The directors present the strategic report for the year ended 31 March 2026.

Northumbria Primary Care Limited (NPC) is a company incorporated and domiciled in the UK. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. The principal activities of the company are to provide primary care services across Northumberland and North Tyneside. These include all components of the General Medical Services (GMS) and Personal Medical Services (PMS) contracts set by NHS England.

Our business model focuses on supporting the continued growth of primary care services and creating opportunities to establish further practices across the Northumberland and North Tyneside area. This will involve working hand-in hand with local practices and developing innovative care models that respond to the needs of our patients.

Northumbria Primary Care Ltd exists to support and enable sustainable, resilient, and high-quality general practice. We do this through effective partnerships, shared leadership, and a continuous improvement approach grounded in data, collaboration, and workforce wellbeing. NPC operates on a not-for-profit basis, ensuring any surpluses generated are reinvested in improving services and support for its practices.

The results of the year are set out in detail on page 9. Turnover for the year amounted to £31,750,734 (2025: £30,042,994). The company has made a profit after tax of £61,826 (2025: Profit £128,357) in the year.

Overview

2025/26 marked a landmark year for Northumbria Primary Care (NPC), celebrating its 10-year anniversary while delivering strong operational, clinical, and financial performance. The organisation continued to expand its scale, improve patient access, and invest in workforce development, all underpinned by a consistent focus on high-quality, patient-centred care.

1. Improved Patient Access & Care Delivery

• Successfully replaced Anima with SystmConnect, improving digital access based on direct patient feedback.

• Introduced more consistent, evidence-based clinical pathways, reducing variation and improving outcomes.

• Expanded multidisciplinary working and innovative care models, enhancing safety, timeliness, and personalisation of care.

• Launched one-stop clinics for long-term conditions, improving efficiency and patient convenience.

2. Prevention & Population Health Impact

• Delivered a 48% flu vaccination uptake among eligible patients, reducing seasonal pressures.

• Introduced Admiral Nurse support for dementia care across Northumberland.

• Rolled out health and wellbeing drop-in sessions, including mental health and social support initiatives.

• Launched pre-operative optimisation pathways, improving surgical readiness and reducing cancellations.

3. Estates & Infrastructure Improvements

• Expanded clinical capacity at multiple sites (Spring Terrace, Newbiggin, Ponteland upgrades).

• Approved Felton refurbishment and progressed plans for Lintonville relocation to modern facilities.

• Delivered NPC’s first estates strategy, setting a long-term infrastructure vision.

4. Workforce Engagement & Culture

• Achieved record NHS Staff Survey response rate of 81.3%.

• Improved results in 74 survey areas and maintained best-in-class culture ratings for compassion.

• Strong staff sentiment:

• 88% feel their role makes a difference

• 87% feel trusted

• 90% enjoy working with their team

• Implemented flexible working:

• 23 requests approved (100% approval rate)

5. GP Workforce Support

• Launched “GP Surviving to Thriving” programme:

• 66% felt supported

• 63% felt listened to

• 64% more confident raising workload issues

• Reduced administrative burden and improved wellbeing/productivity.

6. Financial & Operational Performance

• Delivered above-target efficiency savings, strengthening resilience.

• Maintained stable, sustainable revenue growth in line with forecasts.

• Continued reinvestment of surplus into services, workforce, and innovation as a not-for-profit model.

• Expanded KPI dashboards and data-driven decision-making capability.

7. System Integration & Network Growth

• Expanded Primary Care Network (PCN) to include North Tyneside practices.

• Progressed integrated neighbourhood teams and population health models.

• Strengthened pathways for:

• Frailty care

• Housebound patients

• COPD in high-risk communities

8. Organisational Development & Innovation

• Delivered leadership and education programmes, including:

• 13 graduates from Aspiring Leaders Programme

• Advanced research capability:

• 42 patients recruited into the CORAL heart failure study

• Strengthened partnerships with voluntary sector organisations (e.g. RABI, Fishermen’s Mission).

9. Service Resilience & Structural Growth

• Completed North Tyneside practice merger, improving efficiency and sustainability.

• Delivered improved coordination, cost-efficiency, and service resilience.

Summary of Performance

NPC has demonstrated strong overall performance across all domains:

• Clinical quality: improved access, pathways, and patient experience

• Workforce: high engagement, strong culture, and improved wellbeing

• Finance: stable growth with robust efficiency delivery

• Infrastructure: clear long-term estates investment programme

• System leadership: expanded network and integrated care delivery

Conclusion

Despite ongoing pressures in primary care, NPC has delivered measurable improvements in access, workforce engagement, and financial sustainability, while continuing to innovate and expand. The organisation enters the next year with strong foundations, high staff engagement, and a clear strategic direction focused on system integration and proactive care. A key focus for the year ahead will be ensuring both Northumberland and North Tyneside populations are served by 2 strong and effective Multi-Neighbourhood Providers (MNP) enabling the three shifts as set out in the 10 year plan. The leadership team in NPC will focus on strong collaboration with our primary care partners and wider stakeholders throughout.

On behalf of the board

The directors present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2026.

The results for the year are set out on page 9.

No ordinary dividends were paid. The directors do not recommend payment of a final dividend.

The directors who held office during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were as follows:

Applications for employment by disabled persons are always fully considered, bearing in mind the aptitudes of the applicant concerned. In the event of members of staff becoming disabled, every effort is made to ensure that their employment within the company continues and that the appropriate training is arranged. It is the policy of the company that the training, career development and promotion of disabled persons should, as far as possible, be identical to that of other employees.

The company's policy is to consult and discuss with employees, through unions, staff councils and at meetings, matters likely to affect employees' interests.

Information about matters of concern to employees is given through information bulletins and reports which seek to achieve a common awareness on the part of all employees of the financial and economic factors affecting the company's performance.

There is no employee share scheme at present, but the directors are considering the introduction of such a scheme as a means of further encouraging the involvement of employees in the company's performance.

The directors are responsible for preparing the annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the directors have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under company law, the directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of the profit or loss of the company for that period.

In preparing these financial statements, the directors are required to:

• select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

• make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and

• prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business.

The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

So far as each person who was a director at the date of approving this report is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the company’s auditor is unaware. Additionally, the directors individually have taken all the necessary steps that they ought to have taken as directors in order to make themselves aware of all relevant audit information and to establish that the company’s auditor is aware of that information.

We have audited the financial statements of Northumbria Primary Care Limited (the 'company') for the year ended 31 March 2026 which comprise the statement of comprehensive income, the balance sheet, the statement of changes in equity and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

• give a true and fair view of the state of the company's affairs as at 31 March 2026 and of its profit for the year then ended;

• have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and

• have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the directors' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the directors with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. The directors are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit:

• the information given in the strategic report and the directors' report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and

• the strategic report and the directors' report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the strategic report or the directors' report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

• adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or

• the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or

• certain disclosures of directors' remuneration specified by law are not made; or

• we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.

As explained more fully in the directors' responsibilities statement, the directors are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the directors determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, the directors are responsible for assessing the company's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to liquidate the company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed below.

The risk of material misstatement due to error or fraud has been assessed in conjunction with how internal controls may mitigate any such risk. These controls are reviewed as part of the audit by performing systems walkthroughs to ensure they are operating effectively. Analytical review and substantive testing is also performed on all material balances and therefore any instances of non-compliance should be identified or considered as insignificant. In identifying and assessing risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud, the audit engagement team;

• obtained an understanding of the nature of the industry and sector, including the legal and regulatory framework, in which the company operates and how the company complies with that legal and regulatory framework

• inquired with management and those charged with governance about their own identification and assessment of the risks of irregularities, including any known actual, suspected or alleged instances of fraud

• discussed with management and those charged with governance any non-compliance with laws and regulations and how fraud might occur including assessments of how and where the financial statements may be susceptible to fraud.

The risk of management override of controls was also considered an area of potential misstatement due to fraud. Audit procedures performed included testing of manual journal entries and other adjustments and evaluating the business rationale in relation to significant, unusual transactions and transactions entered into outside the normal course of business.

There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures described above and the primary responsibility for the prevention and detection of irregularities including fraud rests with management. As with any audit, there remained a risk of non-detection of irregularities, as these may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations or the override of internal controls.

A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the company's members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the company's members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the company and the company's members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

The profit and loss account has been prepared on the basis that all operations are continuing operations.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions relating to medium-sized companies.

In the application of the company’s accounting policies, the directors are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.

Northumbria Primary Care Limited is a private company limited by shares incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Northumbria House, Unit 7 & 8 Silver Fox Way, Cobalt Business Park, North Shields, NE27 0QJ.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the company. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.

This company is a qualifying entity for the purposes of FRS 102, being a member of a group where the parent of that group prepares publicly available consolidated financial statements, including this company, which are intended to give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit or loss of the group. The company has therefore taken advantage of exemptions from the following disclosure requirements:

• Section 7 ‘Statement of Cash Flows’: Presentation of a statement of cash flow and related notes and disclosures;

• Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instrument Issues: Interest income/expense and net gains/losses for financial instruments not measured at fair value; basis of determining fair values; details of collateral, loan defaults or breaches, details of hedges, hedging fair value changes recognised in profit or loss and in other comprehensive income;

• Section 26 ‘Share based Payment’: Share-based payment expense charged to profit or loss, reconciliation of opening and closing number and weighted average exercise price of share options, how the fair value of options granted was measured, measurement and carrying amount of liabilities for cash-settled share-based payments, explanation of modifications to arrangements;

• Section 33 ‘Related Party Disclosures’: Compensation for key management personnel.

The Company's ultimate parent undertaking, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust includes the Company in its consolidated financial statements. The consolidated financial statements of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust are available to the public and may be obtained from the Finance Department, Northumbria House, Unit 7/8 Silver Fox Way, Cobalt Business Park, Tyne and Wear, NE27 0QJ.

Atruet the time of approving the financial statements, the directors have a reasonable expectation that the company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the directors continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.

Turnover represents the value of work commissioned and achieved in relation to healthcare services by the GP practices under the control of Northumbria Primary Care Limited.

Interests in subsidiaries, associates and jointly controlled entities are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost less any accumulated impairment losses. The investments are assessed for impairment at each reporting date and any impairment losses or reversals of impairment losses are recognised immediately in profit or loss.

A subsidiary is an entity controlled by the company. Control is the power to govern the financial and operating policies of the entity so as to obtain benefits from its activities.

Stocks are stated at the lower of cost and net realisable value. The cost of all consumable goods is charged to operating expenses at the time of purchase.

Trade and other debtors/creditors

Trade and other debtors are recognised initially at transaction price less attributable transaction costs. Trade and other creditors are recognised initially at transaction price plus attributable transaction costs. Subsequent to initial recognition they are measured at amortised cost using the effective interest rate method, less any impairment losses in the case of trade debtors. If the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, for example if payment is deferred beyond normal business terms, then it is measured at the present value of future payments discounted at a market rate of instrument for a similar debt instrument.

Interest- bearing borrowings classified as basic financial instruments

Interest-bearing borrowings are recognised initially at the present value of future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Subsequent to initial recognition, interest-bearing borrowings are stated at amortised cost using the effective interest method, less any impairment losses.

Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash balances and call deposits. Bank overdrafts that are repayable on demand and form an integral part of the Company's cash management are included as a component of cash and cash equivalents.

Other financial assets, including investments in equity instruments which are not subsidiaries, associates or joint ventures, are initially measured at fair value, which is normally the transaction price. Such assets are subsequently carried at fair value and the changes in fair value are recognised in profit or loss, except that investments in equity instruments that are not publicly traded and whose fair values cannot be measured reliably are measured at cost less impairment.

Financial assets, other than those held at fair value through profit and loss, are assessed for indicators of impairment at each reporting end date.

Financial assets are impaired where there is objective evidence that, as a result of one or more events that occurred after the initial recognition of the financial asset, the estimated future cash flows have been affected. If an asset is impaired, the impairment loss is the difference between the carrying amount and the present value of the estimated cash flows discounted at the asset’s original effective interest rate. The impairment loss is recognised in profit or loss.

If there is a decrease in the impairment loss arising from an event occurring after the impairment was recognised, the impairment is reversed. The reversal is such that the current carrying amount does not exceed what the carrying amount would have been, had the impairment not previously been recognised. The impairment reversal is recognised in profit or loss.

Financial assets are derecognised only when the contractual rights to the cash flows from the asset expire or are settled, or when the company transfers the financial asset and substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to another entity, or if some significant risks and rewards of ownership are retained but control of the asset has transferred to another party that is able to sell the asset in its entirety to an unrelated third party.

Derivatives, including interest rate swaps and forward foreign exchange contracts, are not basic financial instruments. Derivatives are initially recognised at fair value on the date a derivative contract is entered into and are subsequently re-measured at their fair value. Changes in the fair value of derivatives are recognised in profit or loss in finance costs or finance income as appropriate, unless hedge accounting is applied and the hedge is a cash flow hedge.

Debt instruments that do not meet the conditions in FRS 102 paragraph 11.9 are subsequently measured at fair value through profit or loss. Debt instruments may be designated as being measured at fair value through profit or loss to eliminate or reduce an accounting mismatch or if the instruments are measured and their performance evaluated on a fair value basis in accordance with a documented risk management or investment strategy.

Financial liabilities are derecognised when the company’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.

Tax on the profit or loss for the year comprises current and deferred tax. Tax is recognised in the profit or loss account except to the extent that it relates to items recognised directly in equity or other comprehensive income, in which case it is recognised directly in equity or other comprehensive income.

Current tax is the expected tax payable or receivable on the taxable income or loss for the year, using tax rates enacted or subsequently enacted at the balance sheet date, and any adjustment to tax payable in respect of previous years.

Unrelieved tax losses and other deferred tax assets are recognised only to the extent that it is probable that they will be recovered against the reversal of deferred tax liabilities or other future taxable profits.

NHS Pension Scheme

Past and present employees are covered by the provisions of the two NHS Pension Schemes. Both schemes are unfunded, defined benefit schemes that cover NHS employer, general practices and other bodies, allowed under the direction of Secretary of State for Health and Social Care in England and Wales. The scheme is not designed in a way that would enable employers to identify their share of the underlying scheme assets and liabilities. Therefore, the scheme is accounted for as though it is a defined contributions scheme: the cost to the company is taken as equal to the employer's pension contributions payable to the scheme for the accounting period. The contributions are charged to the operating expenses as they become due.

Additional pension liabilities arising from early retirements are not funded by the scheme except where the retirement is due to ill-health. The full amount of the liability for the additional costs is charged to the operating expenses at the time the company commits itself to the retirement, regardless of the method of payment.

National Employment Savings Trust

The company operates an alternative mandatory scheme, National Employment Savings Trust (NEST), for employees who do not qualify to become a member of the NHS Pension Scheme. The scheme is a defined contribution scheme: the cost to the company is taken as equal to the employer's pension contributions payable to the scheme for the accounting period. The contributions are charged to the operating expenses as they become due.

Expenses

Interest receivable and Interest payable

Interest payable and similar charges include interest payable, finance charges on shares classified as liabilities and finance leases recognised in profit or loss using the effective interest rate method, unwinding of the discount on provisions, and net foreign exchange losses that are recognised in the profit and loss account (see foreign currency accounting policy).

Other interest receivable and similar income include interest receivable on funds invested and net foreign exchange gains.

Interest income and interest payable are recognised in profit or loss as they accrue, using the effective interest method. Dividend income is recognised in the profit or loss account on the date the company's right to receive payments is established. Foreign currency gains and losses are reported on a net basis.

The average monthly number of persons (including directors) employed by the company during the year was:

Their aggregate remuneration comprised:

The number of directors for whom retirement benefits are accruing under defined contribution schemes amounted to 2 (2025 - 2).

The actual credit for the year can be reconciled to the expected charge for the year based on the profit or loss and the standard rate of tax as follows:

The fixed asset investment relates to the shares held in The Northumbria Partnership Cost Share Group Limited, a company incorporated in the UK. The principle activity of The Northumbria Partnership Cost Share Group Limited is the provision of primary care services. Northumbria Primary Care Limited holds 100% of the 1,000 A Ordinary Shares which have a nominal value of £0.01. The company's cost of investment therefore comprises the nominal value of shares issued.

The company operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the company in an independently administered fund.

The Company is a subsidiary undertaking of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

The consolidated financial statements of this group is available to the public and may be obtained from 7-8 Silver Fox Way, Northumbria House, Colbalt Business Park, NE27 0OJ.