More than 1,000 GP practices in England are set to be modernised under a £102 million national programme, with surgeries in Halesowen and the wider Black Country included in the rollout. The investment, part of the Labour Government’s wider £26 billion NHS reform package, represents the biggest upgrade to general practice facilities in more than five years.
The initiative aims to tackle a growing issue: while GPs often have the capacity to treat more patients, many are limited by outdated, cramped premises. With not enough rooms to see people, surgeries are struggling to meet demand — leading to what’s become known as the “8am scramble” for appointments.
Local MP Alex Ballinger welcomed the announcement, saying it would bring tangible improvements for residents.
“Residents in Halesowen tell me their frustration after enduring the dreaded 8am scramble and the difficulty that they have in getting a GP appointment,” said the Halesowen MP.
“I promised Labour would help bring back the family doctor – with 1,500 new GPs recruited already, I’m delighted that our Labour Government is starting to deliver on that promise.
“But that was just the start. We said we would fix the front door of the NHS – today we’re fixing the front, the sides, the back and all the rooms in between with the biggest investment GP facilities have seen for years. A Labour Government delivering on our promises for Halesowen.”
Last week, the Halesowen MP stood in Parliament to raise these concerns directly, asking the Minister for Care how the £100 million NHS investment will lead to more space, quicker appointments, and better care. He pressed the Government to ensure that this funding delivers real, on-the-ground improvements for patients in towns like Halesowen.
The Department of Health and Social Care confirmed that the funding will be used to create new consultation and treatment rooms, improve layouts, and upgrade outdated infrastructure — boosting both appointment numbers and the quality of care patients receive.
Halesowen is part of the Black Country Integrated Care Board area, which has been named among those to benefit. The first phase of the project is expected to begin in summer 2025, with all works delivered across the 2025–26 financial year.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting described the upgrades as a long-overdue fix to years of neglect in primary care.
“It will be a long road, but this Government is putting in the work to fix our NHS and make it fit for the future,” said the Health and Social Care Secretary.
“These are simple fixes for our GP surgeries but for too long they were left to ruin, allowing waiting lists to build and stopping doctors treating more patients.
“It is only because of the necessary decisions we took in the Budget that we are able to invest in GP surgeries, start tackling the 8am scramble and deliver better services for patients. The extra investment and reform this Government is making, as part of its Plan for Change, will transform our NHS so it can once again be there for you when you need it.”
While a full list of the individual surgeries set to receive funding has not yet been published, local NHS teams are working with the Department of Health to finalise plans.
For Halesowen, the announcement signals a shift away from years of patchwork fixes.
It offers a chance to restore the accessibility and continuity of care residents have long been calling for — and the possibility that, one morning soon, the redial button at 8am may no longer be needed.