What's happened, and what next
What happened
Fully-qualified GP FTE per 100,000 registered patients in Portsmouth fell from 40.5 in September 2019 to 32.7 in September 2023, recovering to 36.4 by June 2026 — against an England figure of 45.7. NHS dentistry access is 30.2% of adults seen in 24 months to March 2026 against 40.0% nationally, and 50.2% of children (seen in 12 months) against 60.0%. Under-75 preventable mortality was 192.1 per 100,000 in 2022–24 against 151.2 in England. Adult obesity reached 32.3% against 26.6%.
Why it matters
Access to primary care determines whether conditions are caught early or become emergencies. Preventable mortality is, by definition, deaths that need not have happened. And the healthy-life-expectancy gap is far larger than the lifespan gap — Portsmouth residents do not just die a little earlier, they spend markedly more of their lives in poor health.
What's being done
GP staffing has partially recovered since 2023. Dental contract delivery in Portsmouth rose from around 55–66% of contracted activity in 2024/25 towards 71–75% in 2025/26, though still below England's 89%. No Portsmouth-specific published evaluation of either recovery exists.
Has it worked?
Partially. GP numbers and preventable mortality both moved the right way in the most recent period, and dental contract delivery is improving. None has closed the gap to England.
What happens next
NHS Dental Statistics for 2025/26 were due at the end of August 2026 and will refresh the dentistry figures with deprivation breakdowns. The next GP workforce and OHID mortality releases follow.
Cost
Not separately published for Portsmouth.