Primary Care Networks (PCNs)

Primary Care Networks (PCNs) are groups of GP practices working together with other local organisations, such as community, mental health, social care, pharmacy, hospital and voluntary services. They will support the needs of a population that has grown, is living longer, and may need to access local health services more often.

Our GP practices have been working together for a number of years, through federations, networks, clusters and partnerships. The NHS Long Term Plan and the five-year framework for the GP contract, make this more formal without creating new statutory bodies.

In practice, PCNs will build on the work already undertaken and the current services offered by GP practices. It will mean greater provision of proactive, personalised and coordinated care, as well as more integration between health and social care. This will provide clear benefits for patients and GPs.

In Lincolnshire, PCNs are based on GP registered lists and serve communities between 29,000 to 77,000. They are designed to still provide the personalised care valued by patients, but be big enough to have impact and economies of scale through closer working.