Primary Care Networks
Primary Care Networks
Since the creation of the NHS 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. To meet these needs, GP practices are working together with community, mental health, social care, pharmacy, hospital and voluntary services in their local areas in groups of practices known as Primary Care Networks (PCNs).
Wandle PCN
Each of the 1,250 PCNs across England are based on GP reregistered patient lists. Formed in 2019 and comprising 5 GP practices in the London borough of Wandsworth, Wandle PCN serves a community of 55,000 people – small enough to provide personal care valued by both patients and GPs, but large enough to have impact and economies of scale through better collaboration. Wandle PCN is led by its Clinical Director, Dr Laura Quinton. She meets regularly with the clinical and management leads of all 5 practices to share ideas and plan for the further provision of proactive, personalised, co-ordinated and more integrated health and social care for the communities they serve.
Primary Care Networks Animation
Wandle PCN partnerships
We look to partner with other local organisations and providers to integrate local health and social care services and to provide fair access to all our patients, whatever their circumstances. We currently work in partnership with St George’s Hospital, Tooting, on projects to improve medication safety, and with Community Pharmacy teams to provide electronic prescriptions and repeat medication delivery services for our patients. We have partnered with Surrey Physio to establish the services of First Contact Physiotherapists and with Enable (a not-for-profit organisation that delivers health/leisure/community services that enrich people’s lives) to provide a Social Prescriber. We also have strong links with our Community Nursing and Mental Health services, and as a PCN group, seek to continually provide feedback to improve this offer.
Working together has huge benefits for both patients and GP practices. Through collaboration we are able to run additional services, operate more efficiently and share knowledge and resources that ultimately mean patients have a wider access to healthcare.
We want to support self-care for our patients and promote easier use of digital technology and navigation around an increasingly complex healthcare system. Most of all, we want to retain that individual feel that local GP surgeries can have in the heart of their catchment area. We do not want patients to lose that personal touch. As a Wandle PCN patient, you will still have your own GP and local surgery, but also benefit from a wider local and strong network, working together for one another.