and within Northern Ireland transfers), 2014/15 to 2025/26

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Practices in the South Belfast GP Federation registered the largest number of patients (9,689) during 2025/26. This is despite South Belfast being only the 8th largest GP Federation in terms of patient numbers. However, this may in part be explained by registration of students who transferred to another GP Practice as a result of moving address, as the area served by this GP Federation contains a lot of student accommodation. Aside from South Belfast, the number of registrations in a GP Federation is broadly proportionate to the number of registered patients in that Federation.

The GP Federation that registered the second highest number of patients (7,373) was East Antrim, which is the third largest in terms of patient numbers (155,558). Derry, which is the largest GP Federation in terms of patient numbers (212,304) registered the third largest number of patients (6,598). Mid-Ulster (2,636) and West Belfast (2,803) registered the smallest number of patients during 2025/26. Mid-Ulster is the second smallest GP Federation in terms of the number of registered patients, while West Belfast is the fifth smallest.

Figure 3.4: Total GP registrations (new and within Northern Ireland transfers), by GP Federation, 2025/26

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3.3 Non UK Nationals registering with a GP practice during 2025/26

At Northern Ireland level, just over one quarter (27.4%) of first time GP registrations during 2025/26 were non-UK Nationals. Since 2018/19 the proportion of first time GP registrations who were non-UK nationals ranged from 22.2% in 2020/21 (potentially related to the impact of Covid-19) to 35.6% during 2022/23.

At Northern Ireland level, more than two fifths (43.8%) of all non-UK National first time registrations during 2025/26 were with a GP practice in Belfast LGD. At LGD level, the proportion of first time registrations attributable to non-UK Nationals ranged from 41.9% in Belfast to 14.9% in Ards and North Down.

Figure 3.5: New (first time in NI) GP registrations by UK Nationals and non-UK Nationals, by Local Government District (LGD), 2025/26

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4. BSO Payments towards GP Services

This section contains basic summary statistics on payments processed by BSO towards the overall cost of GP services in Northern Ireland.

4.1 BSO payments by Local Commissioning Group (Health Trust)

During 2025/26, BSO processed £383.3m of payments towards the overall cost of GP services in Northern Ireland.

Figure 4.1 presents BSO payment towards GP services by Local Commissioning Group (Health Trust). At £91.8 million, GP practices located in the Northern Local Commissioning Group received the highest payment towards GP services. GP practices located in South Eastern received the lowest payment towards GP services (£63.5 million).

The average BSO payment towards GP services per registered patient for 2025/26 was £184, an increase of £2 per patient since 2024/25.

At Local Commissioning Group (Health Trust) level, the highest average payment towards GP services per registered patient was £191 in Belfast while the lowest was £173 in Southern.

Figure 4.1: BSO payments towards GP services, by Local Commissioning Group (Health Trust) of GP practice in receipt of payment, 2025/26

Local Commissioning Group (Health Trust)	Payment towards GP services (£ millions)	Average payment per patient (£)
South Eastern	63.5	183
Western	64.7	189
Southern	76.7	173
Belfast	86.6	191
Northern	91.8	186
Northern Ireland	383.3	184

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Factors that can influence variation in payment towards GP services per patient include age profile of patients, additional services available, level of deprivation, rent and rates variation, locum use, trial programs etc.

4.2 BSO payments by Local Government District

Figure 4.2 presents BSO payment towards GP services by Local Government District (LGD). GP practices located in the Belfast LGD, which comprises more than one fifth of Northern Ireland’s registered patients, received the highest payment towards GP services (£84.6 million), more than twice the amount received by the next highest recipients (GP practices located in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon: £41.6m). At £20.9m, practices located in Lisburn and Castlereagh, the LGD with the smallest number of registered patients, received the lowest payment towards GP services.

In terms of payment per registered patient, the highest amount was £198 per registered patient in Causeway Coast and Glens and Derry City and Strabane, while the lowest was £168 in Lisburn and Castlereagh. GP practices located in Antrim and Newtownabbey saw the largest increase in payment per patient from 2024/25 (3.6%) while those in Mid and East Antrim experienced a decrease in payment per patient (-0.5%).

Figure 4.2: BSO payments towards GP services, by Local Government District (LGD) of GP practice in receipt of payment, 2025/26

Local Government District	Payment towards GP services (£ m)	Average payment per patient (£)
Lisburn and Castlereagh	20.9	168
Fermanagh and Omagh	21.9	174
Antrim and Newtownabbey	24.1	174
Mid and East Antrim	28.5	192
Mid Ulster	28.8	178
Causeway Coast and Glens	30.3	198
Ards and North Down	30.9	183
Derry City and Strabane	35.7	198
Newry, Mourne and Down	35.8	181
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon	41.6	177
Belfast	84.6	191
Northern Ireland	383.3	184

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4.3 BSO payments by GP Federation

Figure 4.3 presents BSO payment towards GP services by GP Federation. The Derry GP Federation has the largest number of registered patients and it recorded the highest total payment towards GP services (£42.0m). At £214, the West Belfast GP Federation recorded the highest average payment per registered patient during 2025/26, followed by Down (£204) with North Belfast (£202) the next highest.

GP practices located in the Mid-Ulster (£14.6m) and North Down (£15.0m) GP Federations received the lowest total BSO payment towards GP services during 2025/26. Practices located in the Lisburn (£165), South Belfast (£166) and Craigavon (£167) GP Federations recorded the lowest average payment per registered patient during the financial year.

Figure 4.3: BSO payments towards GP services, by GP Federation of GP practice in receipt of payment, 2025/26

GP Federation	Payment towards GP services (£ m)	Average payment per patient (£)
Mid-Ulster	14.6	178
North Down	15.0	175
Ards	15.9	191
Lisburn	16.2	165
Down	16.5	204
West Belfast	19.9	214
South Belfast	21.4	166
Causeway	21.9	197
East Belfast	22.1	190
South West	22.8	176
North Belfast	23.2	202
Craigavon	24.1	167
Antrim Ballymena	25.3	183
Armagh & Dungannon	25.8	182
Newry & District	28.0	172
East Antrim	28.7	185
Derry	42.0	198
Northern Ireland	383.3	184

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5. General Medical Services UK Comparisons

This section contains General Medical Services comparisons with other UK nations. Data for GPs reflect what is reported at Northern Ireland level i.e. headcount and includes Unrestricted Principals or Equivalents (UPEs), Salaried GPs and Retainers.

5.1 GPs by gender UK comparisons

Like Northern Ireland, the gender profiles of GPs in England, Scotland and Wales are majority female. The proportion of GPs that are female ranges from 63% in Scotland to 58% in Wales. It should be noted that proportions are calculated using headcount meaning individual work patterns are not reflected.

Figure 5.1: GPs by gender UK comparisons, 2025/26

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5.2 GPs per head of population UK Comparisons

Scotland has the highest headcount number of GPs per 100,000 registered patients (76.5) followed by Northern Ireland (72.4). Wales had 65.5 GPs per 100,000 registered patients while England had the lowest ratio at 61.7. Again any differences in working patterns between countries are not reflected in the figures.

Figure 5.2: GPs per 100,000 registered patients, 2025/26

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5.3 GP practices per head of population UK comparisons

Northern Ireland and Scotland (14.6) have the most GP practices per 100,000 registered patients followed by Wales (11.1) with England (9.7) having the fewest. GP practices vary in size and number of live GP contracts associated with them. This means comparisons using this measure have to be treated with a degree of caution.

Figure 5.3: GP practices per 100,000 registered patients, 2025/26

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About this publication

This annual report contains high level summary information in relation to General Practitioners (GPs), GP practices and registered patients including registration activity and payments processed by Business Services Organisation (BSO) towards the overall cost of GP services in Northern Ireland.

A number of United Kingdom (UK) comparisons are also included. The report does not contain data on the treatment of patients as individual GPs maintain their own clinical information systems.

Headline results, supported by relevant charts, infographics, commentary, and user guidance are included in the main body of the report. The detailed tables which underpin each of the sections, and which provide further trend, demographic and regional breakdowns at Local Government District (LGD), Local Commissioning Group (Health Trust) and GP Federation level, are included as Annex Tables.

This publication has been produced by independent statisticians within the FPS Information Unit. They are on secondment from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA). It has been compiled in accordance with the Code of Practice for Statistics.

Further information about the work of FPS and the manner in which these statistics were produced can be found at the end of this publication.

User engagement

Statisticians in the Information Unit are regularly in contact with key users of the statistics. While previously readership surveys alone were used to provide an overall assessment of whether user needs were being met, the current approach employed is to supplement these surveys with focused consultations with key users on a rolling basis. This approach helps to gain greater insight into how the statistics are used and to identify additional specific requirements. In addition, any ad hoc requests for information are recorded centrally in a database and these records are used to provide intelligence from a wider set of users in relation to changing requirements. Statisticians have also piloted an online user engagement showcase event to exchange information with users on potential future developments in relation to the publications. An outline of future developments as a result of user engagement is provided in the General Medical Services Statistics User Engagement Action Plan.

This is an Accredited Official Statistics Publication

Accredited official statistics are called National Statistics in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 – see here for further explanation of this terminology. These accredited official statistics were independently reviewed by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) and received formal accreditation on 11th May 2022 (see OSR Compliance Report). As such they comply with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics.

We have developed a series of statements to demonstrate how we meet the Code in our everyday work. These cover our independence, data quality procedures, how we make our statistics accessible whilst protecting your data, engage with you to meet your needs and, when things go wrong, how we make corrections or, should our services fall below the required standard, how you can make a complaint. All of this information is included in our Statistics Charter.

Since the assessment by the OSR, we have continued to comply with the Code of Practice for Statistics, and have made the following improvements:

• On 28th June 2022 a new suite of tables was published detailing the number of registered patients at each GP Practice in NI broken down by age and gender. These tables are now available for 2012 to 2026.

• Key facts and charts were first introduced to the General Medical Services quarterly series for Q2 2022/23, published on 10th November 2022.

• On 28th March 2023 a pilot User Engagement showcase event was held to advise users of the current capabilities and future developments of the statistics and obtain feedback from users.

• On 8th June 2023 the Annual General Medical Services Statistics were published in HTML format for the first time using an innovative methodology termed a Reproducible Analytical Pipeline (RAP). This should greatly increase the efficiency of production in future, improve reproducibility of the figures and enhance user experience due to the interactive nature of the content.

• On 10th August 2023, the General Medical Services quarterly series tables were published with an accompanying HTML Key Facts report. This new format contains interactive graphics and the ability to automatically download the data presented in the charts.

Our statistical practice is regulated by the OSR. You are welcome to contact us directly with any comments about how we meet these standards (contact the responsible statistician listed at beginning of this publication). Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing regulation@statistics.gov.uk or via the OSR website here.

Feedback

Feedback is welcome and if you have requirements for further breakdowns please email BSO_PrimaryCare.Statistics@hscni.net

Publication Notes

Family Practitioner Services

Family Practitioner Services (FPS) is part of the BSO’s Operations Directorate. It provides a range of essential services to Health and Social Care organisations, primary care contractors and patients.

FPS calculates payments to health professionals in the dental, pharmacy, general practice and ophthalmic sectors through Northern Ireland. It also maintains the central register of patients registered with GP Practices in Northern Ireland, issuing medical cards and processing changes such as name, address and doctor.

It provides professional advice, support and information to customers and members of the public and maintains the pharmaceutical, dental and the Northern Ireland Primary Medical Performers lists. FPS also provides the call and recall services for cervical and bowel cancer screening in Northern Ireland.

Next edition

This publication is issued annually. It is expected that the next edition shall be published in June 2027. In the interim, quarterly update reports with associated tables are published separately. The quarterly figures are provisional until the annual publication for that year issues, at which point they are finalised. The release calendar for future statistical publications is available on the BSO website.

Technical Notes

Target Audience

The target audience for this publication has been defined as: the Department of Health, Strategic Planning and Performance Group (formerly HSC Board) and Health Trusts in Northern Ireland, health professionals, academics, HSC Stakeholders, the media and the general public.

Main usages

This publication contains Accredited Official Statistics on General Medical Services for the most recent financial year (and earlier years where available on a comparable basis).

They can be used to monitor trends in General Medical Services over time and across Northern Ireland.

The information can be used to support decision making, inform policy, provide advice to ministers, answer a wide range of Assembly Questions and Freedom of Information requests, for national and local press articles and, where appropriate, for international comparison.

Data Quality Summary

Figures presented for GPs refer to Unrestricted Principals or Equivalents (UPEs), Salaried GPs and Retainers and do not include Locums. GP numbers are based on headcount and do not therefore reflect changes in working patterns. GP Practice characteristics vary in terms of Full Time Equivalent (FTE) number of GPs assigned to a practice, number of sites a practice operates from, and number of patients registered to a practice.

The count of registered patients is based on live registrations at the 31st March each year. There may be a lag between a patient presenting themselves at a GP Practice and completion of registration. This lag may be greater for patients who have to provide additional documentation as proof of entitlement to services. Similarly for deductions, there may be a lag in removing individuals from the index of registered patients.

There are differences between the figures for GP Registered Patients and residential population. At June 2024, the number of individuals on the index of registered patients was 6.8% higher than the 2024 Northern Ireland mid-year population estimate. This discrepancy can arise from a number of factors, for example, time lags in removing patients from GP lists following death or emigration, Frontier Workers registered with a Northern Ireland GP, or registered patients not completing the 2021 Census.

GP Registered Patient counts by Local Commissioning Group (Health Trust), Local Government District and GP Federation are based on the location of the practice the patient is registered to as opposed to the patient’s home address.

In cases where a GP Practice is split over more than one site it is only counted as one practice and data presented including average patient counts per practice and distance to nearest practice are based on the Primary Practice.

BSO Payment towards GP Services presented in this report refers to the payments that BSO has processed on behalf of the Strategic Planning and Performance Group, which replaced the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) in April 2022, towards the overall cost of GP Services in Northern Ireland. This expenditure relates to payments processed in a given year and not the cost of the service provided in that year.

Further details relating to Data Quality are provided here in the Background Quality Report and the FPS Quality Assurance of Administrative Data Report.

National/International comparisons

This publication contains comparisons between General Medical Services in Northern Ireland and other regions of the United Kingdom. The comparative data is available from the following sources:

England

Statistics on General Medical Services

Wales

Statistics on General Medical Services - GP Gender

Statistics on General Medical Services - GP Workforce

Statistics on General Medical Services - GP Practices

Statistics on General Medical Services - Patients

Scotland

Statistics on General Medical Services - GP Workforce

Statistics on General Medical Services - GP Practices and Patients

Further Information

Further information about Northern Ireland and its health services, which may assist readers in interpreting this publication, is available from the following sources:

BSO GP Prescribing data

BSO data on HSC Pharmacy Services

Department of Health information relating to Community Pharmacists

BSO Quarterly GP Practice List Sizes

NISRA demographic statistics on the population of Northern Ireland, including mid-year estimates and population projections

Census 21 Results | Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (nisra.gov.uk)

The Honest Broker Service (Providing Access to Health Care Data to internal HSCNI and External Researchers

Copyright and Licence

© 2026 Crown Copyright. This publication may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium. Any material used must be acknowledged, and the title of the publication specified.

Open Government Licence. All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0, except where otherwise stated.

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