The Primary Care Networks Academy

Delivering on the promise of PCNs

Why we’re here

We are excited. We believe PCNs offer a genuine opportunity to break the cycle of failed integration initiatives, colossal waste, overburdened clinicians and disjointed care for people at their most vulnerable.

The future more joined-up, sustainable, innovative and patient-focused NHS won’t come from those at the top, it will come from networks of clinicians, their colleagues and partners closest to communities working with the people who live within them.

What we do

We provide practical advice and tools to help PCNs, INTs and their partners and collaborators to:

Meet local people’s needs
Deliver on their service specifications
Improve relationships between their members
Integrate (de-fragment) complex care

Why not start by exploring the four opportunity areas below:

How we help

We look at the root causes of PCN difficulties, rather than the symptoms.

We support you to

Learn from what you already do
Challenge yourself to rethink things
Act quickly

Building blocks - how to go about things

Designing primary care | A proactive response to needs >

Using your data | Understanding what’s going on >

FAQS | Some Q&As >

Four things you can do today

The main opportunity areas for PCNs

#1 Creating Robust General Practice

As the cornerstone of the NHS, General Practice needs to be the best it can be; to provide quality care locally for all, and at the same time reduce workplace stress; generate thinking and learning time and adapt to changing demands. Here we will share our experiences of doing this.

#2 Managing Complex Needs

By clarifying the classification of complex needs, we help practices and primary care networks develop a radically simplified response to meeting need based on acuity, an approach that does not overwhelm primary care.

#3 Collaborating with Communities

This is taking an asset-based approach to meet the needs of people who are struggling to live well. This goes beyond social prescribing to help practices and PCNs provide a stepping-stone, connecting people and collaborating with your community.

#4 The PCN as a Network

Primary Care Networks work where there is shared passion and focus. We help PCNs unlock genuine innovations in meeting the needs of the local population. As your critical friend, we help you use your scale and combined expertise to move from managing activity to meeting needs.