Christchurch Primary Care Network

Since the NHS was created in 1948, the population has grown and people are living longer. Many people are living with long term conditions such as diabetes and heart disease or suffer with mental health issues and may need to access their local health services more often. In order to meet these needs, practices are working together with communities, mental health, social care, pharmacy, hospital and voluntary services in their local areas in groups of practices known as primary care networks (PCNs).

By GP surgeries working together and building on existing primary care services this enables a greater provision of proactive and more integrated health and social care for people. As a patient you will be able to access a greater range of services that is more integrated into your community.  Being part of a PCN enables practices to work at scale and improves the ability of the surgery to recruit and retain staff; manage financial and estates pressures; provide a wider range of services to patients; integrate with the broader health and care system. In addition, PCN funding allows the recruitment of a more diverse skill mix into general practice, such as first contact physiotherapists, social prescribers, and physician assistants.