Primary Care Networks (PCNs)
Primary Care Networks (PCNs) are multi-disciplinary teams of healthcare professionals working together at a local level to deliver joined up patient care. Most Primary Care Networks will cover around 30-50,000 patients registered with constituent GP practices, although in South Staffordshire we have a couple of PCNs covering much larger populations.
CPE has a comprehensive webpage which provides additional information about PCNs and what they aim to achieve – you can find this at
PCN resources and guidance – Community Pharmacy England (cpe.org.uk)
Across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent there are now 25 PCNs – you can click on the link to each of these to find information on the constituent GP practices and community pharmacies.
Getting involved with the work of your PCN
Although general practice will be at the heart of PCNs, NHS England has said that it wants clinical pharmacists (employed by the networks) and community pharmacists to be engaged in the work of the networks.
It is important that community pharmacy teams are fully engaged in the work of PCNs, to optimise their provision of services to patients and because the future development of locally commissioned services will be influenced by PCNs.